Building strong societies

Employing a rights-based approach, we work to ensure that the voices of the poor are heard, and that their rights are realised. To achieve this, we work to strengthen civil society and the public sector.

Building strong societies through strengthened civil society mechanisms is a key approach to uplifting the rural poor through rights-based development.

Village-level community structures are built up and the community themselves are helped to play a lead role in advocating for their basic needs such as obtaining government services from their duty bearers.

Establishing sustainable community structures that can empower communities to claim their rights is central to Strømme Foundation's efforts of building a strong civil society.

In the Asia region, the strengthening of community structures has played an integral role in the empowerment of self-help groups (SHGs), self-reliant groups (SRGs), and community-based organizations (CBOs), who have taken a lead role in advocating with authorities and bringing government services to the community, especially during the COVID-19 period.

The positive coming together of groups to successfully advocate for their rights and entitlements is a key achievement under our intervention areas.

Shonglap girls raising their hands (3182x3121)

Empowering people

Strømme Foundation maximises impact through programmes that empower people, especially women and girls, to be agents of change in their communities.

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Mobilising communities

Organising rights holders at the community level through structures such as Community Based Organisations (CBOs), Self-Help groups and savings groups is central for impact and sustainability.

Advocacy

We work closely with local and national authorities. This ensures local ownership of our programmes and promotes justice and democratic participation. It also enables rights holders to gain access to the services they are entitled to.

Gender equality is a human right.

The UN's Sustainable Development Goal 5 is a priority in our work to strengthen the position of girls and women in society. Gender equality is about giving men and women, opportunities to decide over their own lives and abolishing gender-based discrimination.

We fight against discrimination.

Everywhere in the world, people experience oppression, and in many societies caste-based and gender-based discrimination are prevalent. Without addressing discrimination and oppression, we will be unable to fight poverty in a sustainable way.