CUSO INTERNATIONAL

Cuso International is a Canadian not-for-profit international cooperation and development organization that works to create economic and social opportunities for marginalized groups in Africa Latin America the Caribbean and Canada. Together with its partners civil society organizations governments multilateral agencies and the private sector Cuso focuses on efforts to advance gender equality and social inclusion improve economic resilience and deliver progress on climate action. Since 1961 the organization has mobilized thousands of skilled volunteers who work alongside partners to maximize their impact and build capacity. Each of our programs focus on one or more of the following areas: Gender Equality: Promoting gender equality and actively working to address inequality injustice and marginalization in the pursuit of equality. Our programming approaches involve meaningful participation from more privileged groups and those with power to advocate for and support women and marginalized people in their communities. Economic Resilience: We engage and nurture partnerships that support marginalized people and communities to overcome poverty and inequality by enabling access to fair and decent employment and by improving existing jobs. Our work supports improved socio-economic integration and a significant reduction in poverty and inequality in the communities we serve ensuring a dignified way of living for all. Climate Action: We promote advocate innovate and partner to support livelihood resilience and adaptation by and for marginalized communities affected by climate change.

In 2023-24 we delivered 16 projects reaching 743 920 people in 19 countries. New projects started this year: Renewed Women's Voice and Leadership: Building on the success of the first phase of the Women's Voice and Leadership project (2018-2024) the second phase focuses on scaling-up results/impacts strengthening current advocacy work to promote rights of LGBTQI+ people to continue to advance the women’s movements in Peru. Build Balanced Rights-Centered Inclusive Cohesive and Knowledgeable Societies: Aims to strengthen the capacity of local and regional LGBTQ2IA+ organizations and right’s movements across the Caribbean to promote the exercise of and protection of rights of LGBTQ2IA+ people and achieve gender equality.