Who we are

We want to see a just, fair and sustainable world, in which everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from poverty and oppression.

So we work to achieve social justice and gender equality, and to eradicate poverty.

Our strategy is to build international momentum for social, economic and environmental justice, driven by people living in poverty and exclusion.

In practice, this means working closely with people living in poverty and exclusion, civil society organisations, social movements and supporters. Together, we deliver grassroots programmes, provide emergency relief and campaign for things such as women’s economic rights, tax justice and climate justice.

Our work falls into four broad areas: women, politics and economics, land and climate, and emergencies. We have a particular focus on women’s rights; it’s a thread that runs through all our work.

ActionAid was founded as a charity in the UK in 1972, and soon grew its presence in countries around the world. In the 1990s, we adopted our human rights-based approach to development. ActionAid International was formed in 2003 to provide the global secretariat for the ActionAid federation of country offices. Our head office is in Johannesburg, South Africa, and we also have hubs in Asia, Europe and the Americas. 

This is our international website, where we share inspiring stories from around the federation, bold thought-leadership and practical tools that catalyse change. You can visit any of our websites to find out more about the work of ActionAid offices around the world, and how you can get involved. We also have a Global Leadership Team, comprising some staff from ActionAid International, and a number of country directors from around the world. You can learn more about this team here.

We believe in the power in people. If we can support people to know, claim and defend their rights, the world will be a fairer place.