Oxfam’s Women’s Rights Fund: Fuelling grassroots change for women’s organisations
Sponsored by OXFAM Kenya
A moment of triumph: Women in Marsabit raise their arms in celebration after village elders declared an end to child marriages, a powerful step towards protecting girls and securing their future.
For many grassroots women’s rights organisations (WROs), funding isn’t just about survival, it’s about impact. It’s about ensuring that a woman escaping violence has a safe place to turn to. It’s about giving young girls the confidence to dream beyond the limitations society sets for them. It’s about making sure women’s voices aren’t just heard but drive real change.
These organisations are situated at the core of the community. They are part of the community. They are normally the first responders to the many challenges the community faces – from providing food to food insecure households, to rescuing women, girls and children exposed to different risks, including Gender Based Violence in the ungodly hours of the night.
The community trusts and runs to them for support, and the bold and courageous women leading these organisations put themselves in the line of fire. They dig deep into their pockets to ensure the needs of the communities are met. Yet, despite the life-changing work they do, most of these organisations struggle to secure stable funding. They operate on shoestring budgets, with one or two dedicated staff juggling multiple roles with the support of volunteers and well-wishers, just to keep things running.
Some operate these organisations from their own homes because between utilising the little resources to pay office rent and meeting the unending needs of their communities, the needs take precedence. Stipends for their staffs and volunteers are paid when resources are available, but they keep going because passion, dedication and commitment to the cause is what drives them, fuelling them to address the gender inequalities that continue to hold back women and girls.
This is why Oxfam’s Women’s Rights Fund (WRF) is anchored on the principles of sharing power and letting the women’s rights organisation take the lead in addressing their own issues. It challenges the status quo in the colonial funding architecture that seeks to control everything from the north; and changes the narrative that small WROs are high risk organisation hence ‘unfundable’.
The fund recognises the important role that these organisations play in the ecosystem and aims to provide them with technical capacity to strengthen their systems and structures, and flexible fund that gives them the freedom to define and address the most urgent needs and priorities in the organisations and community, and do what they do best – empower women and transform lives.
The Women’s Rights Fund is a step toward a fairer, more equitable world. One where women’s voices aren’t just heard but strengthened, supported, and amplified.
Women’s rights organisations shouldn’t have to fight for scraps while doing some of the most important work in society. They deserve trust, respect, and resources to thrive.
Why this fund matters
At its heart, the Women’s Rights Fund is built on a simple but powerful idea: The women-led organisations know what’s best for their communities. They are often the first responders in times of crisis, the loudest voices pushing for fair policies, and the ones offering hope to women who feel they have nowhere else to turn to.
Many organisations struggle with unpredictable, short-term funding, making it nearly impossible to plan for the future. That’s where the Women’s Rights Fund steps in. Unlike traditional grants with rigid rules and bureaucratic hurdles, this fund offers flexible, multi-year support, allowing organisations to use the funds as they see fit while meeting basic legal requirements. This means they can pay their staff, reducing reliance on volunteers and preventing burnout. They can secure office space, creating a safe and stable environment to serve their communities, and invest in their future by building sustainability plans, developing leadership, and expanding their impact beyond the grant period.
Dr Judy Matu, Executive Director of the African Women Agribusiness Network (AWAK), knows these struggles first-hand: “For years, we have had to operate with uncertainty, never knowing if we’d have the resources to continue our work. The Women’s Rights Fund has changed that. It allows us to focus on what truly matters: Empowering women and making sure their voices are heard.”
Real impact, real change
We often talk about gender equality, but real change only happens when the organisations fighting for it have the resources they need. Without funding, even the most impactful initiatives can stall. But with the right support, women’s rights organisations can train young leaders, provide support for survivors of violence, and push for policy reforms that benefit women everywhere.
One inspiring example is Usikimye, a grassroots organisation in Kenya working to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV). With support from the Women’s Rights Fund, Usikimye launched the Uzima Programme, which has provided mental health support to over 200 women through regular group therapy sessions. These sessions aren’t just about healing; they’re about empowerment. Women leave with the confidence to recognise abuse, speak up, and help others do the same.
Founder Njeri Migwi shares why this support is so crucial: “The Women’s Rights Fund is more than just financial support. It’s a vote of confidence in our work. With it, we’ve been able to strengthen our mental health programmes, ensuring that survivors not only receive justice but also healing.”
Beyond mental health, the fund has helped Usikimye train community-based GBV responders and build a referral system that ensures survivors receive timely, appropriate support. The impact is clear: Fewer women suffering in silence, and more getting the help they need.
The power of flexible funding
Imagine trying to build a house, but being told you can only spend money on the windows, not the walls, doors, or foundation. That’s how many women’s rights organisations feel when they receive restricted funding. Traditional grants often dictate how money must be spent, allowing funds for specific activities but not for essentials like salaries, rent, or mental health support. But what happens when an urgent crisis arises, or when an organisation needs to pivot quickly in response to a growing issue?
This is why flexible funding is a game-changer. It removes barriers and lets organisations make decisions based on what their communities actually need, rather than trying to fit into rigid donor requirements.
Juliet Muema, the Executive Director of Elevate Her, explains why this approach is a breakthrough: “For too long, women-led organisations have had to mould themselves to fit donor priorities, even when those priorities don’t align with the realities on the ground. Flexible funding allows us to be agile, responsive, and, most importantly, effective in our mission.”
Looking ahead: Accelerating action for gender equality
Right now, the Women’s Rights Fund is supporting eight organisations in Kenya, creating meaningful change in communities. But that’s just the beginning. The goal? To scale up to reach 70 organisations across 10 countries annually. Achieving this requires £92,000 per organisation over three years to ensure they get the support they need.
This fund isn’t just about money. It’s about sharing power. It’s about dignity and valuing women’s work. It’s about ensuring that the women who know their communities best have the resources to drive real, lasting change. By shifting funding directly to grassroots women’s rights organisations, the fund is accelerating action for gender equality, removing systemic barriers, and ensuring that women-led organisations have the autonomy to create transformative change.
The International Women’s Day 2025 theme, “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”, aligns with the urgent call to uphold the rights of women in accessing resources by WROs; to ensure equality in how donor resources are allocated and distributed; and to empower grassroots WROs to define and address their needs and those of their communities living up to the principle of nothing about us without us.
Be part of the change
Want to be part of this movement? Support the Women’s Rights Fund today and help ensure that women-led organisations continue to drive change where it’s needed most. Because when women rise, we all rise.
Oxfam is a world-wide development organisation that mobilises the strength and voice of people against poverty, inequality, and injustice.
Connect with us and support the Women’s Rights Fund https://www.oxfam.org.uk/oxfam-in-action/women-equality/womens-rights-fund/
Email us: kenyainfo@oxfam.org.uk