Women's Refugee Commission

29/05/2026

In 1951, the UN Charter cemented gender equality as a core pillar of the organization’s mandate and mission. Yet a series of external crises and internal reform efforts over recent years have endangered the future of the UN as a global driver of gender equality. Member States must act decisively to course-correct and ensure the UN retains its leadership in this critical area.

Read the new think piece from WRC's Senior Policy Advocate, Sadia Kidwai, on the WRC blog:

In 1951, the UN Charter cemented gender equality as a core pillar of the organization’s mandate and mission. Yet a series of external crises and internal reform efforts over recent years have endangered the future of the UN as a global driver of gender equality. Member States must act decisively t...

26/05/2026

We are grateful to Rahildaris Marchena—a talented artist, as well as the Global Refugee Youth Network (GRYN)’s media and comms officer—for donating four pieces of her beautiful artwork to the Better World Fund's charity auction last week. Proceeds from the sale of the framed digital prints were split between WRC and the Global Refugee Youth Network. This gift is especially meaningful because of how Rahildaris’ own lived experience informs her work. As a Venezuelan illustrator and visual storyteller living in Spain, she creates evocative visual narratives that honor the resilience and dignity of displaced communities, bringing forward voices too often absent from public discourse. Her practice bridges art, research, and advocacy, using storytelling as a powerful medium to foster understanding and inspire change. Thank you, Rahildaris!

22/05/2026

This past Tuesday, WRC's Director of Migrant Rights and Justice, Zain Lakhani, provided testimony at a Congressional hearing hosted by the Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC) on "The Assault on Women by Trump's ICE and CBP." Transcript & video linked in the comments.

21/05/2026

Congratulations to writer, actor, activist, and WRC board member Nandana Dev Sen on the incredible honor of being recognized by the Better World Fund during the Cannes Film Festival. We are so grateful to Nandana for steadfastly championing WRC’s work and to the Better World Fund for supporting our work through their gala. Here are a few photos of Nandana giving her speech and with her family during the event.

20/05/2026

Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights' Legal Atlas on Gender Discrimination in Nationality Laws is the only online tool that provides details on the status and impact of gender-discriminatory nationality laws in the 24 countries where women lack the right to pass their nationality to their children. It's an excellent resource that recently launched, and we encourage you to explore it: https://legal-atlas.equalnationalityrights.org/

19/05/2026

WRC's Director of Migrant Rights and Justice, Zain Lakhani, will be testifying in today's hearing; more details below. Tune in on Democratic Women's Caucus's page at 3pm ET today!

Today at 3:00 PM ET, DWC is hosting a hearing to expose how Trump’s ICE and CBP have placed women across the country in danger.

Trump’s ICE and CBP continue to mistreat pregnant women, deny reproductive healthcare, and put immigrant survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse at risk.

This is unacceptable, and we will not stay silent.

Join on our page linked in our bio.

17/05/2026

15/05/2026

WRC and PHR’s joint report on family separation served as the foundation for a story in The Atlantic this week profiling deported parents in Honduras. (You can read the full report at https://www.womensrefugeecommission.org/research-resources/what-about-my-children-family-separation-among-parents-deported-to-honduras/):

At the airport in La Lima, Honduras, planeloads of people arrive every day—many without their children.

12/05/2026

“I am an Iranian American women’s rights advocate, with close family still in Iran. In recent weeks, the uncertainty and communication blackouts have made even basic contact feel precarious, turning everyday concern into constant fear. Living between contexts brings its own tension—trying to remain engaged and informed while knowing that those inside the country face risks that I do not, and that even speaking can carry consequences for loved ones.

At the same time, the crisis has deepened divisions across the diaspora, adding another layer of emotional strain in a moment that already feels overwhelming. What remains constant is the disproportionate burden on women inside Iran, who are navigating insecurity, caregiving, and restricted access to information under increasingly constrained conditions.

What is needed most is a deeper recognition of these layered realities, so that the experiences of women, alongside broader impacts on families and communities, are not flattened or overlooked in how this conflict is understood—especially when access to information, safety, and connection are already so fragile."

These are the words of an Iranian American woman living in the US, who works as a women’s rights advocate with an organization that partners with WRC. We invited her to share her perspective on how the wars in Iran and Lebanon have impacted women like her, as well as how they have impacted the work of women-led organizations.

“In Her Own Words” shares the stories of women living in the world’s most extreme conflict zones. The series brings into focus how women and girls bear the real costs of war and displacement.

For 36 years, WRC has listened to women living through conflict and displacement and advocated for their rights and safety.
https://www.womensrefugeecommission.org/about/in-her-own-words/

08/05/2026

Looking for a last minute gift to celebrate a mother in your life AND make a difference for mothers around the world? Make a tax-deductible donation to WRC and dedicate it in honor of someone special:

Make a donation to the Women's Refugee Commission to support our work protecting the rights of refugee women, children, and youth.

08/05/2026