International Women's Day 2023
Women are essential actors in the fight against transnational organized crime.
From analyzing criminal markets to building resilience within communities, women’s contributions have provided an essential perspective on the way we respond to organized crime.
The work of the #GIResilience Fund supports gender equality, gender sensitive responses to organized crime and the role of women as essential actors in interrupting cycles of violence.
48% of our grantees are women or organizations led by women.
46% of our projects are led by women.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme, #EmbraceEquity, aims to create a global conversation about this important issue and its impact. In order to achieve equality, equity is the means to get there.
The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index predicted that 'at the current rate of progress, it will take 132 years to reach full parity'.
But in order to reach gender parity, women often need more resources and opportunities to reach an equal outcome – equity.
What does equity mean to you?
'It is a value to be defended because its objectives are law enforcement, human rights protection and the promotion of justice.'
'Generating the same opportunities for everyone considering their differences, contexts and stories.'
'It means offering proportional opportunities, so that all groups can access justice, fairness and success.'
Women play pivotal roles in community resilience initiatives.
Speaking to 14 women around the world who are supported by our Resilience Fund, all considered equity indispensable for the development of community resilience.
64% considered the impact of inequity very important to the development of women in their community.
Why is equity important in building community resilience?
'Equity is necessary to ensure women can express their opinions, to choose, to join an association, to get a higher education and to be a leader.'
'It is crucial for building community resilience, to weave networks; the search for equity is the engine of resilience.'
'It is essential for consolidating a united community that guarantees the participation and integration of all its members.'
'It is important because the opinion and contribution of every person, irrespective of their gender, adds value to all aspects of society. Communities are incomplete if anyone is discriminated against or left out.'
'Because women are the ones who uphold territorial sovereignty and food sovereignty – we are the ones who resist in territories and believe in and yearn for a world without violence.'
Through the Resilience Fund’s work, it has become increasingly clear, across jurisdictions and cultures, that women are repeatedly at the forefront of building community resilience to organized crime.
64% of respondents’ work depends directly on women's support networks.
But this doesn’t come without its challenges.
What is the main challenge you have faced as a woman on the front line tackling violence and organized crime?
'Being a woman and wanting to change things is sometimes seen as madness, an unattainable goal, something that would be completely normal for a man.'
'Vulnerability when doing field work. Working as a woman on issues of violence and organized crime always generates fear due to the insecurity and vulnerability to which we are exposed.'
'The lack of guarantees - there are no guarantees for women to exercise leadership safely. In conflict contexts, women and their bodies are instruments of war. Added to this, the spaces for dialogue and decision making are mostly led by men, which often ends up silencing our voices and experiences.'
'The customs and traditions of community, the trading in religions that have oppressed women greatly, and digital insecurity.'
'The main challenge that I have faced as a woman in the fight against violence has been with the police authority when I defend young people from violent attacks.'
'One of the main problems I have had is that because I am a woman, it is believed that I cannot investigate or cover violence as a journalist. It is believed that because of my gender, my information is not objective enough, or it is described as “very sentimental".'
Women change-makers often interrupt entrenched cycles of violence and reclaim physical spaces from criminal governance.
As they often lack a voice within many traditional power structures – including state institutions and criminal cultures – women are driven to act outside the ‘system’, which shapes their role as community resilience actors.
Women play a key role in building resilience to organized crime. Supporting women at all levels of society in fighting organized crime is key to enshrining their agency and empowering them.
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