One in three women and girls will face violence in their lifetime. On International Women’s Day we want to celebrate some of our women-led charity partners and the women that they are supporting to recover from abuse and rebuild their lives. #IWD2024
08 March 2024
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the achievements of women around the world. But women in every society still face systemic discrimination and disadvantage – with millions experiencing gender-based violence. While we celebrate the achievements of women, we must also consider how to challenge and dismantle the root causes of discrimination and violence against them. Many of our charity partners are working to prevent discrimination and violence against women, including through raising awareness and influencing decision makers.
Meanwhile, many small and local women-led charities are stepping in to support women as they escape and recover from horrific acts of violence and abuse. These specialist charities have a deep understanding of the unique and complex challenges these women are facing and are committed to supporting them for the long-term. Today we want to celebrate some of our women-led charity partners and the women that they are supporting to rebuild their lives and thrive.
The Mojatu Foundation supports many people from African and Caribbean descent and has a special service focused on supporting women and girls who have experienced female genital mutilation (FGM). This by-and-for organisation is made up of staff who have a similar cultural background to the people they are supporting, meaning that they understand some of the challenges that these women are facing, including FGM.
Modupe Karen Akubor, Health and Wellbeing Specialist at the Mojatu Foundation explains: “One of the pregnant ladies I worked with had experienced FGM, and she was very comfortable talking to me because she knew that I was Nigerian like her. So, there was immediately a cultural understanding, and she knew that I understood from what she was saying that FGM has been performed. But she had a social worker and a midwife who didn't know what she was saying, so they couldn’t understand the implications. She was having sleepless nights, she felt she couldn’t really talk to anyone. So that cultural understanding is one of the benefits of working with people from the same background.”
Angela Wathoni, Director of Operations, adds: “Many of the people we work with are facing multiple challenges that intersect – for example, a pregnant woman may have experienced FGM, and also be an asylum seeker. They may fear going to the hospital or accessing midwifery services. On top of that, they may not be able to speak English well or know what support is available to them. They may be very socially isolated and experiencing mental health problems. So being able to come into a welcoming community setting, feel safe and talk with someone in their own language can be extremely beneficial.”
More than 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation.
In the UK, an estimated 137,000 women and girls are living with the consequences of FGM.
“Before I came to the Mojatu Foundation, I was lonely and going through a lot of different issues. I’ve been able to get the support that I need here and found a community that has welcomed me, where I feel safe with my children. It’s absolutely changed my life. I have a group of people I can rely on who actually care about me. I feel that I matter.”
– woman supported by the Mojatu Foundation
PHOEBE – which stands for Promotion of Health, Opportunity, Equality, Benevolence and Empowerment of Black Asian and minoritsed ethnic women – is a charity working to prevent and respond to violence against migrant women and girls in Suffolk and beyond.
8 women a month are killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales.
12% of women seeking support for domestic abuse in 2023 were not British nationals and one third of these women had no recourse to public funds.
Migrant women are disproportionately affected by violence and domestic abuse. Founder and CEO of PHEOBE, Mollin Delve, says: “We are the only local specialist women's organisation focusing on the complex needs faced by migrant women. These women are extremely vulnerable to gender-based violence. They are more likely to live in poverty, may not be able to live independently from a partner who is abusing them and may not know how to access support. Women who are considered ‘undocumented’ are also prime candidates for human traffickers to exploit and these women are hesitant to seek help from the authorities. If they eventually do, they are often confronted with discrimination and threats of deportation.
“We step in to empower and assist Black, Asian and women from migrant backgrounds to make informed decisions, know their rights and take steps against domestic violence. We support around 350 women a year, providing specialist information, education, advocacy and counselling to survivors of female genital mutilation, human trafficking, and domestic violence.
"Our services include free family law legal clinics, immigration referrals, human rights and repatriation advice, reunification with family members, and court and medical assistance. Everything we do is helping women become independent and live free from abuse.”
Ella’s is a charity in London supporting female survivors of modern day slavery and sexual exploitation. They offer housing alongside practical and emotional support, helping to fill in the gaps in government provision for survivors of human trafficking and providing a safe refuge for women to recover from trauma.
Minke van Til, Co-Director of Ella’s shares: “We exist because there's a need for longer term aftercare for survivors of modern slavery. Every woman we work with gets their own support worker, and we develop a support plan that's tailored to each individual. This can range from arranging appointments, helping them navigate through bureaucracy, or support in accessing English lessons or training opportunities. The purpose of everything we do is to help women to enter into lasting freedom, so they don't ever go back to cycles of abuse and exploitation.
“The national referral mechanism (NRM) is the government’s system of identifying victims of modern slavery and referring them for support services. However, the support that many women need, having years’ worth of trauma to work through, requires more intensive support beyond what the NRM can provide. Many survivors can easily fall through the cracks because they disappear off everyone’s radar without any support in place. And there's nothing else out there for them to access. They’re on their own.
“We are one of the few organisations providing survivors with housing and emotional support as they recover from complex trauma. Without this support, they may fall back into situations of trafficking and abuse. Some of the women we work with have said that the housing we provide has been life-saving. Having a place of refuge is so important because how can you recover if you don't have a home?”
An estimated 49.6 million people around the world are trapped in modern-day slavery. An estimated 71% are women and children.
The number of victims of human trafficking has been rising year on year in the UK, with an estimated 130,000 people trapped in modern slavery.
“I remember the day I came to Ella’s. I just started crying because I didn't know what was going to happen. But now, I just don't want to leave... It's very comfortable and safe. I would say before I came to Ella’s, I felt like I couldn't do anything on my own, and here they teach me to be independent. I can do anything now. I'm stronger.”
– Survivor of modern day slavery, currently housed and supported by Ella’s
“My support worker helps me with everything, especially if I am stressed about something. She will talk with me and help me find a solution. [The staff at Ella’s] are angels, I swear. I never imagined that I would find people to stand beside me and support me. I will never forget this experience.”
– Survivor of modern day slavery, currently housed and supported by Ella’s
This is just a snapshot of what small and local charities are doing to support thousands of women across England and Wales. Today, and every day, we want to celebrate our charity partners who are supporting women – and the women themselves who are rebuilding their lives.
International Women's Day 8 March 2024 | #IWD2024 | #InspireInclusion | www.internationalwomensday.com
