VOICE cofounder Mendy Marsh’s op-ed featured in Ms. Magazine VOICE cofounder Mendy Marsh's op-ed was featured in Ms.
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 support local groups in their efforts to build networks and movements in settings of conflict, crisis, and disaster. We amplify their voices to deepen their impact.
Working in 14 countries and counting, we have learned that solutions led by women and girls to prevent, challenge and recover from violence are scalable and applicable everywhere. 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.
Many of our team members come from the places that we work, meaning that deep local knowledge, expertise and lived experiences underlie our approaches.
Challenging Systems of Power
VOICE is transforming humanitarian aid, an industry notorious for excluding women and girls from its priority-setting and program delivery.
VOICE supports women- and girl-led organizations, networks, and movements working to dismantle the hierarchical, colonial, racist, and unequal practices and structures of the aid industry. We are bridge-builders, helping donors figure out how to adapt their systems to better invest in and support women- and girl-led groups.
Imagine an aid system led and designed by the same women and girls it serves. We are building it.
Security preparedness and response by and for women: We work to provide innovative, safe and ethical security training and preparedness, creating and supporting a women’s security community for strategizing and collective care.
We co-generate ideas, strategies and actions, and support solidarity-building amongst and between organizations and movements locally, regionally, and globally. We work with feminist movements focusing on intersecting issues such as climate change, mental health and economic justice. We are bridge-builders, helping donors figure out how to adapt their systems to better invest in and support women- and girl-led groups.
We help service providers to strengthen, expand and sustain their work on violence against women and girls, from service provision to risk mitigation and policy change.
Co-designing and realizing solutions, and challenging systems of power: We work with duty-bearers to adopt solutions co-defined by women and girls. We drive the conversation. We are providing a platform for a network of women’s leaders from diverse contexts who can speak about a range of issues, to help the world see them as the experts they are.
We bear witness, monitor, track and write about the on-going failure of the aid industry to provide space for women and girls. We act to address the systemic, racist and colonial roots of aid and how that continues to manifest in the present system. We promote dialogue and engage in media, research and advocacy to make duty-bearers deliver on their commitments.
Statements of Solidarity
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.
