Newsroom
UK/European Press Enquiries:
Contact: Paulina Stachnik
US, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Australia Press Enquiries:
+1 (202) 521-9606
Newsroom
Recent coverage
18 APRIL 2022 | i NEWS
iNews spoke with Arizoo, our programme coordinator in Afghanistan, about the current situation Afghan women are facing, including food insecurity and financial challenges. Against the backdrop of war in Ukraine, we must also remember the women in Afghanistan.
25 MARCH 2022 | i NEWS
Sara Bowutt, our Managing Director, shares her reflections on how the war in Ukraine is affecting women, the lessons we should have learnt from previous conflict, and the need to act now - already, this is far too late.
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.
Sophie Turner Partners with Nonprofit for #PowerToChange Pledge on International Women’s Day
subtitle:
8 MARCH 2022 | HARPER'S BAZAAR
Sophie Turner is celebrating International Women’s Day today by partnering with us and pledging to use her #PowerToChange the world, inspiring others to become changemakers in their communities.
These 14 Brands Support Women Every Day of the Year — Not Just During Women's History Month
subtitle:
8 MARCH 2022 | INSTYLE
From well-known designer labels to online retailers, this list of where to shop for Women's History Month features some of our incredible corporate partners who are supporting the women survivors of war we work with.
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.
More Coverage
3 FEBRUARY 2022 | PBS NEWSHOUR
Watch Storai Ahmadi, former team member of Women for Women International - Afghanistan, in an interview with Jane Ferguson (from 03:50) as she reports on Afghanistan in her story, 'Raising Their Voices'.
20 JANUARY 2022 | INTERNATIONAL POLICY DIGEST
Bukola Onyishi, Country Director of our Nigeria programme, and Maria Fernanda Espinosa, former President of the UN General Assembly, share their insights on violence against women in Nigeria and reflect on our programme data.
17 AUGUST 2021 | THE GUARDIAN
The UK government must do everything it can to help Afghan women. Together with 100 other signatories we call for visas, safe exit and humanitarian care for those now in need.
18 JULY 2021 | THE GUARDIAN
Buki Onyishi, Country Director of our Nigeria programme talks to The Guardian about foreign funding cuts that threaten the future of women and girls and have a long-term impact on gender equality.
Women are used as weapons in conflict - but we are fighting back with empowering education
subtitle:
8 JUNE 2021 | CONVERSATIONS INDY 100
Chantal Kizungu, our Advocacy Coordinator in the Democratic Republic of Congo, talks about supporting women to use their power and voice to fight back against gender inequality.
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.
8 MARCH 2021 | GRAZIA
International Women’s Day comes once a year and so pandemic or no pandemic, female business owners were determined to highlight 8 March 2021 with an array of fashion items designed for the occasion. The added bonus for shoppers was that they could not only grab a stylish item, they could also add their support for charities that help women.
6 NOVEMBER, 2020 | EVENING STANDARD
In 2020, when the world came to a halt, the effects were being felt by women across the globe. In only its second virtual car boot sale, Women for Women International continued to support women survivors of war courtesy of some fashion must-haves from the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Saoirse Ronan and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
24 JUNE, 2020 | THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION
Our Country Director in Nigeria, Buki Onyishi, speaks out on the pandemic that has plagued her country for so many years: gender-based violence.
15 MAY, 2020 | BRITISH VOGUE
Alex Eagle, creative director of The Store X and Alex Eagle Studio speaks to British Vogue about hosting the Car Boot Sale for a fifth year in a row; this time virtually.
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.
Brita Fernandez Schmidt on SKY News
subtitle:
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.
29 JANUARY, 2020 | MARIE CLAIRE
Shivonne Graham, our Managing Director, shares three powerful lessons she's learned from Rose McGowan's book Brave about the Weinstein case and the #MeToo movement.
15 JANUARY, 2020 | STYLIST
After the retaliatory missile strike on Erbil following the killing of Iranian military leader Qassam Soleimani, Our Executive Director, Brita Fernandez Schmidt wrote a powerful piece about the women and children caught in the middle of this conflict.
8 MARCH, 2019 | THE INDEPENDENT
We asked 8,500 women across Afghanistan and Nigeria if they had heard of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault but none of them had.
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.
Leaving No Woman Behind
subtitle:
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.
#SheInspiresMe Auction 2018
subtitle:
29 OCTOBER, 2018 | LONDON LIVE
Watch our Executive Director Brita Fernandez Schmidt's interview on London Live where she talks about the amazing lots that have been donated to our #SheInspiresMe Auction.
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.
This is Afghanistan
subtitle:
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.
Rwanda: A Leader For Women’s Representation
subtitle: journey of Rwanda
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.
Education was the key to my freedom
subtitle:
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.
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.