Gender Equality

Women's empowerment is central to every aspect of the Millennium Villages project and to reducing poverty. The majority of smallholder farmers in Africa are women. The MV project works to improve girls' access to school by organizing community outreach on the importance of girls' education, constructing gender-safe latrines at schools, and providing sanitary pads to reduce school absences.

Women and girls' health is also a major focus of the project, with key services for antenatal care, voluntary family planning options, testing for HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, and encouraging deliveries in clinics. Women are also empowered economically through the support of women's cooperatives, increased access to micro-finance, and the inclusion of women in village committees.