SPRING 2021 NEWSLETTER
WHEN TIMES GET TOUGHER, WE GET LOUDER! WELCOME
I do hope this newsletter finds you and your family in good health as we embark a new, hopefully less challenging year.
As this widespread and devastating pandemic continues to sweep across the world, we’re mourning lives needlessly lost but also the disproportionate impact on women and girls. In this issue, we recognise the COVID-19 response efforts undertaken by partners in our five focus countries. Their efforts in many cases have been made possible through your generous support. Read more on pg. 3.
Despite the global health crisis, it’s important not to overlook recent steps forward for women and girls. I hope you enjoy reading about partners’ PHOTO: CAROLINE HAWORTH (FRONT) AT achievements in 2019-20. We review WOMANKIND’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION their progress through the lens of IN LONDON LAST YEAR, SURROUNDED BY STAFF, Womankind’s three core aims: ending TRUSTEES, AND FRIENDS OF WOMANKIND. violence against women and girls (Pg. 6 & 7), realising women’s economic rights (Pg. 8 & 9) and championing women’s Your solidarity and generosity have participation and leadership (Pg. 12 & 13). kept Womankind and our partners hopeful for 2021 and beyond. Another exciting development from 2020 was our refreshed brand and website! A bold, feminist and determined new look will be key in helping us achieve our ambitious aims for the rights of women and girls. Thank you for standing alongside us Caroline Haworth during these recent challenging times. Chief Executive, Womankind Worldwide
Womankind Worldwide, Wenlock Studios, 50–52 Wharf Road, London N1 7EU, United Kingdom +44(0)20 3735 5558 [email protected] womankind.org.uk
NGO in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the UN Charity Reg. no 328206. Reg no. 2404121
2 WELCOME WOMANKIND RESILIENCE FUND: CRITICAL SUPPORT IN A TIME OF CRISIS The global COVID-19 pandemic has deepened many existing inequalities for women and girls.
More violence at home: The UN recently reported that globally 243 million women and girls have been subjected to sexual or physical PHOTO: STAFF FROM THE POLYCOM DEVELOPMENT violence perpetrated by an intimate PROJECT DISTRIBUTING HAND SANITISER, SOAP, AND partner in the past 12 months. More SANITARY PRODUCTS DURING LOCKDOWN IN KENYA women are likely to be at risk as security, health and money worries manifold during COVID-19. This can heighten. contribute to poor mental health and restricts a woman’s ability to Girls are at increased risk: Due earn an income. to lengthy school closures, our partners are reporting sharp How Womankind Worldwide increases in cases of child responded: and forced marriage, teenage pregnancy, and Female Genital As the negative impact of the COVID-19 Mutilation (FGM). pandemic on women and girls was becoming clear, we established the Not able to earn a living: Women Resilience Fund to provide flexible informal workers are on the support to our partners as they faced frontlines of COVID-19. Women these unprecedented challenges. working as street and market Utilising funds from a generous legacy vendors, newspaper sellers, waste donation left to Womankind, we reached pickers and domestic workers, 42 partners across the world with whose economic and working grants of approximately £10,000 each – conditions were already precarious providing transformative, fully flexible before the crisis, have seen their funding to women’s rights organisations livelihoods disappear overnight. on the frontline of this crisis.
Increase in unpaid care work: For generations women have taken on the bulk of unpaid care and Womankind Worldwide, Wenlock Studios, FIND OUT MORE: 50–52 Wharf Road, London N1 7EU, United Kingdom domestic work. With children at home due to school closures and Read how our partners have +44(0)20 3735 5558 been putting their resilience [email protected] womankind.org.uk caring responsibilities for older relatives, women have seen their grants to use on pages 4, 8 & 9. unpaid care workload increase
WOMANKIND RESILIENCE FUND: CRITICAL SUPPORT IN A TIME OF CRISIS 3 WOMANKIND RESILIENCE FUND: DEAF WOMEN INCLUDED (DWI), ZIMBABWE Womankind partner DWI was one of the first recipients of a Womankind Resilience Fund grant. Founder Agness Chindimba (right) says:
“Hunger among many women with disabilities is real. Livelihoods Womankind has shown us they have been lost. Many are are true friends of DWI as they have suffering because they can no ensured, despite the pandemic and longer vend so they have no the challenges it has brought, we food. Basic needs and rights have continue doing our work. become luxury.”
Child marriage in the disabled community is likely to increase “as many households seek to put food on Offer online training for deaf the table by any means necessary.” women, teaching business skills and entrepreneurship. Courses will Women with disabilities faced specific enable women to find alternative challenges – for example, school livelihoods in agriculture or lessons offered by radio during school gardening. closures simply were not accessible for deaf children. As Agness explains, Provide masks, sanitary products “when girls with disabilities fail and food relief for those most at to access education their future risk of poverty. is doomed; education gives one freedom and independence to make choices on one’s life.”
DWI are using the funds to: SUPPORT OUR WORK: Help women at risk of poverty Produce 13 programmes about and violence during these the links between COVID-19, unprecedented times. disability and human rights to air on Zimbabwean national television, Visit womankind.org.uk alongside news briefings in Sign /donate Language.
4 WOMANKIND RESILIENCE FUND: DEAF WOMEN INCLUDED (DWI), ZIMBABWE OUR IMPACT 2019-20 AT A GLANCE
At the end of each financial year, we look back on the work made possible through your support. With what was to come, we are thankful so many projects in 2019-20 focused on strengthening local feminist movements as it may have contributed to their rapid and skilful response to the COVID-19 outbreak. We are now working closer than ever with partners, who in turn are working more frequently with each other. Together we’re creating stronger, more unified movements which will be ready for anything!
In 2019-20 We worked more collaboratively than 15,180 ever with individuals PARTNERS have been leading the 27 projects directly delivered in 2019-20. supported through our projects with partners. 41
Women’s movements can We supported transform whole communities. In 2019/20 WOMEN & GIRLS to access key decision- 1,075,500 making spaces individuals were and influence 15 international indirectly impacted by our work. policy.
We demanded reform to In 2019-20 we worked with partners on: international frameworks by 9 projects that focused on violence submitting over against women and girls. JOINT 4 projects that focused on women’s STATEMENTS economic rights. 15 12 projects that focused on women’s to world powers. participation and leadership.
OUR IMPACT: 2019-20 AT A GLANCE 5 WOMANKIND’S GOALXX #1 : ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Strong, inclusive women’s movements are an essential element of preventing and responding to violence against women and girls. Below we review progress accomplished with partners that aimed to reduce violence against women and girls by strengthening local women’s movements.
In our 30-year experience of working One example of work done on this issue with women and girls, we have seen is with partners Setaweet in Ethiopia. In that young women and girls, those a project funded by the players of the under 30 years of age, are impacted Postcode Lottery in 2019-20, Setaweet by all of the issues that adult women delivered ‘Gendershops’ to male and are impacted by. For example, UNICEF female students in local secondary estimates 1 in 10 girls will experience schools. Through these workshops, some form of sexual violence before students were given the space to they reach adulthood, while as many identify and challenge issues like sexual as 700 million adult women around the harassment, toxic masculinity, and world were married before age 18. consent. Crucial training in teaching young people about girls’ rights to live Young women and girls consequently free from harassment. have fewer opportunities to exercise agency in their lives, and less power PHOTO: SELAM (18) PARTICIPATED IN THE over the decisions that affect them GENDERSHOPS HELD AT HER SECONDARY SCHOOL most. Through work with partners in IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA. each of our five focus countries we are determined to address this imbalance of power in young women’s lives.
6 WOMANKIND’S GOAL #1: ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Women’s rights organisations rarely get the time and resources to plan strategically to ensure their survival and SUPPORT OUR WORK: continued support of women in their We’re proud to work with partners communities. who deliver women-led, practical Before the COVID-19 outbreak, we services, such as shelters and supported Association for Women’s legal advice, so that survivors of Sanctuary and Development (AWSAD) violence can access justice and staff to travel to the World Conference rebuild their lives. on Women’s Shelters in Taiwan. By Help us end violence against attending and networking at the women and girls by visiting conference AWSAD staff were able to womankind.org.uk/donate share their experience of managing shelters in Ethiopia with organisations running similar services across the world. continue to deliver their services and On their return AWSAD used their support women who have experienced new learnings to strengthen their violence as long as their vital services own strategic planning. Now with a are required. strengthened strategy AWSAD can
HEAR HER VOICE: SEMIRA Semira (right) was living with relatives when she was abused by someone close to the family. After much emotional turmoil she finally told her relatives what happened, and they brought her to an AWSAD shelter. She shares how grateful she is that their safe house services were there for her when she needed it.
I used to feel really down and I had no self-esteem. But once I came to AWSAD and got to know everyone and the way they support me, it felt like my second home.
The counselling service was very helpful. It made me realise that I can be independent and start a life outside the safe house. It helped me gain self- confidence. I also took self-defence class so I felt that I could protect myself.
I also got different training during my stay at the safe house. I took sewing training and passed my accounting certification exam as well.
I learned about pregnancy and sexual and reproductive health. I now understand the risks I may face and precautions I should take before I get into a relationship and start having sex. I now also understand what an abusive relationship is.
I hope that women in the future will be able to protect themselves and know that they can do as much as men can do. I want them to know that they are equal to men and they can achieve anything.
WOMANKIND’S GOAL #1: ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 7 PHOTO: ZERFE REGAINED SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE AFTER ATTENDING MEETINGS AND TRAINING RUN BY EWDNA IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA.
WOMANKIND’S GOALXX #2 : REALISING WOMEN’S ECONOMIC RIGHTS
Women’s economic rights continue to be threatened. An issue only made worse by the COVID-19 crisis. Together with our partners we’re pushing to ensure women have control over their lives and livelihoods at national and international levels. Here are a few examples of recent progress:
Women with disabilities face a dual Since the project, leaders have discrimination because of their gender committed to steps to enhance the and because of their impairment. In inclusion of women with disabilities. As Ethiopia this means many women with well as this, women with disabilities now disabilities are denied the right to be have a greater awareness of their rights economically independent. and the confidence to demand change.
Ethiopian Women with Disabilities PHOTO: ZERFE KNITTING ITEMS TO EARN AN National Association (EWDNA) INCOME IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA. worked towards social and economic inclusion for women with disabilities, through supporting their members to document their everyday experiences. The data, which was thankfully collected and utilised before the COVID-19 crisis, was used to form trainings on rights for women with disabilities and recommendations for government and community leaders.
8 WOMANKIND’S GOAL #2: REALISING WOMEN’S ECONOMIC RIGHTS PHOTO: PAKASIPITI The lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer (LBTQ) community in Zimbabwe has also been hit hard by the social and financial implications of COVID-19. Below Patience from Womankind partner Pakasipiti talks about the toll the lockdown has had on LBTQ people, one of the most marginalised groups in Zimbabwe, and how the Womankind Resilience Fund has supported them to resist the rollback on women’s rights. SUPPORT OUR WORK: We’re enabling women to come As most members of our together to save, earn a fair community are in informal income and have access to an employment, they have seen their economy that works for them. source of livelihood disappear Help us reach more overnight and were stuck at home women with vital skills with no income or food. training by visiting Many LBTQ people have been forced womankind.org.uk/donate to return to the parental or familial home and be in confinement with invalidating or even abusive family members. Home is not a safe haven The impact of COVID–19 has been for many, but a war zone. particularly devastating for informal women workers. Many informal The Womankind COVID-19 workers have been forced to assume resilience grant has enabled us to unprecedented risks to hold onto create alternative work spaces in their livelihood without appropriate homes for staff to work remotely, protection from contagion or social helping to reduce exposure to protection for income security. the virus while continuing their In Nepal the Dalit community regularly important work. face caste-based discrimination. As a result, many Dalit women depend It also enabled us to strengthen our on informal jobs such as street and online community to continue to market traders or domestic workers. provide a safe space where LBTQ The Feminist Dalit Organisation people can seek help for their (FEDO) – a long standing partner of physical and Womankind – quickly mobilised staff mental health, once Nepal entered lockdown early in including the pandemic. access to online psychological FEDO put their resilience grant to support. immediate use by providing relief packs (including food and hygiene products) to Dalit women living in two areas which were highly impacted by COVID-19. This PHOTO: PAKASIPITI STAFF DISTRIBUTING SUPPLIES helped to reduce the immediate threat TO LBTQ PEOPLE AT RISK DURING COVID-19 of poverty until restrictions were lifted. LOCKDOWN IN ZIMBABWE.
WOMANKIND’S GOAL #2: REALISING WOMEN’S ECONOMIC RIGHTS 9 ISSUE SPOTLIGHT: WHY WOMEN’S ECONOMIC RIGHTS ARE THE KEY TO REDUCING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
PHOTO: JAMINA WAS ABLE TO SET UP A POULTRY FARM WITH 5 OTHER WOMEN THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS IN NEPAL.
Violence against women and girls is pervasive. It happens across all industries in all sectors all over the world, but women informal workers are disproportionately affected by violence. Already in industries that offer low pay and little security, women informal workers are particularly at risk of increased levels of violence – but this year COVID-19 has exacerbated these risks.
GET TO KNOW... INFORMAL WORK Informal work describes people who work in industries that offer little legal or social protection, such as health insurance or paid sick leave. These industries have little or no regulation by government and operate outside of established labour laws that protect workers’ rights. Industries such as small-scale farming, domestic work and street vending are among those deemed as informal. 61% of the world’s workers are informal workers and in low-income countries 92% of women work informally.
ISSUE SPOTLIGHT: WHY WOMEN’S ECONOMIC RIGHTS ARE 10 THE KEY TO REDUCING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Increase in unpaid care work: Before COVID-19 women did three times as much unpaid care and domestic work as men. As schools closed and healthcare systems became overloaded, it is women who have taken on the bulk of the PHOTO: WOMEN INVOLVED IN INCOME excess unpaid care work. These GENERATING COOPERATIVES FACILITATED BY THE additional burdens have impacted SIIQQEE WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION IN NEKEMTE, ETHIOPIA. women’s ability to earn a living and contributed to strains on women’s mental health. How has COVID-19 put women working in the informal sector at greater risk of When women have guaranteed income violence? and access to essential services such as healthcare, they are less likely to be Increase in state violence: financially dependent on abusers and As countries all over the world able to escape dangerous situations. We locked down to prevent the spread call on governments across the world of the virus, law enforcement were to adopt universal social protection given greater powers to enforce schemes that cover all workers, the new rules. Quickly, accounts of especially those working in the informal these powers being abused began sector, and look to create a just economy to surface. Beatings, shootings that works for all women during the and arbitrary detentions of women pandemic and after we have recovered. working in the informal sector have been carried out under the guise of enforcing lockdown measures. Womankind partner Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) reported women street vendors being beaten by state operators in Uganda.
Loss of livelihood and income: With global production grinding to a halt, the demand for informal work was abruptly cut short. International suppliers cancelled PHOTO: KEDIJA LIVES WITH A PHYSICAL DISABILITY. orders of garments, domestic SHE SELLS JEWELLERY ON THE STREETS OF ADDIS workers were laid off and stranded ABABA, ETHIOPIA TO MAKE A LIVING. without pay and markets were shut down. Women who work in the FIND OUT MORE: informal economy saw their income This piece was taken from a fall by 60% in the first month of longer blog post on our website the pandemic. With no protection written by our Communications from labour laws and little access to Officer Christina. social protection schemes, women and girls have been forced into Read the full piece at precarious situations in order www.bit.ly/wk-blog-2 to survive.
ISSUE SPOTLIGHT: WHY WOMEN’S ECONOMIC RIGHTS ARE THE KEY TO REDUCING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 11 PHOTO: WIPSU COLLECTING PLEDGES FOR EQUALITY IN ZIMBABWE. WOMANKIND’S GOALXX #3 : CHAMPIONING WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION AND LEADERSHIP Decisions made without meaningful engagement of women fail to address the unique experiences of women and undermine women’s rights. Last year we worked with partners to continue to promote the inclusion of women at all levels of society. Here are just two examples…
In Zimbabwe women were increasingly increase understanding of the issue. subject to violence from within their own political parties. With no real This resulted in all three political access to justice, women were being parties committing to tackling pushed out of participating in politics. violence against women in politics, Last year we worked with Women in each outlining their plans on how to Politics Support Unit (WiPSU) on a do this. There is hope that this will project that ensured women in politics remove a barrier to women entering were better protected against sexual politics, increasing women’s political violence. WiPSU conducted research into participation in the longer term. the prevalence of internal party violence and then used the findings to engage politicians across political parties to
12 WOMANKIND’S GOAL #3: CHAMPIONING WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION AND LEADERSHIP HEAR HER VOICE: LYNETTE Lynette Karenyi, Zimbabwe, is a politician who worked with Women in Politics Support Unit (WIPSU) to end sexual harassment of women politicians.
I am a passionate female politician who has been in active PHOTO: LYNETTE SPEAKING TO A CROWD ON THE politics since the formation of CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN ZIMBABWE. my political party in 1999. As a young politician I discovered that there was no space for women to In 2010 a change to the Kenyan fully participate in elections. Men constitution guaranteed the from both our political party and representation of women and within our communities did not marginalised groups in parliament. believe in being led by women. However, ten years later parliament is yet to meet its quota of 30% women This project has assisted me by and 5% people with disabilities. strengthening my appreciation Women Challenged to Challenge of the causes and impact of have been leading the call for women sexual harassment especially with disabilities to finally be included at a political party level. It also in political leadership. One of their created an opportunity for our key activities brought women with party to come up with an anti- disabilities together for a two-day sexual harassment policy which conference in Nairobi last May. Here is one of the policy documents they collaborated on strategies to make that will assist women to the constitution a reality and get more compete fairly in the upcoming women with disabilities in decision- 2023 elections. making positions. The conference helped to establish networks with the For me the formulation of this mainstream women’s movement and policy has been our greatest strengthen efforts to push for more achievement because many women with disabilities in parliament. times people highlight problems but never get to the stage of putting mechanisms to solve them. SUPPORT OUR WORK: I want women to be recognised We work with women leaders to as human beings who can be develop the confidence, skills and effective leaders in any position. knowledge in women’s rights to I hope that women will continue represent and advocate for other to grow in confidence and tackle women. the monster of patriarchy and defeat it. Help us get more women into leadership by visiting womankind.org.uk/donate
WOMANKIND’S GOAL #3: CHAMPIONING WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION AND LEADERSHIP 13 PHOTO: IZZY, SOPHIA & HANNAH AT THE EAST FINCHLEY FESTIVAL LAST YEAR. UPCYCLING FOR A BETTER FUTURE Izzy, Sophia and Hannah are a group of sixth form students who have been supporting Womankind since June 2019. Together, they make up the sustainable fashion brand ‘Redone N10’. They upcycle clothes and sell them at their school, local fairs and online, with all the profits going to Womankind! At the East Finchley festival last summer, they raised a fantastic £200, and are soon to donate the profits from their recent online sales.
We spoke to Izzy about how the group raise awareness of these issues which formed and why they were inspired to allows people to understand and support Womankind. advocate for things to change.”
How did Redone N10 start? What advice would you give to young people who want to support “We began the project due to our a charity? interest in sewing and sustainable fashion. We are also strong feminist “Just get involved! Anything you do advocates, attending and helping will make such a difference so don’t to run our school feminist society, be afraid to try... YOU CAN DO IT!” so we decided to support a charity which works at improving the lives of women across the world.”
What inspired you to support FEELING INSPIRED? Start planning a fundraiser to Womankind? celebrate International Women’s Day on 8th March. “We are so lucky to live in a country where we have access to resources Email supportercare@ and facilities which are vital to our womankind.org.uk for daily life. Womankind supports information on how to women who don’t have these basic get started. resources and support. As women we know how vital this work is. They also
14 WOMANKIND COMMUNITY: OUR SUPPORTERS READY! SET! GO? The road to this year’s London Marathon was an uncertain one for our team of runners. The race originally planned for April was cancelled, postponed, and then rescheduled as a virtual event for October 4th. Despite the disruption, our team of runners continued to train undeterred, all the while raising a fantastic £10,343 in support of our work with partners in Africa and Asia.
Scott (right) completed his 26 miles on a route near his home in South London.
I wanted to run for Womankind because I feel strongly that gender inequality has no place in today’s society! The opportunity to be able to do this was phenomenal. It was my first time running marathon distance.
Amany (left), completed her marathon where she lives in Cairo, Egypt. Here she is pictured at her marathon finishing point in Abdeen Palace in Downtown Cairo.
My aim is to send a message to all Egyptian women and Africa as a whole, that they too can go after their dreams no matter what cultural, gender or age barrier they face. And to know, it’s never too late to fulfil your passion!
JOIN TEAM WOMANKIND IN 2021 Applications to run the next London Marathon in support of Womankind Worldwide will be opening soon.
Email Florence at [email protected] to hear more.
WOMANKIND COMMUNITY: OUR SUPPORTERS 15 THANK YOU FOR READING! We’re supporting our partners through the COVID-19 crisis.
To support these efforts, please visit womankind.org.uk/donate
PHOTO: ALMAZ IS PART OF A WOMEN-LED COOPERATIVE IN NEKEMTE, ETHIOPIA WHICH IS FACILITATED BY WOMANKIND PARTNERS SIIQQEE WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION