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Women’s Empowerment
Soroptimists help women gain the resources and skills needed to secure gainful employment or start their own businesses.
Through projects conducted in partnership with micro-credit organisations, companies, and other institutions, we support women’s economic independence and entrepreneurship. Special attention is given to women in rural areas trapped in cycles of poverty and burdened by time-consuming, menial tasks. To address these challenges, our economic empowerment projects extend to remote rural areas to build wells to reduce the time women spend fetching water or offer training to help them increase crop yields and successfully market their produce.
By combining practical support with long-term opportunities, Soroptimists empower women to take control of their economic future.
Best practice award winner
Educate the Children of the Future, Empower the Mothers!
SI Türkiye - Union Best Project Award 2025
In the heart of Istanbul’s Gültepe district, where socioeconomic barriers often limit opportunity, the Turkish Soroptimists launched a transformative initiative: “Educate the Children of the Future, Empower the Mothers!” This Soroptimist-led project is a holistic response to the community’s needs—offering both education for children and empowerment for their mothers.
Best practice award winner
Empowering Displaced Women: The Yerevan Soroptimists Transform Lives through Skills and Entrepreneurship
SI Yerevan, Armenia
In response to the severe challenges faced by displaced women from Karabakh and rural regions of Armenia, the Soroptimists of Yerevan launched a transformative project focused on women’s empowerment at the “Bari Mama” centre. This impactful initiative provided vulnerable women, many of whom were war-affected, single, or socially isolated, with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to rebuild their lives through professional and personal growth.
Best practice award winner
Women and Sport: The Long Road to Equality
SI Italy - Special Award "New Members & Visibility" Winner 2025
To mark the centennial of Alfonsina Strada’s historic participation in the 1924 Giro d’Italia (the only woman to ever compete in Italy’s most prestigious cycling race and one of the world’s toughest endurance competitions), the Italian Soroptimists launched “Women and Sport: The Long Road to Equality”, a national campaign blending advocacy, education, and cultural celebration. This ambitious project placed gender equality in sport at the heart of public conversation and became a catalyst for new partnerships, expanded outreach, and increased membership engagement across Italy.