Tweet your thoughts using #AidOpenLetter, #AidToo, #ReformAid
On Friday 2nd March, 2018, the letter below was circulated through private emails and messages to women working within the aid sector throughout the world. The letter was drafted by Sarah Martin (@smartindc), Alexia Pepper de Caires (@Je_ne_tweet_pas), Anne Quesney (@anneqy) and Danielle Spencer (@daniellewas). However, it was also informed by many other women who chose to remain anonymous whom we thank for their input.
Just five days after the letter was launched, as of the afternoon of March 7th, the letter had been signed by 1,111 women.
As of 15th May, 2015, the letter has been signed by 1538 women aid workers.
1247 women signed and felt it was safe to use their names, 291 women felt they needed to sign on anonymously. Women living and working in 81 countries around the world signed on in support - from the US and UK, to South Sudan, Haiti, Jordan and Bangladesh. The breadth of women working within the aid industry has been truly reflected in the signatories and the content of the letter they have signed should be taken seriously by men and decision makers in humanitarian and development organisations. Thank you to everyone who raised their voices to demand change.
If you wanted to sign the letter but ran out of time or if you are seeing this letter now and want to sign, there are other ways to make yourself heard. You can: (1) tweet about the letter; (2) print the letter out and put it on the wall of your office for others to sign; (3) share it digitally with your colleagues; (4) use it as a conversation starter in your office; and (5) hold your organisation accountable to the principles of the letter. We can never go back to business as usual.
#AidOpenLetter; #AidToo; #ReformAid.
Just five days after the letter was launched, as of the afternoon of March 7th, the letter had been signed by 1,111 women.
As of 15th May, 2015, the letter has been signed by 1538 women aid workers.
1247 women signed and felt it was safe to use their names, 291 women felt they needed to sign on anonymously. Women living and working in 81 countries around the world signed on in support - from the US and UK, to South Sudan, Haiti, Jordan and Bangladesh. The breadth of women working within the aid industry has been truly reflected in the signatories and the content of the letter they have signed should be taken seriously by men and decision makers in humanitarian and development organisations. Thank you to everyone who raised their voices to demand change.
If you wanted to sign the letter but ran out of time or if you are seeing this letter now and want to sign, there are other ways to make yourself heard. You can: (1) tweet about the letter; (2) print the letter out and put it on the wall of your office for others to sign; (3) share it digitally with your colleagues; (4) use it as a conversation starter in your office; and (5) hold your organisation accountable to the principles of the letter. We can never go back to business as usual.
#AidOpenLetter; #AidToo; #ReformAid.
Senior Managers, CEOs and Board Members of Humanitarian and Development Organisations,
Violence Against Women and Girls is endemic across all societies.[1] The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have exposed the level of sexual harassment experienced by women in the film industry, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Thanks to the work of women acting in solidarity with their sisters around the world, in recent weeks it has become increasingly apparent that the international aid sector has its own shortcomings. We, the undersigned, demand that the aid sector is reformed and the patriarchal norms which dominate it are rooted out.
We stand together to speak out about the violence and abuse perpetrated against women and girls by men who work within charities. We stand together because our voices are stronger in unison and have often not been heard when we have stood alone.[2] We acknowledge that not all women have the same amount of power - race, class, sexual orientation, economic realities and other forms of discrimination and oppression all play a part in women’s ability to to be heard. Patriarchy impacts women and girls from the global South and women of colour hardest. We acknowledge that these women are most affected and vulnerable to exploitation and abuse by aid workers, yet are also the least likely to be heard and least likely to be able to sign on to support this letter.
It is the behaviour of these men, not our complaint of their behaviour, which damages the sector’s reputation and public trust. The women who are speaking out now hope to make international aid a better place for the women who work within it, and for those whose rights we campaign and advocate for. We speak out now in the hopes that in future, the blame for the abuse or for “not doing enough” to stop the abuse will no longer fall on women. The twisted logic of blaming women and girls for the violence and abuse they experience has to end and it is everyone’s responsibility to end it – within the aid sector and beyond.
We are gravely concerned that the culture of silence, intimidation and abuse will continue as soon as the media spotlight on this issue begins to dim. Trust in our sector can only be restored when we ask and answer the difficult questions and openly challenge those who exploit and hide behind the good work of many. We encourage everyone who has seen issues which are contrary to the principles of equality and justice, which are the bedrock of our work, to step forward and speak out and we ask aid agencies to support them.
We ask for 3 fundamental reforms to shift the patriarchal bias in aid:
1. Trust women: organisations need to take action as soon as women report sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse; allegations must be treated with priority and urgency in their investigation; the subject of a complaint of this nature must be immediately suspended or removed from their position of power and reach of vulnerable women and girls.
2. Listen: foster a culture where whistleblowing is welcome and safe - the way to win back trust of donors, the public and the communities we work with is to be honest about abuses of power and learn from disclosures. Sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse should no longer have to be discussed in hushed tones in our offices.
3. Deeds not words: We need effective leadership, commitment to action and access to resources. It is not enough to develop new policies which are never implemented or funded - with the right tools we can end impunity at all levels in the sector.
Signed |
Additional names (added between March 9th and May 9th 2018)
- Qaali Abdullahi
- Remie Abi-Farrage
- Lina Abirafeh
- Emma Achilli
- Rebekah Adams
- Manar Adel
- Czarina Aggabao Thelen
- Eugenia Agostino
- Jasveen Ahluwalia
- Marisa Ahuja
- Abdoulaye Aissatou
- Hanane Ajjour
- Vicki Aken
- Dionne Akiyama
- Doa' Al Hadidi
- Israa Al Zaghari
- Dalia Al-Awqati
- Nisreen Alami
- Sarah Alamri
- Rita Aleixo
- Kelsey Alexander
- Silvia Alfonsi
- Noor Alhoussari
- Sagal Ali
- Saida Ali
- Miriam Alia
- Emma Allen
- Rana Almutairi
- Melissa Alvarado
- Rachel Alvarez-Reyes
- Baraah Amarat
- Christine Amy
- Ghida Anani
- Cathy Andela
- Sara Anderson
- Erin Andriamahefa
- Oriana Angelucci
- Jeannie Annan
- Christina Antoniadi
- Rana Aoun
- Pilar Aparicio
- Diana Arango
- Susana Araujo
- Leslie Archambeault
- Helena Ardura
- Judit Arenas
- Mona Arjun
- Natalie Armitage
- Alice Armstrong
- Sigrun Arnadottir
- Dana Arndt
- Aslaug Arnoldsdottir
- Johanna Arp
- Kristen Aster
- Yeva Avakyan
- Susanne Axmacher
- Myintzu Aye
- Stephanie Ayers
- Shaista Aziz
- Sarah Kirstine Bach
- Sarah Baird
- Monika Bakayoko-Topolska
- Meredith Baker
- Helen Banos Smith
- Iune Baravalle
- Clare Barrell
- Pilar Barroso
- Gopika Bashi
- Tina Basi
- Evelyne Batamuliza
- Sara Jane Baublitz
- Misha Baudisch-McCabe
- Rachel Beanland
- Jenny Becker
- Line Begby
- Frieda Behets
- Emily Bell
- Emma Bell
- Rachel Bell
- Shayne Bell
- Fabiola Bell-Biermann
- Nita Bellare
- Lauren Bellhouse
- Rabia Ben Ali
- Farida Bena
- Prisca Benelli
- Zana Beqiri
- Sara Bergamaschi
- Tania Bernath
- Esther Bertram
- Wendi Bevins
- Lauren Bienkowski
- Cassie Biggs
- Aida Bilajbegovic
- Monica Billgren
- Magda Bilska-Pereda
- Stephanie Binder
- Sarah Bollinger
- Emma Bolton
- Elisabeth Bond
- Alexandra Bonnefoy
- Annie Bonz
- Olivia Booth
- Nishigandha Boppana
- Caroline Bowah
- Ozge Boztas
- Veronica Bradford
- Kavita Brahmbhatt
- Gina Bramucci
- Donatienne Brasseur
- Anna Bratt
- Louise Brennan
- Soledad Briones
- Natalie Brook
- Amanda Brydon
- Vivian Buffard
- Winter Burhoe
- Hannah Burrows
- Connolly Butterfield
- Tulika Byce
- Jo C
- Astrid Caballero
- Belinda Calaguas
- Diana Cammack
- Elisa Cappelletti
- Hara Caracostas
- Maja Carlton-Paterson
- Terry Carney
- Belen Carrillo
- Megan Carroll
- Sarah Carson
- Cat Carter
- Cate Cassidy
- Patricia Cassidy
- Prescilla Celino
- Katy Chadwick
- Katy Chakrabortty
- Divya Chandran
- Jana Chanova
- Nicole Charland
- Isabelle Charles
- Sarah Charles
- Jennifer Chase
- Carolina Chavarría
- Yee Chen
- Nancy Chiariello
- Lara Chlela
- Violeta Chocarro Garcia
- Madeline Church
- Chiara Ciminello
- Jennifer Clancy
- Louise Clark
- Jessie Cochran
- Yasmine Colijn
- Julie Colombino
- Cristiana Conte
- Gillian Mary Conway
- Marissa Conway
- Viviana Coppola
- Sarah Cornish
- Gema Cortes
- Magda Corti
- Kate Coulman
- Krysta Cowling
- Mary Cox
- Kristy Crabtree
- Isabel Crabtree-Condor
- Emily Craven
- Kate Crichton
- Tyler Crone
- Mena D'Errico
- Hanna Dahlstrom
- Jessica Dalpe
- Tazia Darryanto
- Elizabeth Dartnall
- Elisa David
- Malin Daviknes
- Chloe Day
- Stephaniede Chassy
- Bénédictede la Taille
- Annalise De Mel
- Victoriade Mello
- Hortensede Preville
- Rebeca De Sancho
- J Dear
- Claire Deguernel
- Juliette Delay
- Janelle Delorme
- Justina Demetriades
- Margrietden Boer
- Kelly Dent
- Catherine Deseure Plumridge
- Priya Dhanani
- Teresa Díez
- Lobke Dijkstra
- Haley Dillan
- Nancy Dinsmore
- Sarah Ditty
- Avery Doninger
- Lena Donner
- Susan Donovan Cathcart
- Catherine Doutrewe
- Zaira Drammis
- Katie Drew
- Carmen Dreyer
- Amelie Dube
- Karissa Dunbar
- Marie Aurore
- Stéphanie Duverge
- Donna Duvin
- Allison Dworschak
- Cassie Eades
- Manon Ebel
- Iris Ebert
- Mali Ebrahimi
- Solène Edouard
- Joelleel Khoury
- Mona Elborei
- Nada Elfeituri
- Margarita Elliot
- Amy Ellis
- Mary Ellsberg
- Maia Elros
- Fenke Elskamp
- Sara Elwan
- Gretchen Emick
- Van Endear
- Shirley Eng
- Mai Ensmann
- Jennate Eoomkham
- Tinbit Esayas
- Shirley Estevez
- Helen Evand
- Linn Ewers
- Maria Ezpeleta
- Mollie Fair
- Joanne Fairley
- Emma Fawcett
- Carolyn Felix
- Inga Ferber
- Eva Ferluga
- Emeline Ferrier
- Tabata Fioretto
- Rosal Fischer
- Kelly Fish
- Kat Fiske
- Maggie Fleming
- Sandra Fletcher
- Maureen Flood
- Tathiana Flores Acuna
- Niyi Florez
- Elisabetta Foco
- Siobhan Foran
- Gabrielle Fox
- Rachel Fox
- Donatella Fregonese
- Irene Freni
- Roza Freriks
- Michel Friedman
- Caroline Fuhrer
- Emma Fulu
- Encarnación Gallego
- Sofia Garavito
- Eva Garcia
- Elisa García
- Elizabeth Garland
- Rosa Garwood
- Allison Gates
- Jill Gay
- Michelle Gayer
- Petronille Geara
- Halima Gellman
- Hilal Gençay
- Floriza Gennari
- Francesca Genovese
- Kieren Gera
- Erin Gerber
- Christie Getman
- Dania Gharaibeh
- Emmanuelle Ghislain
- Bodoor Ghousheh
- Leisa Gibson
- Casilda Gil de Santivañes Finat
- Clara Ginovart
- Filomena Giovinazzo
- Nancy Glass
- Anne Marie Goetz
- Tanja Gohlert
- Myriam Goldenstedt
- Leah Goldmann
- Rebecca Gordon
- Olwyn Goulding
- Melita Grant
- Sarah Grausz
- Amy Gray
- Patty Gray
- Amelia Greaves
- Margaret Greene
- Emilie Greenhalgh
- Jessica Gregson
- Andrea Greise
- Hildur Gudbjornsdottir
- Adeline Guerra
- Anna Gunterberg
- Celine Gurry
- Inez Hackenberg
- Saleem Haddad
- Emma Haegeman
- Riley Hagan
- Kiri Haggans
- Fiona Hale
- Jacqueline Hale
- Özen Halil
- Birna Halldorsdottir
- Janna Hamilton
- Caroline Hamric
- Lori Handrahan
- Najia Haneefi
- Homaira Hanif
- Nourshan Hannan
- Rose Hardman
- Nicole Hark
- Rebecca Harnett
- Malayah Harper
- Jessica Harrison-Fullerton
- Zoe Hart
- Katharina Hartwig
- Rowan Harvey
- Ulrike Hauer
- Alice Hawkes
- Alison Hayes
- Joanna Hayter
- Jill Healey
- Patrizia Heidegger
- Janet Heisey
- Hilary Hemmings
- Sarah Hénon
- Mariele Hernandez
- Marcy Hersh
- Merit Hietanen
- Lisa Hilleke
- Lisa Hilt
- Catherine Hingley
- Kirsten Hjørnholm
- Lara Ho
- Annie Hoban
- Heidi Hochstenbach
- Lyndsay Hockin
- Karen Hoehn
- Leah Hoffman
- Kate Holland
- Clare Hollowell
- Louise Holly
- Maria Holtsberg
- Kelsey Hopkins
- Caroline Horne
- Nína Hrlgadóttir
- Angela Huddleston
- Alexandra Humphreys
- Susan Hutchinson
- Sarah Hyde
- Ellen Hynes
- Amy Elizabeth
- Ibold Tanit
- Iglesias Leigh
- Anne Ingram
- Eliana Irato
- Gordana Ivkovic Grujic
- Victoria Jack
- Elanor Jackson
- Ruth Jackson
- Sharon Jackson
- Anna Jaffe
- Laura Jaffrey
- Hana Jalboush
- Maggie Janes-Lucas
- Julie Jankovic
- Rana Jarhum
- Hannah Jay
- Namalie Jayasinghe
- Vanessa Jenner
- Alice Jennings
- Tete Jesinta Lebsonga
- Sophie Jewell
- Menka Jha
- Jane Johnson
- Sanna Johnson
- Heather Johnston
- Danielle Jolicoeur
- Lindsey Jones-Renaud
- Kailee Jordan
- Salma Jrad
- Pardie K
- Rayan Kabbara
- Mimosa Kabir
- Maryann Kago
- Hivin Kako
- Nyakio Kamau
- Johanna Kaprio
- Dima Karadsheh
- Irina Karic
- Halwest Karim
- Dibya Karki
- Mekki Karlsson
- Nadine Kassie
- Caitlin Kelly
- Jocelyn Kelly
- Kristy Kelly
- Ruth Kelly
- Ingrid Kelters
- Karoline Kemp
- Ellie Kennedy
- Aly Kenney
- Debra Kerby
- Robyn Kerrison
- Israa Khalid
- Reem Khamis
- Duniya Khandoker
- Paula Kiger
- Jessica Kim
- Kristin Kim Bart
- Ruth Kimani
- Janet Kincaid
- Marit Johnsen Kindsbækken
- Victoria Kirk
- Nicole Klaesener
- Alice Klein
- Susana Klien
- Catherine Klirodotakou
- Karoline Klose
- Joanna Knight
- Bijaya Koirala
- Aisha Kamara Kolubah
- Janine Kossen
- Manni Kössler
- Xenia Koutentaki
- Sarah Kouzi
- Anika Krstic
- Holly Krueger
- Sarah Kruger
- Christina Kruszewski
- Amber Kubera
- Lisa Kuechenhoff
- Manisha Kumar
- Phoebe Kung'u
- Jo Kuper
- Brenna Kupferman
- Carol L.
- Rebecca La-Touche
- Valerie Laforce
- Amanda Lalley
- Marie Lallier
- Tessa Lamb
- Audrey Landmann
- Rachel Landry
- Dianna Langley
- Candelaria Lanusse
- Gabrielle La Pointe
- Stephanie Lassieur
- Laura Latina
- Bee Lauher
- Lynn Lawry
- Nicolele Roux
- Katrina Leclerc
- Laurence Leclercq
- Denise Ledgerwood
- Bianca Sarah Lemieux
- Elsa Lengeler
- Annick Lenglet
- Karine Lepillez
- Anouk Lerais
- Veronica Lescay
- Johanna Linder
- Katherine Littman
- Cali Livingstone
- Jo Lofthouse
- Michelle Lokot
- Beatriz Lorenzo
- Nora Love
- Madeleine Lundberg
- Kelsey Lundgren
- Kristina Lunz
- Helena Lupton
- Gabriela Luz-Meillet
- Jo Lyon
- Sarah M
- Tereza Maarova
- Josphine Macharia
- Jessica Maclean
- Jackie MacLeod
- Nakhungu Magero
- Hildur Magnusdottir
- Ólöf Magnúsdóttir
- Entisar Mahmooud
- Catherine Mahony
- Soumïa Maldji
- Mohini Malhotra
- Barbara Mali
- Nicole Malick
- May Maloney
- Sacha Manov
- Silvia Mari Bachero
- Alia Marie
- Chanel Marin
- Lorena Marolo
- Mendy Marsh
- Gemma Marshall
- Sarah Martin
- Sophie Martin
- Luisa Martinazzi
- Susana Martinez
- Ariana Martini
- Ana Mateo
- Hilary Mathews
- Joanna Maycock
- Elizabeth Mayer
- Meredith Maynard
- Rita Mazzocchi
- Sheena McDonald
- Helen McElhinney
- Justine McGowan
- Patricia McIlreavy
- Gillian Mckay
- Courtney McLarnon-Silk
- Maria McLaughlin
- Stacey Mearns
- Melanie Megevand
- Karina Melkonian
- Marcela Mendonca
- Kalyani Menon-Sen
- Marie-Claire Mention
- Stefanie Meredith
- Carol Metcalf
- Safia Meyer
- Lori Michau
- Ilaria Michelis
- Kimberly Miller
- Laura Miller
- Mary Milne
- Anna Mimran
- Olive Minor
- Suzette Mitchell
- Lia Mocka
- Hasnaa Mokhtar
- Sonia Moldovan
- Anna Möller
- Elizabeth Molloy
- Cifora Monier
- Bronwen Moore
- Sarah Mordret
- Jeannie Morgan
- Kailey Morin
- Megan Morris
- Robyn Mosdell
- Sarah Mosely
- Christine Mougne
- Shannon Mouillesseaux
- Gillian Moyes
- Amber Mull
- Bettina Müller
- Anu Mundkur
- Alicia Munian
- Sarah Murison
- Maria Muro
- Maureen Murphy
- Sara Murray
- Sinéad Murray
- Cammi Murrup-Stewart
- ConnieMusallam
- Daria Musiienko
- Sophie Namy
- Alison Napier
- Fatima Naserdine
- Judith Ndukwu
- Silke Nebenfuehr
- Marije Nederveen
- Amy Neiman
- Joyce Neu
- Sarah Neusy
- Sophie Ngugi
- Huong Nguyen
- Katie Nicholls
- Deborah Nicol
- Vijaya Nidadavolu
- Katja Niemi
- Rachel Noble
- Leah Nodvin
- Leonie Northedge
- Sawsan Nourallah
- Clare Nubel
- Iris Nxumalo
- Catherine Nyambura
- Kathleen O'Brien
- Karen O’Neill
- Alice Ochola Mangwi
- Casey OConnor
- Grace Odeke
- Kristin Olafsdottir
- Solveig Olafsdottir
- Leanne Olson
- Maryam Omar
- Harriet Omina
- Lena Opfermann
- Astrid Opstrup
- Ester Alma Orban
- Margaret Otuya
- Iveta Ouvry
- Norah Owaraga
- Anna Page
- Maby Palmisano
- Alexandra Panaite
- Valentina Paniccia'
- Christina Panullo
- Dimitra Paschalidou
- Kajal Patel
- Khusbu Patel
- P Patnaik
- Erin Patrick
- Toral Pattni
- Radha Paudel
- Nina Paulsen
- Lucila Pautrat Oyarzún
- Valerie Peck
- Sophia Peiris
- Kristin Pelzer
- Elizabeth Pender
- Alexia Pepper de Caires
- Janet Perez
- Norma Perez
- Beatriz Pérez Bernabé
- Rebecca Perlmutter
- Anne Perrocheau
- Shalini Perumal
- Nikoletta Petalidou
- Catherine Pettengell
- Marie Sophie Pettersson
- Inga Petursdottir
- Aerlyn Pfeil
- April Pham
- Lindi Phillips
- Melissa Phillips
- Kate Phillips-Barrasso
- Caitlin Phillips-Peddlesden
- Kim Piaget
- Alessandra Pigni
- Erica Pilcher
- Simona Planu
- Gabrielle Plotkin
- Laura Pomeroy
- Antonia Potter Prentice
- Joanna Pradela
- Maria del Sol
- Prieto Bayona
- Lucy Proudlock
- Emer Purdon
- Laura Puts
- Yusra Qadir
- Andrea Quaden
- Anne Quesney
- Hannah Rael
- Cecilia Ragazzi
- Smita Rakesh
- Runjini Raman
- Cholpon Ramizova
- Noelle Rancourt
- Aruna Rao
- Julie Raphanel
- Angela Ratkowski
- Miriam Rau
- Tal Raviv
- Zoë Raymond
- Joanna Rea
- Sophie Read-Hamilton
- Dashakti Reddy
- Anupa Regmi
- Farhana Rehman-Furs
- Hannah Reichardt
- Chen Reis
- Kristen Renda
- Jacky Repila
- Marta Ricci
- Kelly Ricculli
- Wendy Rice
- Danielle Richard
- Nadege Riche
- Sarah Riczo
- Alice Ridge
- Els Rijke
- Barbara Rijks
- Magda Rios
- Ghaida Rishmawi
- Sierra Robbins
- Colleen Roberts
- Nathalie Roberts
- Lauren Robertson
- Sabina Robillard
- Katie Robinette
- Jennifer Robinson
- Solange Rocha
- Marjolein Roelandt
- Tania Rohrer
- Lina Rojas
- Susan Romanski
- Devon Root
- Ninja Røreng
- Silvia Roscot
- Karoline Røsholm
- Reidun Rosi
- Helen Rosko
- Sasha Ross
- Leslye Rost van Tonningen
- Kate Rougvie
- Mae Rouhani
- Sonya Ruparel
- Tomilyn Rupert
- Kellie Ryan
- Charlotte Sabbah
- Jude Sadler
- Coralía Sáenz
- Chloe Safier
- Sonya Sagan
- Maria Saidy
- Jean Letitia Saldanha
- Safia Sami
- Nurwisa Samla
- Ridzma Samla
- Stella Samuelsdottir
- Typhanie Sanchez
- Hannah Sanderson
- Joanne Sandler
- Inbal Sansani
- Mariana Santoyo Bahamón
- Martina Saracino
- Hetty Sarjeant
- Aneta Sarna
- Bethany Saul
- Jade Saunders
- Marzia Savelli
- Jovana Savic
- Annemarie Schaapveld
- Victoria Schauerhammer
- Andrea Scheltdorf
- Carrie Schildroth
- Alexa Schmidt
- Kristin Schmitz
- Claire Schouten
- Lauren Schuivens
- Bettina Schulte
- Georgette Schutte
- Antonella Scifo
- Daryl-Ann Sdao
- Claire Seaward
- Nele Segers
- Azra Sehic
- Sharon Settecasse
- Jenny Seward
- Rima Shahine
- Nirmeeta Shakya
- Karen Shea
- Rajni Singh Shivakoti
- Smriti Shrestha
- Alyssa Shumaker
- Melanie Simon
- Anne-Sophie Simpere
- Emma Simpson
- Rebecca Singer
- Kamardip Singh
- Marina Siri
- Kristina Skender
- Nicole Slootweg
- Catherine Smallwood
- Jillian Smith
- Kerry Smith
- Nicky Smith
- Rachel Smith
- Ines Smyth
- Helena Soares
- Mayada Soliman
- Julie Solomon
- Anna Soper
- Andree Sosler
- Sandra Sotelo
- Christine Sow
- Louise Sowden
- Jessica Spanswick
- Nathaly Spilotros
- Claire Spoors
- Rana Srouji
- Mirjam Stähli
- Heather Stanley
- Kate Stanley
- Victoria Stanski
- Helen Stawski
- Anna Stone
- Constantina Strikou
- Caroline Sweetman
- Mariam SY
- Brita Sydhoff
- Aminata Sylla
- Jacqui Symonds
- Helena Szczodry
- Yuka Takao
- Nicole Taute
- Mona Tawk
- Kathy Taylor
- Lindsey Teichman
- Ashika Thanki
- Kelly Thayer
- Jessica Thea
- Roma Thomas
- Andrea Thompson
- Hannah Thompson
- Kelly Thompson
- Rachel Thompson
- Rachel Thompson
- Scarlett Thorby-Lister
- Milena Timotijevic
- Gry Tina Tinde
- Akiko Tomita
- Gabrielle Tomovcik
- Anna Tomson
- Katie Tong
- Francesca Torchia
- Bouthaïna Toujani
- Lila Train
- Vicky Treacy-Wong
- Kloé Tricot O'Farrell
- Lourdes Maria
- Trigueros Lopez
- Emily Tripp
- Danielle Trotter
- Magnolia Turbidy
- Alicja Turner
- Kendell Tylee
- Daria Ukhova
- Rachel Unkovic
- Sara V. Calleja
- Priscilla Vaast
- Ann Vaessen
- Carmen Valle
- Silvia Vallese
- Jill Van den Brule
- Ann Van haver
- Marinke Van Riet
- Kimja Vanderheyden
- Beth Vann
- Kristine Verhoeven
- Aurélie Viard-Cretat
- Francisca Vigaud-Walsh
- Martine Villeneuve
- Evelien Vleeshouwers
- Alix Wadeson
- Daria Wadsworth
- Agnes Wajaras
- Shawna Wakefield
- Joanna Wakia
- Nicole Walden
- Janelle Walikonis
- Liz Walker
- Tina Wallace
- Devni Walpola
- Corie Walsh
- Susanne Walter
- Rasna Warah
- Leora Ward
- Melanie Ward
- Xian Warner
- Jennifer Watson
- Alice Welbourn
- Amie Wells
- Anne Wepundi
- Marcela Werutsky
- Elizabeth Whelan
- Danuta Whetton
- Kathleen White
- Kirsten Wienberg
- Hannah-Polly Williams
- Nina Williams
- Katharine Williamson
- Liyana Winchell
- Jennifer Winestock Luna
- Aska Wisniewska-Pickering
- Taylor Witkowski
- Esther Wolf
- Emma Woodford
- Savannah Wooten
- Emily Workman
- Robyn Yaker
- Ceyda Yelkalan
- Joeylyn Yockey
- Doreen Akiyo
- Yomoah Hannahyore
- Ros Young
- Rasha Youssef
- Suhad Zarafili
- Danila Zizi
- Inés Zuza
Additional names (added between March 9th and May 9th 2018)
- Rana al Hariri
- Souzan Al Sayadi
- Mara Alborghetti
- Sharon Alder
- Egle Aleknaite
- Serena Alfarè
- Iris Almanza
- Dania Alsharif
- Serap Altinisik
- Anne May Andersen
- Camille Andre
- Helen Andreasson
- Jennifer Ankrom-khan
- Sandra Arbid
- Gema Arranz
- Avazeh Attari
- María Azorín
- Aude B
- Elisa Bacciotti
- Khadija Badri
- Ombretta Baggio
- Diana Baker
- Aida Balamaci
- Anna Banyard
- Helen Baron
- Srilatha Batliwala
- Line Begby
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- Giulia Boni
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- Anna Bowen
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- River Brown
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- Virginia Bruzzone
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- Julie Campbell
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- Hannah Cattermole
- Tiziana Cauli
- Ayesha S.Chaudhry
- Dawn Cheong
- Tania Cheung
- Jasmine Ching
- Hannah Clare
- Nancy Claxton
- Tiziana Clerico
- Clare Coffey
- Carol Cohn
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- Bonney Corbin
- Naiara Costa
- Elizabeth Cowan
- Yuka Crickmar
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- Louise Daintrey-Hall
- Noemi Dalmonte
- Genevieve Davies
- Sarah Davies
- Sara Davis Gopalan
- Capucinede Fouchier
- Maaikede Loor
- Gina De Marcellis
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- Anita Delany
- Marijke Deleu
- Camille Delorme
- Giorgia Depaoli
- Megan De Sisti
- Vibecke Dixon
- Barbara Dockalova
- Maria Libertad Dometita
- Gloria Donate
- Brindha Dorai
- Daniela Draghici
- Kristie Drucza
- Melanie Dubuis
- Anita Dullard
- Nancy Durrell McKenna
- Gintare Eidimtaite
- Mena El-Turky
- Reda Eldanbouki
- Gabrielle Emery
- Katja Ericson
- Giovanna Ermini
- Valentina Fanelli
- Radhika Fernando
- Sue Finucane
- Serena Fiorletta
- Wendy Fisher
- Kathrine Flaate
- Matilda Flemming
- Daniela Forte
- Francesca Gambazzi
- Diakhoumba Gassama
- Kelly Geoghegan
- Lizzie Gerrard
- Michele Ghimire
- Sylvia Gil
- Blossum Gilmour
- Florencia Giordano
- Natalie Giorgi Alberti
- Lindsay Gladding
- Carmen Gonzalez
- Paloma Gonzalez
- Isabelle Granger
- Daniela Greco
- Sonia Guinovart
- Neha Gupta
- Mamta Gurung
- Mari Hagen
- Julie Hall
- Sofi Halling
- Devon Hanna
- Leslie Haskell
- Charmaine Hedding
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- Kristin Helz
- Kim Henderson
- Becky Higgins
- Louise Higgins
- Julia Hill
- Julie Hoare
- Katie Hodges
- Lucy Hodgson
- Sanne Hogesteeger
- Alison Holder
- Mary Tyler Holmes
- Adrienne Hopkins
- Gemma Houldey
- Geke Huisman
- Janet Hunt
- Juliet Hunt
- Nada Hussein
- Hilkka Hyrkkö
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- Priya Jacob
- Nadine Andrea Jaeggi
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- Klaudia Jankowska
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- Maria Jensen
- Nichola Jones
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- Nathalie Kerby
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- Marie Kolenky
- Kim Kristensen
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- Yukta Kumar
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- Hana Qteish
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- Anne Caroline Tveoy
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- Irenevan Rij
- Clara Veale
- Sandra Veloso
- Juana Vera
- Andrea Verdeja
- Hannele Virtanen
- Eleanor Weber-Ballard
- Rieke Weel
- Claire Weil
- Helen Welch
- Mary Werntz
- Charlotte Wiback
- Laure Wiedemann
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- Anneke Zwetsloot
[1] Although this letter focuses on women and girls as the survivors of male perpetrated sexual violence, we acknowledge that boys and men experience sexual harassment and exploitation too. We further acknowledge that there are women perpetrators and certainly women who are complicit. However, the scale of the abuse faced by women and girls is overwhelming and based on global gender inequality. Emphasis does not mean exclusion, and although male survivors experience this issue less than women and girls and for different reasons, we stand in solidarity with male survivors as well.
[2] www.sexualexploitationreport.org; http://fic.tufts.edu/publication-item/briefing-paper-sexual-assault-against-humanitarian-and-development-aid-workers/
Other areas to consider:
Women have been in touch to let us know how much they value this letter - thank you! This is about collectively engaging in changing our sector, for good.
We also thank you for your constructive feedback. One thing which has been raised is that there is a need to additionally focus on increasing feminist leadership in development and humanitarian organisations. We hope that this would be implicit in our focus on changing patriarchal norms in the letter. But we feel it bears repeating that our industry and its institutions will not change without changing the decision makers who have been complicit in the permissive attitudes towards - and subsequent lack of action to address - harassment, exploitation and violence against women and girls perpetrated by aid workers.
The second area which has been raised is that gender identity was not listed as a specific inequality which exacerbates risk in the letter. We acknowledge that gender identity is included under "other forms of discrimination and oppression all play a part in women’s ability to to be heard" however, we agree that it should be listed next to sexual orientation - this was an oversight.
We also thank you for your constructive feedback. One thing which has been raised is that there is a need to additionally focus on increasing feminist leadership in development and humanitarian organisations. We hope that this would be implicit in our focus on changing patriarchal norms in the letter. But we feel it bears repeating that our industry and its institutions will not change without changing the decision makers who have been complicit in the permissive attitudes towards - and subsequent lack of action to address - harassment, exploitation and violence against women and girls perpetrated by aid workers.
The second area which has been raised is that gender identity was not listed as a specific inequality which exacerbates risk in the letter. We acknowledge that gender identity is included under "other forms of discrimination and oppression all play a part in women’s ability to to be heard" however, we agree that it should be listed next to sexual orientation - this was an oversight.