VOICE cofounder Mendy Marsh’s op-ed featured in Ms. Magazine VOICE cofounder Mendy Marsh's op-ed was featured in Ms.
We cannot turn our backs on
Afghan women and girls
This is a humanitarian catastrophe.
One in three women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
All the time... everywhere.
We are confronting one of the world's oldest and most widespread human rights abuses: violence against women and girls. Although such violence is a global epidemic, it is especially prevalent in areas of crisis and displacement.
VOICE is a feminist organization working towards a world where girls and women are respected leaders in designing and implementing solutions to eradicate violence -- both in their communities and within the halls of power.
We are working to help meet the needs of women- and girl-led organizations in a growing number of countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, the United States, Venezuela, and Yemen. Many of our team members come from the places that we work, meaning that deep local knowledge, expertise and lived experiences underlie our approaches.
Our team includes humanitarian practitioners, researchers, and human rights defenders with over 100 years of experience in feminist movement-building and violence prevention and response.
VOICE'S 24-HOUR TRUCE SERIES
"I want a 24-hour truce during which there is no rape."
In Summer 2021, VOICE brought together women and girls from around the world in a live webinar to discuss what it would be like if we had one day, just 24 hours, without sexual assault.
Following the discussion, the VOICE team published two volumes of reflection on topics such as bystanders to violence and patriarchy's effect on emotional intimacy. The volumes are structured by the theme of Time, to recognize the women and girls that fought for gender equality before us, and to remind those that withhold and abuse power that the feminist fight for equality is not going anywhere.
Get Involved: How You Can Help!
FUND A GLOBAL SOLUTION
MOBILIZE YOUR COMMUNITY
EDUCATE YOURSELF
Statements of Solidarity
Statement of Solidarity regarding sexual violence in the context of
the National Strike in Colombia
Since the beginning of the ongoing Colombian national strike on April 28th, the Ombudsman Office of Colombia has reported 106 cases of gender-based violence against women and people with non-normative gender identities. Of these 106 cases, 23 cases included sexual violence. In addition to these reports, the national Colombian NGO Temblores reported 27 cases of sexual violence during the social protests. Knowing that most cases of sexual violence go unreported out of fear or lack of access to systems of justice, we cannot assume that these numbers are conclusive. Temblores stated that “the transgression of some bodies, especially of female and feminized bodies, has become a policy of repression and state correction.”
[READ MORE]
VOICE stands in solidarity with the AAPI community:
On March 16th, a grievous assault on the Asian-American community of Atlanta, Georgia resulted in the loss of eight lives. We send our condolences to the families and friends of Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, and Yong Ae Yue. We reject the Atlanta Police’s comment that it is too early to know if the shooter’s coordinated attacks were racially motivated. The refusal to call hate crimes for what they are is in itself an act of violence and an impediment to justice. [READ MORE]
Hold Myanmar Military Accountable for Violence Against Women:
Dear President and Members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council,
Marking the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, we, Women’s PeaceNetwork, and the undersigned organizations working for women’s rights and against gender based violence, call upon the UN Security Council to hold the Myanmar military accountable for grievously violating the human rights of women.
[READ MORE]
VOICE Is:
Disruptive &
Catalytic
Sharing & Shifting Power
Reflective
Unapologetically Feminist
Boldly Political
Accountable
How we work matters as much as what we do; our endeavors are led by women and girls’ realities, priorities, and expertise.