Norwegian People’s Aid wants a society without discrimination of women

Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) contributes to the global struggle for gender equity and equality.

In all societies, now and in the past, certain tasks and patterns of behaviour have been ascribed to either men or women and thus understood to be male or female. Gender differences need not necessarily produce social inequality, but they have often confirmed and legitimated social inequalities, with men systematically in superior positions compared to women. Most societies practice to a larger or lesser extent discrimination against women economically, politically, sexually and culturally. The ways, however, in which gender inequalities are expressed, vary from one sociocultural setting to another.

NPA supports the development of a society where both women and men can fully realise their potential as human beings, without being forced into roles imposed by social norms or political systems. The aim is to transform the hierarchical structures of domination into structures where power is exercised with equal rights to participate and influence, without the fear of violence. Authorities in society have the responsibility to make these changes at an institutional level. NPA believes that men as well as women will benefit from this transformation.

NPA works to strengthen women’s position and enhance gender equality in our own organisation. In our development programs these efforts are elaborated in cooperation with our partners through continuous dialogue and with respect for different cultural and regional traditions.

NPA emphasize cooperation with change actors for fair distribution of power and resources in civil society. We therefore  cooperates among others with women’s movements, people’s organisations and human rights organisations in many countries and support their effort to strengthen women’s rights and gender equality at different levels. It involves support to women’s organisation, increased influence in society, access to and control over land and other resources, as well as combating violence against women. NPA supports also our partners in their own organisational development to secure women’s rights and opportunities to the same extent as men’s.