Quoted: Empowering women and girls

Effective humanitarian assistance programs depend on the full inclusion of displaced women and girls.

Photo: Peter Biro/IRC

As delegates from around the world gather in New York City for the 56th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, Sarah Costa, executive director of the IRC-affiliated Women's Refugee Commission reflects on the importance of investing in women and girls:

"Every year, leaders meet to assess where the world stands on gender equality, and how far we have come — and need to go — in advancing women's rights.

 

This year's theme is the empowerment of rural women and their role in ending poverty and hunger, which very much resonates with the Women's Refugee Commission's work. Millions of women and girls displaced by conflict and natural disasters are currently living in camps or rural villages and settlements in remote areas, often in the most precarious conditions. They, too, deserve the opportunities and the tools to contribute to the well-being of their families and the development of their communities. And when we invest in displaced women and girls, we are also making a long-term investment in peace and stability when conflict ends."