Ranked Nonprofits: International Violence Against Women 2011

The Cause: Violence against women and girls is an extreme human rights violation, a public health epidemic, and a barrier to solving global challenges such as extreme poverty, HIV/AIDS, and famine. Types of violence range from rape to domestic abuse to acid burnings to dowry deaths to so-called honor killings. It devastates the lives of millions of women and girls — in peacetime and in conflict — and knows no national or cultural barriers.

The Scope: Experts working in the field of female violence prevention were asked to recommend up to three nonprofits doing high-impact work across multiple countries/regions, and up to three nonprofits doing high-impact work in a specific country/region. Experts were asked to consider a range of nonprofits including those engaged in service, advocacy, litigation, research, education, and other areas. Nonprofits could focus on one or more of the following areas: peace and gender violence; domestic violence, battering, & marital rape; customary practices; and forced and early marriage. Specifically excluded from the survey were organizations working in human trafficking and reproductive health, rights, and violence against men within the definition of gender based violence.

		Top Nonprofit	Mission
1		Global Fund for Women	The Global Fund for Women plays a leading role in advancing women’s rights by making grants that support and strengthen women’s groups around the world. We mobilize and redistribute resources that enable women to develop creative solutions to local, regional, and transnational challenges. We bring grantees and donors together in an international network that promotes women’s action for social change, equality, peace, and justice worldwide.
2		UN Women	The main roles of UN Women are: To support inter-governmental bodies, such as the Commission on the Status of Women, in their formulation of policies, global standards and norms. To help Member States to implement these standards, standing ready to provide suitable technical and financial support to those countries that request it, and to forge effective partnerships with civil society. To hold the UN system accountable for its own commitments on gender equality, including regular monitoring of system-wide progress.
3		V-Day	V-Day is an organized response against violence toward women. V-Day is a vision: We see a world where women live safely and freely. V-Day is a demand: Rape, incest, battery, genital mutilation and sexual slavery must end now. V-Day is a spirit: We believe women should spend their lives creating and thriving rather than surviving or recovering from terrible atrocities. V-Day is a catalyst: By raising money and consciousness, it will unify and strengthen existing anti-violence efforts. Triggering far-reaching awareness, it will lay the groundwork for new educational, protective, and legislative endeavors throughout the world. V-Day is a process: We will work as long as it takes. We will not stop until the violence stops. V-Day is a day. We proclaim Valentine's Day as V-Day, to celebrate women and end the violence. V-Day is a fierce, wild, unstoppable movement and community. Join us!
4		International Rescue Committee (IRC)	Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global leader in emergency relief, rehabilitation, protection of human rights, post-conflict development, resettlement services and advocacy for those uprooted or affected by violent conflict and oppression. The IRC is a critical global network of first responders, humanitarian relief workers, healthcare providers, educators, community leaders, activists, and volunteers. Working together, we provide access to safety, sanctuary, and sustainable change for millions of people whose lives have been shattered by violence and oppression. The IRC is on the ground in 42 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating refugees, and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster.
5		Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL)	The Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) develops and facilitates women's leadership for women's human rights and social justice worldwide.
6		ICRW (International Center for Research on Women)	ICRW's mission is to empower women, advance gender equality and fight poverty in the developing world. To accomplish this, ICRW works with partners to conduct empirical research, build capacity and advocate for evidence-based, practical ways to change policies and programs.
7		Promundo	Promundo’s mission is to promote gender equality and prevent violence against women, children and youth in Brazil and around the world.
8		Women's Refugee Commission	The Women's Refugee Commission advocates for laws, policies and programs to improve the lives and protect the rights of refugee and internally displaced women, children and young people, including those seeking asylum—bringing about lasting, measurable change.
9		Equality Now	Equality Now works for the protection and promotion of the human rights of women and girls around the world. Working with grassroots women’s and human rights organizations and individual activists since 1992, Equality Now documents violence and discrimination against women and mobilizes international action to support efforts to stop these abuses.
9		Women for Women International	Women for Women International provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies. We're changing the world one woman at a time.
10		Raising Voices	Raising Voices works to prevent violence against women by addressing the root causes such as traditional gender roles and the imbalance of power between women and men. We focus on primary prevention approaches that attempt to change the attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate violence against women.
11		Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML)	Women Living Under Muslim Laws is an international solidarity network that provides information, support and a collective space for women whose lives are shaped, conditioned or governed by laws and customs said to derive from Islam.
12		Sonke Gender Justice Network	Sonke’s vision is a world in which men, women and children can enjoy equitable, healthy and happy relationships that contribute to the development of just and democratic societies. “Sonke” is an Nguni word meaning “all of us” or “together”, to symbolise our commitment to working in partnership with all who share the vision of gender equality, human rights and social justice.
13		Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE)	WAVE is a network of European women's non-governmental organisations working in the field of combating violence against women and children (women's refuges, counselling centres, SOS hotlines/helplines, organisations focusing on prevention and training, etc.).

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