International Women's Development Agency Inc. (IWDA) is an Australian non-profit organisation that works to support women's rights in Asia and the Pacific. International Women’s Development Agency is a secular, non-profit agency, founded in 1985 and based in Melbourne. IWDA undertakes projects in partnership with women from the Asia-Pacific region. These projects are devised and managed by women who live and work in the communities themselves, which fosters practical and innovative responses to the issues women’s view as most critical. [1]
Contents
IWDA focuses on three main areas of women's rights: civil and political participation, economic empowerment and sustainable livelihoods, and safety and security. [2]
The development which IWDA promotes is the equitable growth of people and communities, and the just distribution of basic resources and respect for human rights.[3]
History
International Women’s Development Agency was created in Melbourne, Australia, in 1985 by three founding members: Ruth Pfanner, Wendy Poussard and Wendy Rose. Wendy Poussard was the first Executive Director, while the other founders volunteered their time as members of the Committee of Management for over 5 years to establish IWDA.
IWDA was formed “because women were virtually invisible as planners and managers of development programs”, as Wendy Poussard stated, and in recognition of the fact that women do less well than men as a group in every country.
The development projects that IWDA supports are devised and implemented by women who live and work in the communities themselves, helping to ensure relevance and effectiveness. As an organisation committed to women’s human rights and women’s political and economic empowerment, they seek to lead by example, showing how development is done better and outcomes improved when women are involved and the barriers to their participation are consciously identified and addressed. [4]
Work
Today, IWDA focuses on Asia and the Pacific. Currently they have project partnerships in Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Burma and its borders. IWDA also works across research, policy & advocacy to advance women's rights.