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Solidarity in Saving: Listening to Women’s Needs During Crises

December 20, 2023

Women (in VSLAs) Respond is an ongoing exercise, conducted by CARE, listening to how women in Village Savings & Loan Associations (VSLAs) are affected by and responding to shocks and crises in their communities, including conflict, climate change, food insecurity, pandemics, and more. The best way to understand what is happening to crisis-affected populations is to listen to their voices and experiences. Between February and August 2023, CARE interviewed saving group members as part of the Women (in VSLA) Respond initiative. This brief represents quantitative data from Burundi, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, and Vietnam. The survey included 3,822 (85% women) VSLA members.

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Introduction

Women (in VSLAs) Respond is an ongoing exercise, conducted by CARE, listening to how women in Village Savings & Loan Associations (VSLAs) are affected by and responding to shocks and crises in their communities, including conflict, climate change, food insecurity, pandemics, and more.

Women Respond builds on CARE’s Rapid Gender Analysis work, needs assessments, and our longstanding relationships with women leaders all over the world to better understand the unique situation crises present so that we can adapt our programming and advocacy to meet those challenges. It puts women’s voices at the center of response and provides unique insights into women’s experiences as leaders, emergency responders and advocates at local, national, and global levels. The data generated through Women Respond is shared with participating VSLA groups so that they can advocate for their own needs and influence policies and humanitarian programming.

This brief represents 2023 data from 3,822 VSLA members from seven countries. For quick reference, there is also a one-pager of key findings.

Download the full brief

Download the key findings one-pager

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