ICRW at 35: Our History

Thirty-five years ago, the lives of women in the developing world were invisible to the people who determine how nations spend their resources to combat poverty, hunger and poor health. The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) was founded to make the invisible visible.

1976:

ICRW is founded as a program of the Federation of Organizations for Professional Women in response to the first International Women’s Conference in Mexico.

1978:

With the publication of “Women-Headed Households: The Ignored Factor in Development Planning,” ICRW establishes for the first time why poverty alleviation programs need to pay attention to family structures, particularly families led by women.

1983:

ICRW identifies the characteristics and experiences of women in poverty with the publication of “Women and Poverty in the Third World.”

1990:

ICRW publishes “Women in Agriculture: What Development Can Do,” describing women’s roles in farming systems, the impact of agricultural technologies on women’s productivity and an agenda for how development assistance can support their role.
 

ICRW launches a pioneering research program in 13 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to investigate the factors that increase women’s vulnerability to HIV. Ten years later, in 2000, ICRW drew upon the findings of this program to deliver a plenary address, “Gender, Sexuality, and HIV/AIDS: the What, the Why, and the How” at the 13th International AIDS Conference in South Africa.
 

1995:

ICRW initiates a 10-year project to improve adolescent reproductive health in India, where half the population is younger than 25. Our research finds that gender-based constraints – including a lack of power among young women – are at the root of health behavior and risks. ICRW and its local partners design, implement and evaluate multiple interventions to address these issues.

1998:

ICRW establishes a local office in New Delhi, India, to coordinate a groundbreaking five-year study to document the prevalence of domestic violence. The findings are used to advocate for the 2005 passage of a national law to decrease domestic violence.

1999:

ICRW research in Botswana and Zambia identifies stigma as a key barrier to the use of services to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child. This initial research paves the way for ICRW’s global leadership in building evidence on how to effectively address stigma.
 

2003:

Drawing on decades of evidence on the causes, consequences and solutions for child marriage, ICRW begins a campaign to educate U.S. policymakers and advocate for legislation that would integrate child marriage prevention efforts into existing programs.

2005:

ICRW co-leads the U.N. Millennium Project Task Force on Education and Gender Equality and recommends seven strategic priorities to achieve women’s empowerment and gender equality, Goal 3 of the Millennium Development Goals.

2007:

ICRW expands office in New Delhi into the Asia Regional Office to lead the implementation of ICRW’s mission in countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Nepal, Vietnam and Thailand.

2008:

ICRW publishes “Women, Food Security and Agriculture in a Global Marketplace,” which challenges the agricultural development community to recognize women farmers as key economic agents of change who contribute to agricultural and economic growth and food security.
 

2010:

ICRW establishes the East Africa Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya to serve as a regional platform for dialogue on gender and development.