Celebrating International Women's Day 2024

Today, on International Women’s Day, I wanted to reflect on some of the inspirational women I have met around the world as Executive Director of Mercy Corps in Europe. Mostly, I am moved by the resilience of the diverse communities that Mercy Corps has the privilege of working with in some of the world’s most fragile places. Women in particular stand out as catalysts for positive change within these communities. Their tenacity, energy and drive against all odds gives me hope in an otherwise depressing world. They inspire me to continue to show up as my best self on a daily basis – as a leader but also as an activist and role model for other women. So, who are some of these great women? ?

Myroslava Keryk serves as the President of the Ukrainian House in Warsaw ( Fundacja Ukraiński Dom ), an organisation dedicated to supporting Ukranian refugees since its establishment in 2009. I had the privilege of meeting Myroslava last year, when her compassion and sheer dedication to her work was brought to life during a partner visit in Poland. A year later, I was delighted to bump into her in London. After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukranian House transformed into a crisis response centre, accommodating 13,524 refugees, sharing practical advice and offering emotional support. Two years on, Myroslava and her team?continue to prioritise the longer-term transformation of the Polish ‘welcoming’ society, hosting cultural events and language courses that are well attended by both Ukranian refugees and Polish nationals, despite the world’s attention having diverted to other challenges ?

In western Nepal, I visited Mercy Corps ’s M-RED and Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance (ZFRA)’s programmes, which build the resilience of communities to climate emergencies caused by frequent heavy rains resulting in unprecedented flooding. Nepal is the fourth most climate-vulnerable country in the world and it is well documented that women and girls are disproportionately impacted by climate change, a reality which exacerbates the systemic barriers that Nepalese women are already facing. In their faces, I saw the faces of my own grandmother, my mum, my aunts. Their challenges echoed with the challenges faced by my own north-Indian farming family living in patriarchal societies where natural disasters would wash away their hard-born agricultural gains. For this reason, I could not have been prouder of the women I met, first responders who are?setting up early warning systems and advocating for themselves, their families’ and communities’ livelihoods. ?

In eastern Lebanon, against the backdrop of its worst food security crisis in history, I met Nisreen Al Dirani, owner of the all-female dairy and jam production business Jam and Leaf. Given the economic climate that Jam and Leaf was operating within, giving up on the business might have been the ‘easier’ thing for Nisreen to do, but her resilience and her determination to succeed shone through. With Mercy Corps ’ support – specifically, the installation of a solar system and the provision of business development advice – Nisreen is not only generating her own household income, but is providing a regular paycheque to her 15 female employees as well as high-quality, affordable and accessible products to her community.?She?is?a role model for women in her community, blazing a trail for others to follow by supporting?them?to pursue an education and helping them get their business initiatives off the ground. ?

While it is important to celebrate these stories of strength and resilience, we cannot mark #IWD without also acknowledging the harsh reality that many women and girls around the world continue to face. Just this week, I have been in Colombia meeting our teams, partners and communities. The vulnerability of women and girls was brought home to me as we met displaced communities. These women are trying to hold families together in alien locations, bringing up children whilst also trying to create some form of income stream to get food onto the table. Mercy Corps plays a small role in supporting them to establish livelihoods which can give them independence and income but so much more needs to change. On this International Women’s Day, let's commit to amplifying the voices of those who are often unheard and work towards a future where every woman can thrive. #IWD #WomenEmpowerment?