Best women’s charities UK: Celebrate International Women’s Day 2022 by donating to a worthy cause

While we believe that women should be celebrated 365 days a year, the official day - International Women’s Day - is taking place on March 8 and marks a global celebration of women.

With a long history that dates back to 1911, IWD is an opportunity to raise awareness, challenge stereotypes and channel efforts for gender equality. Each year, the organisers decide on a theme to unify the direction of the efforts in which 2022 is all about #BreakTheBias. No more should we be silent on inequality, stereotyping and gender bias.

If you’re thinking, what more can I do? We may have just the thing. We have gathered a selection of charities all created for women; offering aid on domestic abuse, education, period poverty and many more causes that you can donate to or offer your time in support.

Girls Out Loud

Girls Out Loud was created to empower and inspire teenage girls in the UK. Did you know that 1 in 4 girls will self-harm before they leave school, or that girls as young as 5 are worrying about their weight? The charity provides programmes and support that help build confidence, self-belief, emotional resilience and a positive self-image.

Bloody Good Period

As Bloody Good Period so accurately point out on its website, menstrual supplies are not cheap. This charity aims to end period poverty for women asylum seekers, refugees and those who can’t afford to buy the essential products. You can help by either donating money or supplies to drop-in centres and food banks (although the latter is not currently possible due to Covid).

The Fawcett Society

Millicent Fawcett was a suffragist and women's rights campaigner who collected signatures on a petition for women’s votes at just 19. In honour of the formidable women, the Fawcett Society is one of the UK's leading charities for women's rights and gender equality. The charity works to bring together “politicians, academics, grassroots activists and wider civil society to develop innovative, practical solutions” — in which they have already successfully campaigned for the government to require companies to publish their pay gap.

Women in Sport

It may or may not shock you to learn that 1.5 million more men play sport than women in England every week and only 8 per cent of girls are getting their recommended exercise guidelines. Women in Sport are fighting against this by encouraging women to participate and enjoy the lifelong rewards. The organisation works with schools and teachers to make sport a part of each person’s life from a young age.

Women's Aid

Women’s Aid is a grassroots federation that is made up of hundreds of organisations. Since 1974, they have been offering life-saving services to women and children suffering from domestic abuse, education and public awareness. The organisations work closely to offer a support system as well as a 24-hour National Domestic Violence Helpline.

Imkaan

At local, national and international level, Imkaan fights violence against black and minority ethnic (BME) women and girls. The organisation works to improve policy and practice responses to women of colour on a whole host of issues that include domestic violence, forced marriage, and ‘honour-based’ violence.

Helen Bamber Foundation

The Helen Bamber Foundation supports some of the most marginalised and vulnerable people, including victims of torture, trafficking, war and any other human rights violations. The organisation work actively to provide medical care, legal assistance, specialist psychological and physical therapy, to help women rebuild their lives with access to education and employment.

Smart Works

With Meghan Markle as a patron, the Smart Works charity provide both interview training and clothing to help low-income women in the U.K get jobs and gain financial independence. By harnessing the power of clothes and coaching, the charity aim to build confidence for job success. You can either donate money or clothing to the organisation’s seven locations across the UK.

Rights of Women

As well as calling for the end of violence against women, Rights of Women is designed to ensure that all women understand the law and their legal rights. The charity provides free and confidential legal advice to women on all types law including family, criminal, immigration and asylum. Through information, Rights of Women aim to empower women.

MSI Reproductive Choices

The charity provides sexual health services, screenings, contraception and abortion care as well as advice and the access to 24/7 information and an advice line.

The Malala Fund

Student and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai founded the fun to invest in local education leaders and programmes to ensure that girls all over the world access to safe, quality education. Aiming to break down the barriers that prevent more than 130 million girls from going to school, the charity advocates for more resources for education.

Wish Women's Mental Health Charity

The only national mental health charity just for women, Wish was established in 1987 to provide long-term advocacy, emotional support and practical guidance at all stages of a woman’s journey through mental health – whether they are leaving hospital, prison or a community. Wish also call for women’s voices to be heard at a policy level.

Plan International

Plan International work with vulnerable children to advance their rights as well as pushing for gender equality. Through sponsorship and grassroots community work, the charity aims to break down the taboos around menstruation, stop period poverty, and push for an end to child marriage, teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence, and female genital mutilation.

Young Women's Trust

For young women between the ages of 16 to 30, the trust supports those who are trying to get by on low or no pay. Through career coaching and CV feedback, they help boost young women’s confidence and help them take their next steps into the working world. Aiming for a fairer financial future, the Young Women’s Trust is pushing to bridge the gender pay gap.

The FPA

The FPA is all about education so women can make positive choices about their own sexual health and wellbeing. The organisation champions people’s right to sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing through high-quality information, advocacy and campaigning.

Women for Refugee Women

Empowering refugee women to share their stories and reveal their truths to media and policy-makers, the Women For Refugee Women are pushing for women’s human rights to be respected, and treated with justice and dignity. Their vision is to “give a voice to women who are all too often unheard and unseen”.

Jewish Women’s Aid

The Jewish Women’s Aid is for all women regardless of age, education, class, lifestyle or religion who have been affected by domestic violence. According to the charity, one woman in four will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime and so the organisation focuses on education, training and raising awareness as well as encouraging women to speak out.

Housing for Women

A charity and housing provider, Housing for Women supports women and children as they rebuild their lives and regain their independence after domestic abuse. Through affordable housing, they relocate domestic abuse survivors as well as survivors of trafficking, women leaving prison and older women.