Women Illustration./ PHOTO ; AI
Pathfinder International has introduced Women&Co, a bold new strategy and innovation platform designed to advance women-led, locally driven solutions across Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East.
The platform builds on the organization’s six decades of strong government partnerships and systems-strengthening work around the world.
Announced on September 23, 2025, Women&Co marks a new chapter in Pathfinder’s mission to catalyze sustainable, women-led solutions that empower women to navigate change, shape their futures, and lead healthier lives.
At its core, Women&Co recognizes that women are already solving problems in their communities every day.
The platform brings together a multidisciplinary network of women who are experts, innovators, and changemakers at the intersection of health and climate.
It aims to develop transformative solutions that tackle real-world challenges while creating new opportunities for women solutions that can scale rapidly across communities and countries.
The name “&Co” reflects the inclusive ecosystem surrounding this work communities, companies, collaborators, and coalitions working together to fuel women-led change and strengthen local systems.
“Women have a unique understanding of complex issues and a proven ability to get things done. Putting more women in leadership is vitally needed to make progress on the world’s most pressing challenges,” said Tabinda Sarosh, President and CEO of Pathfinder International.
She added that “Women&Co represents the next era of international development: innovation with a power shift so that women are not just voices and recipients, but active leaders in shaping change for their communities while also influencing broader, structural change. This platform opens up exciting pathways for collaboration, welcoming a diverse range of partners, investors, governments, and the private sector to join us in putting women’s leadership at the center of progress.”
What sets Women&Co apart is its bespoke innovation system and demand-led approach, which identifies what women and communities need most urgently while rethinking and reshaping systems to meet the demands of a changing world.
By embedding innovation into national systems rather than treating it as an isolated disruption, Pathfinder ensures that the solutions generated are relevant, scalable, and sustainable.
“It is not a time for incremental change. It’s about returning to how the sector solves problems and operates. This launch exemplifies that Pathfinder is now pivoting to make women-led innovation the central pillar of its strategy,” said Collin Mothupi, Chair of Pathfinder’s Board of Directors.
“Underpinning its innovation design system, Pathfinder has been heading in this direction for a few years now and has the footprints and relationships to fast-track Women&Co to address complex issues everywhere we operate.”
Through Women&Co, Pathfinder seeks to accelerate progress by leveraging women’s leadership and community insight to co-create solutions that respond to both local and global challenges, particularly those at the intersection of health, gender equity, and climate resilience.
The platform is also intended to serve as a collaborative space where diverse actors can test, refine, and scale models of impact that center women’s voices and experiences.
Already, Women&Co has designed its first social enterprise business, set to launch in Kenya, further demonstrating Pathfinder’s commitment to turning women’s ideas into tangible ventures that strengthen livelihoods and systems.
In 2025, the platform will expand its work through co-design initiatives in Nigeria, Pakistan, and Egypt, building its women-led communities and broadening its impact across regions.
As Pathfinder moves forward with this vision, Women&Co stands as both a call to action and a model for the future of international development, one where women are not only shaping their own destinies but also driving the solutions the world urgently needs.
About Pathfinder International
Pathfinder International is a global nonprofit organization with more than 65 years of experience advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), strengthening health systems, and promoting gender equality.
Founded in 1957, the organization works in partnership with governments, communities, and local organizations to expand access to quality healthcare and empower women and girls to make decisions about their bodies and futures.
Operating in over 20 countries across Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, Pathfinder focuses on ensuring that health systems are inclusive, resilient, and responsive to community needs.
Its programs integrate SRHR with broader development priorities such as education, climate resilience, and economic empowerment, recognizing that sustainable progress depends on the well-being and leadership of women and girls.
