Polish aid

According to UN data, 1 in 10 women worldwide is living in extreme poverty. Women remain less likely to participate in the labour market than men around the world (globally, the gender employment gap amounts to 30%). That’s why improving women’s professional situation is an important element of Polish development projects. It not only enhances their earning potential but also—according to data from the International Monetary Fund (“Pursuing Women’s Economic Empowerment”)—a higher participation of women in the economy increases spending on children’s education, which positively affects a country’s development in the long term.

Polish Aid financed, among others, the project titled “Business in high heels – supporting entrepreneurial women in Moldova,” implemented by the Podlaska Regional Development Foundation, which encourages women to develop their own businesses. As a result, in 2025 ten participants received grants to grow their companies, and several hundred women took part in business meetings and training sessions.

Even modest support can significantly transform local communities, as can be seen in the case of women from the Ancash region in northern Peru, who make a living by raising guinea pigs and producing handwoven accessories. The purchase of sewing machines financed by Polish Aid helped these women increase production and achieve a stable income. An example of environmentally conscious women’s entrepreneurship is a project by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Buenos Aires, which involved making baskets from old banners as part of recycling efforts. The project supported young women from indigenous communities in Salta Province, Argentina.

Refugee women from Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Somalia living in Jordan, like many local women, experience unemployment. A project by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Amman strengthened their independence by helping them acquire skills in candle-making, machine sewing, and ceramics. Meanwhile, as a result of cooperation between the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Addis Ababa and the Barkot Foundation, 109 people, mostly women, completed tailoring and hairdressing/beauty courses.

Armed conflicts particularly affect women, which is why a project by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Kyiv focused on supporting a centre for women affected by war and Russian aggression. Located in Borodianka and run by the “Ukrainian Women’s Guard” NGO, the centre helps treat trauma resulting from Russian occupation or the loss of a partner due to war, while also offering numerous vocational courses and childcare services.

In South Sudan, which is affected by a humanitarian crisis, a project funded by Polish Aid and implemented by the Polish Humanitarian Action focused on providing hygiene supplies for women and girls in the counties of Renk and Manyo.

Long-term conflicts also hinder access to education, especially for girls. Therefore, a project by the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Erbil focused on women living in the Yarmouk district of Mosul. Thanks to the received support, 100 women began their education. Half of them had never attended school before.

Assistance to victims of gender-based violence is another important aspect of Polish Aid activities. In Tanzania, the Polish Aid programme financed a project by the Fundacja Kiabakari (Kiabakari Foundation) to build the Nyumba Salama center—a safe home for girls and women fleeing female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

The initiatives described above are just a few of the hundreds of projects supported by Polish Aid. One of the thematic priorities of Poland’s development cooperation for 2026 is the implementation of the UN agenda “Women, Peace and Security.”