Sadia, a Women for Women International participant in South Sudan. Photo Credit: Charles Atiki Lomodong

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Recent coverage

12 March 2024 | SDG Action

While the war on Gaza devastates all its inhabitants as neighborhoods turn to rubble, the toll on Gazan women is particularly shocking. Read from Amani Mustafa, Country Director for Women for Women International, Palestine on how the world must act now to stop the immediate suffering – and then commit to the harder work of helping women rebuild their lives in a peaceful future.


8 March 2024 | Grazia

International Women’s Day on March 8 is a time for us to raise awareness of gender equality, celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women and take stock of what progress has been made over the last twelve months. Here are organisations you can help - featuring Women for Women International.


8 March 2024 | New Security Beat

Nisha Singh and Kavin Mirteekhan from Women for Women International dive into new report, Cultivating a more enabling environment: Strengthening women’s resilience in climate-vulnerable and conflict-affected communities, with Kavin sharing the experiences of women in climate-vulnerable and conflict-affected communities in Iraq.


More Coverage

27 February 2024 | TNM

Iryna Andreeva, Director of our partner organisation, The Andreev Family Foundation, reflected on two years of war in Ukraine. She spoke to TNM about how her charity is responding to the impact of violence on women at the hands of Russian soldiers by offering counselling to victims of conflict-related sexual violence. Warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual violence.


26 February 2024 | The i 

Anna Orel, Project Coordinator for the Andreev Foundation, our partner organisation supporting Ukrainian survivors of sexual violence, spoke to The i about the horrific stories of violence and destruction that she has heard from survivors. Warning: This article contains disturbing and graphic content and descriptions of sexual violence. 


17 February 2024 | The Hill

Amani Mustafa, Country Director of Women for Women International - Palestine, spoke to The Hill about the lack of adequate clean and safe sanitation, which is leading to disease outbreaks in Gaza and compounding the already dire humanitarian situation. 


3 December 2023 | My Greed Pod

A new report by Women for Women International brings the perspectives and experiences of women survivors of war and conflict to the heart of COP28, highlighting the effects of extreme weather, environmental degradation, poverty, violence and conflict on their lives. With insights from Programme Manager in Iraq, Kavin Mirteekhan.


1 September 2023 | Harper's Bazaar

The Do Good pop-up in support of Women for Women International at Bicester Village was included in Harper's Bazaar's edit of the top cultural happenings taking place throughout September. Come along to shop for good, knowing that 100% of profits will go towards our work supporting women survivors of war and conflict. 


6 August 2023 | The National

Our partner, Bereginja Mariupol's Women's Association, is supporting women refugees who have been forced to leave their homes in Ukraine. Vice President of Bereginja, Kateryna Shukh, spoke to The National about the impact of gender-based violence in war and how art therapy is helping Ukrainian women come to terms with the traumas they have faced. 


18 May 2023 | Lorraine, ITV

You can now rent Dame Helen Mirren's red carpet looks on the By Rotation app with all rental proceeds donated to our work helping women survivors of war and conflict to rebuild their lives. 


12 May 2023 | GQ

The #SheInspiresMe Car Boot Sale was featured in GQ's 10 coolest things to do in London. Taking place at Selfridges Car Park and hosted by Alex Eagle, 100% of proceeds of this event will be donated to our work.


18 May 2023 | Sheerluxe

Looking for things to do this weekend? Look no further! The #SheInspiresMe Car Boot was included in Sheerluxe's list of top things to do. 


12 May 2023 | Harper's Bazaar

Women for Women International Ambassador, Helen Mirren has listed two beautiful evening dresses on the rental app By Rotation with all proceeds going towards our work supporting women survivors of war and conflict. 


8 March 2023 | Independent

Charlotte Tilbury explains how she is on a mission to empower everyone, everywhere to feel confident and why she is so proud to be an Ambassador for Women for Women International. With support from Charlotte Tilbury Beauty we have been able to reach even more women survivors of war through our Conflict Response Fund. 


8 March 2023 | My Green Pod 

When two deadly earthquakes struck in Türkiye and Syria on the 6th February 2023, those who survived the war in Syria were forced to rebuild their lives and communities for a second time. My Green Pod featured our work with local partner Women Now for Development in their International Women's Day issue. 


3 March 2023 | March8 

Preeya Varsani, Head of Corporate Fundraising at Women for Women International spoke to March8 about her career and what keeps her feeling motivated as she raises vital funds to help women survivors of war build brighter futures for themselves and their families. 


29 NOVEMBER 2022 | BYLINE TIMES

Artist and psychologist Kateryna Shukh explains how art therapy sessions are helping women survivors of war in Ukraine take back control of their lives. Shukh is Vice President of Bereginia - Mariupol's Women's Association, which partners with HumanDoc and is supported by Women for Women International.


16 AUGUST 2022 | MARIE CLAIRE

Marie Claire spoke to Afghan women to explore how their rights and freedoms are being restricted. They spoke to Asya, who works for Women for Women International, about the changes she has witnessed in Afghanistan since the de facto government took control. 


15 AUGUST 2022 | COSMOPOLITAN

Cosmopolitan spoke to Sara Bowcutt, Women for Women International Managing Director about the work we've been carrying out to support women in Afghanistan since the fall of Kabul. Our research has shone a light on the concerns and challenges faced by Afghan women. 


20 JULY 2022 | BYLINE TIMES

Storai Ahmadi, Programme Coordinator at Women for Women International, spoke to Byline Times about women's financial concerns as many struggle to generate an income following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.


22 MARCH 2022 | AL JAZEERA

Hear from Storai Ahmadi, our Programme Coordinator for Afghanistan, discussing our report on Afghanistan and the situation for women there now. Storai is joined by Pashtana Durrani, Director of LEARN Afghanistan and Zarifa Ghafari, Former Mayor of Maidan Shahr, Human Rights Activist & Economist.

8 MARCH 2022 | STYLIST

To celebrate International Women's Day, several women from our Country Offices and affiliates spoke to Stylist Magazine about the one woman who inspires them the most and the change they would like to see for women in their country over the next year.

Opinion: Women in Afghanistan hold the key to peace

subtitle: 16 April 2021| Thomson Reuters Foundation News

16 APRIL 2021 | THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION NEWS

With international troops preparing to withdraw from Afghanistan, Vice President of Global Programmes at Women for Women International reflects on what she learnt over the years about women, war and Afghanistan.

7 MAY, 2020 | THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION

Brita Fernandez Schmidt, our Executive Director, talks about how 2020 was due to be the critical year for women's rights and how COVID-19 put it all on hold and left women and girls living in conflict-affected countries disproportionately impacted.

25 APRIL, 2020 | SKY NEWS

Brita Fernandez Schmidt, our Executive Director, talks about the effect of COVID-19 on women survivors of war with SKY News.

7 MARCH, 2019 | YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP

Our Executive Director, Brita Fernandez Schmidt talks to the YOOX NET-A-PORTER Group about the impact of their support for Women for Women International and the importance of businesses joining the movement for equality.

06 MARCH, 2019 | HARPERS BAZAAR
Our Executive Director, Brita Fernandez Schmidt shares a message of hope ahead of International Women’s Day by outlining five ways we can achieve change for women who find themselves in harsh circumstances.

21 JANUARY, 2019 | IMPAKTER

The Global Goals are underpinned by a commitment to ‘Leave No One Behind’. Our Head of Policy and Advocacy, Carron Mann, writes for Impakter on how governments and the international community can reach marginalised women and prevent the women we serve from being further left behind.

10 DECEMBER, 2018 | THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION

Our Executive Director, Brita Fernandez Schmidt, reflects on the awarding of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize to Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege for their work towards eliminating sexual violence in conflict.

09 OCTOBER, 2018 | RED ONLINE

Our Executive Director, Brita Fernandez Schmidt explains how movements like #WhyIDidn’tReport are shifting the narrative whilst also reminding us of the price women are forced to pay for speaking up.

20 OCTOBER 2020 | CONVERSATIONS INDY 100

Life has been stressful for most people during the Covid-19 crisis, but for women caught in conflict areas there has been no end to the violence that surrounds them. Displacement and inadequate health provision have exacerbated the situation making women increasingly vulnerable.

16 AUGUST, 2018 | THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION

A colleague in our Afghanistan office reflects upon life in a conflict zone and explains that despite the poverty, the war, and the patriarchy, women persevere. They don’t give up on Afghanistan, and they are building a better world.

9 JULY, 2018 | THE INDEPENDENT

This month's instalment in the Forgotten Women series features one of our programme graduates, Mukeshimana Vestine, who was widowed, orphaned and only one of 14 siblings to survive during the Rwandan genocide. Mukeshimana was left to rebuild her life from nothing while still drenched in grief.

14 MAY, 2018 | THE UPCOMING

The #SheInspiresMe Car Boot Sale returned bigger and better than ever on Saturday 12th May, raising over £222,500 (and counting) to support the work of Women for Women International.

Forgotten Women

subtitle:

14 APRIL, 2018 | THE INDEPENDENT

Om Mohammed, a Syrian refugee and one of our programme participants, defied personal tragedy, war and exile to a refugee camp to determine the fate of her missing son.

8 MARCH, 2018 | HUFFINGTON POST

Talatu Salihu, a Social Empowerment Officer with Women for Women International in Nigeria shares her story of growing up as a girl in Nigeria, a country where girls face discrimination right from birth. Growing up, Talatu had the ambition of being educated and to be economically and socially independent which was frowned upon in her society.

8 MARCH, 2018 | MARIE CLAIRE

This International Women's Day, we want to send a powerful message of sisterhood to women in countries affected by conflict and show them that they are not alone. The #MessageToMySister campaign is making a genuine difference in the lives of the women we serve.

Neema Sunday Benson_programme participant from South Sudan

What we do

Women for Women International helps women survivors of war rebuild their lives. We have over 20 years of on-the-ground experience working with women in countries affected by conflict.