Stepping down from my role as a Supervisory Board Member

I worked (pro bono) with the Leadership Team of Women for Women International in the year 2022.

In September 2022 I was grateful and excited to join the Supervisory Board of Women for Women International DE (also pro bono).

I have often times publicly spoken about how much the work means to me and that I stand behind it entirely.

The program supports women in countries ravaged by war by providing education and allowing them to build small enterprises, becoming more independent, more future-oriented and therefore also strengthening the future prospects of their children.

Just this coming week, I was meant to travel to Erbil in Iraq to speak to the women affected by the former war in Iraq, speak to the local team, and get firsthand insights of the positive effects of our program.

I was so looking forward to this trip, as the cause itself is so dear to my heart - alas, the plans were now cancelled due to the rising instability in the region.

Whilst I still believe in the cause itself today, and was trying hard during the painful past three weeks to continue to focus on what we aim to achieve together, it has now become clear to me, that I have no choice but to step down in my role as a Supervisory Board Member.

The reaction and beliefs of some members of the Women for Women International Leadership Team in regard to the barbaric assassinations in Israel, to the taking of hostages, to the massive rise of antisemitism in the world, have been such, that I no longer see myself able to continue to work alongside my fellow Board members and colleagues.

It has become sadly but blatantly clear to me that we do not after all share the same values.

The way in which communication by WfWI after the attacks was handled, the fact that the bombing of the al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza City is still mentioned on one of the WfWI posts, without mentioning that it was in fact a Palestinian not an Israeli rocket that bombed (luckily not) the hospital (but a carpark instead) - thereby actively contributing to the rise of antisemitism around the world -, the fact that I had to discuss with someone in the highest position of the WfWI organization whether the women in Israel were actually raped or not on 10/07/2023, when we now know from independent coroners, that they have been mass-raped so brutally, that their bones broke, at the same time - when the victims of the massacre weren’t even buried - hastily accusing Israel of committing a war crime, the fact that freedom of speech is demanded by WfWI, knowing full well that full freedom of speech at the moment would allow for people around the world to publicly celebrate the Holocaust and call for a sequel of that part of history, the fact that all future aid efforts will now be concentrated on the West Bank, coordinated by IRC, an organization that publicly states that Gaza is occupied by Israel, and which reports about the dire situations in Gaza without ever mentioning the terrorist organization that governs it? - all of this, and more, make it sadly impossible for me to continue my work at Women for Women International.

In my conversations in these past two weeks, it has become clear to me that there is an apparent need for me to publicly state my feelings regarding the Palestinians.

Though not in my focus at all times, I do of course care for them, because caring for and about human life, any human life, is so ingrained in me, that I don’t have to think about it twice or mention it thrice.

Of course I fear for the life of any innocent Palestinian, any Palestinian in their right mind who is condemning the terrorist attacks committed on 10/07/2023, and suffering from what the horrific terror organization is objecting them to.

In fact, I also cared about these Palestinians prior to any defensive war that Israel now has had to take on:

I suffered for all the Palestinians who since 2007 had no freedom and no opportunities under Jihadist rule - with children being indoctrinated with hate and their innocence being brutally stolen, with women facing widespread discrimination and women’s participation in the workforce in Gaza being among the lowest in the world.

Apart from that, I’ll state again loud and clear:

I stand with Israel, and with the Jews around the world, and with all other human beings who cherish humanity and life.

That is why I spend a lot of my free time trying to contribute to the betterment of the conditions around the world.

I know that with or without me, many women will be helped through the WfWI program which I still endorse as such.

I wish the whole WfWI team lots of success and I thank everyone for having offered me the privilege to play a very small part in this endeavor.

I have met some great people during the time at WfWI - individuals which I will continue to hold dear.

Pro bono and charity work is something incredibly important to me, as I feel the need to give back to people less privileged than I am.

With the alarming rise of antisemitism and anti-zionism in the world, I will from now on concentrate my efforts to support Israel and Jews around the world, and at the same time work with organizations that truly aim to create stability, peace and prosperity in the Middle East and in our western democracies.

Suggestions welcome.

Warmly, Nina.