The initial stated aim of Živena was to educate Slovak women in the areas of household finance, cooking, child raising and culture.

After the ban of Matica slovenská by the Hungarian authorities, Živena was the sole remaining Slovak educational organization.

They also organized a number of successful exhibitions of Slovak folk culture and craft works and founded a folklore group Lúčnica.

Additionally, some men within the leadership of Matica Slovesnká were opposed to feminist ideas and women's participation on public life in general.

[6] Since 1910, the organization published an eponymous magazine Živena, which quickly gained reputation as high quality intellectual venue for educated Slovaks of all genders.

Its first chair Hana Zelinová led the organization only for 3 years due to her decision to run for parliament and conviction that Živena should remain unpartisan.