Rotary's Causes

We reject the idea that conflict is an inevitable part of life. Through Rotary projects, we offer training that builds understanding and equips communities with skills to resolve conflicts.

Rotary fosters environments of peace: As a humanitarian organization, peace is fundamental to our mission. We believe that by cultivating peace within communities, we can spark positive change worldwide.

Through service projects and by supporting peace fellowships and scholarships, our members actively address the root causes of conflict, such as poverty, discrimination, ethnic tensions, limited access to education, and resource inequality.

Our commitment to peacebuilding is evolving to meet new challenges, focusing on how we can make a deeper impact and fulfill our vision for lasting change. We are embracing peacebuilding with greater unity and inclusivity, expanding our approach and offering more ways for people to engage.

Rotary creates the conditions for peace to thrive.

Discover how Rotary is responding to the crisis in Ukraine.

We believe that access to quality health care is a fundamental right. Yet, 400 million people worldwide lack the means or access to even basic health services. Disease brings hardship, suffering, and poverty to millions, which is why prevention and treatment are at the heart of our mission.

Rotary leads initiatives both large and small. We establish temporary clinics, blood donation sites, and training centers in underserved areas facing health challenges. We design and build the infrastructure needed for doctors, patients, and governments to collaborate effectively.

Our members tackle diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and polio. Prevention is key, so we also prioritize health education and ensure access to regular hearing, vision, and dental care.

How Rotary makes a difference: We educate and empower communities to prevent the spread of life-threatening diseases. At any given time, Rotary members are leading hundreds of health projects around the world.

Access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education is essential for a healthy environment and a productive life. When communities have these resources, waterborne diseases decrease, children enjoy better health and school attendance, and mothers can devote more time to supporting their families rather than gathering water.

How Rotary creates impact: Through our water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) initiatives, Rotary members mobilize resources, build partnerships, and invest in infrastructure and training to bring lasting improvements.

Rotary strives to ensure that vulnerable mothers and children have access to high-quality health care, enabling them to live longer, healthier lives. By expanding access to essential care, we help create a future where all mothers and children have the same opportunities for good health. Each year, an estimated 5.9 million children under age five die from preventable causes like malnutrition, inadequate health care, and poor sanitation.

How Rotary makes an impact: Rotary supports health education, immunizations, birth kits, and mobile health clinics. We provide women with guidance on preventing mother-to-infant HIV transmission, breastfeeding practices, and ways to protect themselves and their children from disease.

Over 775 million people worldwide, or 17 percent of the adult population, lack literacy skills. Rotary aims to build the capacity of communities to provide basic education, promote literacy, reduce gender disparities in schooling, and boost adult literacy rates. We are dedicated to supporting education for all children and literacy for people of all ages.

How Rotary makes an impact: We empower educators to inspire learning across generations, taking action to foster a love of learning at every age.

Rotary is dedicated to safeguarding our shared environment. We support initiatives that protect natural resources, promote ecological sustainability, and encourage harmony between communities and nature. By empowering communities with grants and resources, we foster local solutions and drive innovation to address and mitigate the causes of climate change and environmental degradation.

How Rotary makes an impact: Rotary members address environmental challenges through impactful projects, leveraging their networks to influence policy, and planning for a sustainable future.