In this episode of Chasing Impact, Zoë Elliot from Women for Women International highlights the urgency to accelerate gender equality efforts. She discusses reaching marginalised women in conflict zones, the importance of crisis response funds, and the need to increase funding to women-led organisations.
From International Women’s Day to Women’s History Month, March is a time to renew our shared commitment to achieving gender equality. However, when Zoë emphasizes that at the current pace of progress, “it’s going to take two hundred and eighty-six years for the world to achieve gender equality,” we realize the urgency to accelerate efforts.
In this episode, we sit down with Zoë Elliot, Head of Events & Philanthropy at Women For Women International to discuss
- How Women for Women International has managed to reach over half a million of the world’s most marginalized women in 17 conflict-affected countries.
- Their conflict response fund, tracking crises in real-time to identify credible partners on the ground and work with them to allocate resources to meet the urgent needs of women survivors of war.
- Why, during Women’s History Month, it is crucial to raise awareness about the intersection of women and conflict. The reality of advancing women’s rights in conflict-affected areas requires flexibility and adaptability in the face of evolving security environments and rapidly changing needs.
- Last year only 5% of government aid went to tackling violence against women and girls, with less than 0.02% directed to its prevention. One year later, we discuss the current state of funding allocation.
- A call to action for greater prevention of gender-based violence, through the recommitment of overseas development funding, and for donors to ‘put their money where their mouth is’.
For more information visit womenforwomen.org.uk/international-womens-day-2024
