Human rights and gender equality
Promoting human rights, gender equality, dignity, safety, and protection, with particular attention to women and girls and people vulnerable to violence, discrimination, and exploitation.
Collaborative Development Group
Advancing equity. Protecting dignity. Expanding opportunity.
CDG is a nonprofit organization advancing equity, human rights, dignity, and opportunity in resource-constrained communities. Lasting change is strongest when communities shape the solutions and have the capacity to sustain them.
Progress built with communities
Our mission
Equity, human rights, and dignity
Our mission is to advance equity, human rights, and dignity for women and girls in resource-constrained communities by promoting gender equality, preventing and addressing violence, and expanding access to education, economic opportunity, health education, and quality healthcare. Through community-driven solutions and strategic partnerships, CDG supports women and girls in building safe, healthy, empowered, and economically secure lives, while strengthening families and communities.
Our vision
A future where vulnerable women and girls in resource-constrained communities possess total autonomy and human rights literacy, enabling them to lead healthy lives, complete quality education, and drive regional economic development as independent leaders.
With
communities
Sustainable change is achieved with communities, not simply for communities.
Our focus
Five interconnected areas of work
CDG's work centers on human rights and gender equality, health and education, economic empowerment, community and institutional strengthening, and strategic partnerships.
Health and education
Promoting health education, healthy living, educational opportunity, community awareness, and access to quality healthcare through locally responsive initiatives and strategic partnerships.
Economic empowerment
Supporting skills development, entrepreneurship, workforce participation, financial capability, and sustainable livelihood opportunities that strengthen economic independence.
Our values
Principles that guide how we work
Equity, dignity, respect, integrity, and accountability shape every program and partnership.
Equity
We believe every person should have a fair opportunity to live with dignity, access essential services, realize their potential, and participate fully in society. We work to address barriers and inequalities that limit opportunity, particularly for women, girls, children, and underserved communities.
Dignity
We recognize and uphold the inherent worth, rights, autonomy, and voice of every individual. We treat the people and communities we serve as valued partners and promote their meaningful participation in decisions that affect their lives.
Respect
We value the knowledge, cultures, perspectives, experiences, and choices of the individuals and communities with whom we work. We listen openly, embrace diverse perspectives, and foster relationships built on trust, collaboration, and mutual understanding.
Integrity
We conduct ourselves with honesty, transparency, fairness, and professionalism in all that we do. We safeguard the trust placed in us by the communities we serve, our partners, donors, and stakeholders, and uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct.
Accountability
We take responsibility for our decisions, actions, resources, and results. We monitor our performance, learn from experience, and remain accountable to the people and communities we serve, as well as to our partners, donors, and stakeholders.
Get involvedOur work
Practical solutions shaped with communities
CDG believes sustainable progress is achieved with communities, not simply for communities. We emphasize community ownership, human rights and equity, local capacity, strategic collaboration, practical solutions, and measurable results. We seek to strengthen the people and institutions that can sustain progress beyond individual programs or interventions.
Focus area 01
Human rights and gender equality
Promoting human rights, gender equality, dignity, safety, and protection, with particular attention to women and girls and people vulnerable to violence, discrimination, and exploitation.
Focus area 02
Health and education
Promoting health education, healthy living, educational opportunity, community awareness, and access to quality healthcare through locally responsive initiatives and strategic partnerships.
Focus area 03
Economic empowerment
Supporting skills development, entrepreneurship, workforce participation, financial capability, and sustainable livelihood opportunities that strengthen economic independence.
Focus area 04
Community and institutional strengthening
Building the capacity of local organizations, schools, community leaders, and institutions through training, technical assistance, organizational development, and practical tools.
Focus area 05
Strategic partnerships
Working with government, civil society, educational institutions, communities, and development partners to mobilize knowledge, resources, and expertise around shared development priorities.
Equity. Human Rights. Dignity. Opportunity. Sustainable Change.