Statements and Press Releases

Women for Women International announces that Thelma Ekiyor has made the decision to resign from her role as International CEO, to pursue the next phase of her professional and academic journey. We are deeply grateful to Thelma for her leadership and the meaningful contributions she has made during her time with the organisation. We wish Thelma every success in what comes next. To ensure a smooth transition, the Women for Women International Board has temporarily appointed current International Board Chair Nunu Ntshingila as Acting CEO. Nunu brings decades of senior leadership experience across Africa, including as former Regional Director of Africa for Meta and Ogilvy. She has served on the Women for Women International Board since 2023 and as Chair since 2025.

5 MARCH 2026 | Women for Women International is a global non-partisan organisation. We do not take sides in any conflict, nor do we comment on the political positions of any party involved. Our mandate is singular and unwavering: to support and protect women living through the trauma of war, displacement, and insecurity wherever they are, and regardless of who controls the territory around them. 

26 FEBRUARY 2025 | We are shocked and extremely concerned by the UK Government’s announcement to slash the aid budget by a further 40%. Gender inequality is a major driver of conflict. The timing couldn’t be worse, given the backdrop of global funding cuts, increased conflict and a rollback on women’s rights – a trend which has been explicitly acknowledged by the UK Government in its own policy documents. These cuts further demonstrate a prioritisation of militarisation over a genuine investment in long-term peace, security and gender equality.

16 JANUARY 2025 | The ceasefire deal is a critical first step to ending the unimaginable suffering for women and their families. It is an opportunity for the millions displaced to return to their homes and for the Israeli hostages and detained Palestinians to be reunited with their loved ones. The need for immediate and unrestricted humanitarian aid has never been more urgent. Read the full statement. 

11 OCTOBER 2023 | We are horrified by the atrocities on women and their families in the Israel-Palestine war. We are mourning all of the lives lost. We grieve the brutal massacre of civilians in Israel and we fear for the safety of the hostages. Equally, we grieve the impact of the bombings on civilians, including women and children trapped in Gaza, without access to food, fuel, water, or electricity.  

5 JULY 2024 | Women for Women International has been long advocating for the needs and priorities of marginalised women in conflict-affected context to be integrated across UK Government policy and practice.

2 FEBRUARY 2023 | We are deeply concerned by ban on women working for NGOs in Afghanistan. 

17 MAY 2022 | The UK Government must go further to ensure they listen to marginalised women and girls to inform their approach to International Development.

20 AUGUST 2021 | Activists, Policy Experts, and NGO Leaders Come Together in Letter Urging the Biden Administration to Honour its Commitment to Support Afghan Women.

28 JUNE 2021 | After 13 and 8 years respectively, Brita Fernandez Schmidt and Shivonne Graham have decided to move on from Women for Women International.

6 MAY 2021 | Brita Fernandez Schmidt, Executive Director of Women for Women International - UK, responds to UK Aid cuts made to Women for Women International projects by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

16 JUNE 2020 | Women for Women International is deeply concerned about today’s announcement of the merger of the Department for International Development (DFID) with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

Adapting and innovating to address the global health crisis.

25 OCTOBER 2019 | Women for Women International Team in Iraq Warns of Ongoing Challenges, Dangers for Refugees

10 OCTOBER 2019| The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria will strain the already dire situation for displaced people in the region. There is an urgent need to support women survivors and refugees

17 JULY 2019| Women for Women International responds to the UK’s first Voluntary National Review of progress towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and the International Development Committee’s report on the UK VNR released yesterday.

18 JANUARY, 2019 | We are pleased to announce that Women for Women International has joined the UN Global Compact.

In December 2018, Women for Women International wrote to the United Nation's Secretary General, H.E António Guterres to express our support for the ten principles of the UN Global Compact with respect to human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.

22 NOVEMBER, 2017 | Women for Women International and its affiliate organisation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Žene za Žene welcome the landmark decision to convict Ratko Mladic for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity, and violations of the laws or customs of war.