On March 8, 2026, the world celebrates International Women’s Day – a day to honor women’s leadership, bold advocacy, and transformative achievements. It is also a stark reminder that gender equality is not yet a reality, and that our work is far from finished.
At Rise Up Together, we are uplifting a simple but powerful truth:
When we give, women gain.
Across the globe, Rise Up Leaders are proving this truth every day. These extraordinary civil society leaders are breaking barriers, transforming systems, and showing what happens when girls and women are given access, protection, and opportunity.
For this year’s campaign, we asked four leaders from our priority countries – Amita Jadhav, Claudia Elizabeth Cuéllar Ochoa, Edith Nyamwange, and Fadera Williams – to answer the same question: What happens when we give? Their reflections illuminate the ways strategic advocacy for girls and women can ripple out to benefit entire communities.
Their work reminds us that investing in women is not charity – it’s justice.
Their Impact with Rise Up Together:
Amita Jadhav, Rise Up Leader, India
In Maharashtra, India, more than 28 million married women now have improved access to legal marriage registration thanks to a policy win led by Rise Up Leader Amita Jadhav. Without legal recognition of their marriages, women were often denied property rights, government benefits, and legal protections, leaving them financially vulnerable and dependent.
Amita and her team conducted surveys in rural areas that revealed shocking gaps: only 8% of women had registered marriages, and most were unaware of how to do so. “Even though a law was amended in 1998, communities, government systems, and elected officials remained unaware of it,” Amita recalls.
By simplifying registration processes, regulating fees, and launching public awareness campaigns, Amita’s work transformed the legal landscape for millions of women.
When we asked Amita what this year’s International Women’s Day theme, Give to Gain, means to her in the context of women’s rights, she reflected on the power of focused, strategic support: “Giving in this context should not make women passive beneficiaries of support; rather, it strengthens their capacity to understand their rights, raise their voices, and overcome systemic discrimination.”
Through these efforts, Amita demonstrates how targeted advocacy can create lasting change that strengthens not only women, but entire communities.
Claudia Elizabeth Cuéllar Ochoa, Rise Up Leader, Mexico
Claudia Elizabeth Cuéllar Ochoa, a lawyer and founder of Luminas Centro de Derechos Humanos, has dedicated her career to protecting adolescents who have experienced sexual violence in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. “My work is rooted in directly supporting women and girls who face deep violence and inequality,” Claudia shares. “Every case I have supported has reaffirmed my conviction that access to justice, economic autonomy, and comprehensive protection are not privileges – they are rights.”
With tailored training and funding from Rise Up Together, she elevated the voices of young survivors, advocating directly with decision makers to reform existing laws. Her tireless advocacy resulted in a state-level decree protecting more than 360,000 adolescents, guaranteeing care, support, and justice for victims and improving safety for all.
“For me, Give to Gain means recognizing that when we invest in girls and women, we are not engaging in charity – we are correcting historical inequalities,” Claudia reflects. “Providing resources, training, support, and decision-making power to women is a commitment to building more just communities.”*
Edith Nyamwange, Rise Up Leader, Kenya
Edith Nyamwange is leading an ambitious project to ensure Kenya’s secondary education curriculum is delivered in a way that is inclusive, gender-responsive, and evidence-driven. Focusing on Grades 10–12, her advocacy engages schools, teachers, and policymakers to support girls’ learning, protect their rights, and give them opportunities to thrive. “For many girls, school is the only safe space they have,” Edith reflects. “Their stories inspire my commitment to create safer, more equitable learning environments.”
Edith’s advocacy project is currently underway, and if successful, could reach 2.6 million students while also influencing broader communities by reshaping norms around girls’ education.
Edith participated in our 2025 Leadership and Advocacy Accelerator in Kenya, an experience that transformed her approach to advocacy. “Rise Up Together’s Leadership & Advocacy Accelerator was transformational,” Edith shares. “It shifted my understanding of advocacy from passion-driven engagement to strategic influence. I began to see advocacy as both relational and structural; building coalitions and trust while simultaneously advancing concrete policy change.”
When we asked Edith to share her thoughts on Give to Gain, she emphasized collective responsibility: “To me, Give to Gain reflects the principle that advancing women’s rights requires collective courage and coordinated action. When girls are supported with safe learning spaces and leadership opportunities, they contribute back as informed citizens and community leaders. Women’s rights work is reciprocal. Collective progress depends on shared responsibility.”
Edith’s work underscores how supporting girls with safe learning spaces and leadership opportunities can ripple out to strengthen families, schools, and national education systems.
Fadera Williams, Rise Up Leader, Nigeria
Fadera Williams is championing access to STEM and climate-focused education for Nigerian girls, opening doors to economic independence and the power to strengthen their communities. Through her organization, Sustain Africa Earth Initiative, she launched a Green Skills Entrepreneurship program in Lagos State, piloting it in government technical secondary schools and colleges. Nearly 14,000 girls learned new skills in STEM and climate solutions and gained the confidence and opportunities to pursue leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship in their communities.
“To me, Give to Gain means that the investment societies make into women produces a multiplier effect,” Fadera explains. “Whatever you give to a woman multiplies. You give a woman a seed, she gives you a nation. Giving to Gain is not charity; it is strategic justice.”
“When women are given land rights, access to clean energy, climate adaptation funding, and representation in environmental governance at all levels, the nation gains food security, sustainable ecosystems, long-term climate resilience, stronger local economies, and reduced migration pressures.”
Fadera’s work highlights how targeted advocacy and education can equip girls with the tools to address climate challenges while strengthening the economic and social resilience of their communities.
From India to Nigeria, a clear truth emerges: investing in women and girls transforms entire communities, strengthens systems, and advances equity. These incredible Rise Up Leaders demonstrate that advocacy is not just about individual outcomes; it’s about removing barriers, creating opportunity, and building stronger, more just societies.
As Amita puts it, “Giving is not limited to financial resources – it includes sharing time, effort, skills, mentorship, solidarity, and long-term commitment. Through this process, strong bonds of trust and collective strength are built, enabling women to move from vulnerability to empowerment.”
This International Women’s Day, we celebrate Rise Up Leaders transforming systems – from education policy to economic rights, from health protections to climate solutions – and invite you to witness and share their stories of courage, strategy, and impact.
From all of us at Rise Up Together, Happy International Women’s Day!
*Claudia’s quotes have been translated from Spanish and edited for clarity.
