womenacrossborders

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Congratulations to the “Women in Exile” from Brandenburg Germany who won the CLARA ZETKIN PREIS in Berlin for their work to improve the living conditions  of refugee women and their children in Germany.

It’s a lot of times those people we do not hear in the talkshows or see on television everyday that’s keeping this world going and keeping the dreams alive..

Here’s to you..

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The Women’s Refugee Commission team have been traveling around the world, undertaking research and advocacy to protect the rights and improve the lives of refugee women. They have amassed a collection of beautiful photos of the people and places they serve. These are just some of our favorites! Check out more photo essays at womensrefugeecommission.org

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Giving Refugee Women a Second Chance to a Better Life; Support our programme and Women Across Borders. Just watch the video, like it on YouTube and share it!

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Women’s Day South Africa - August 9th

AUGUST: Celebrating African Women

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"I’m from South Sudan, originally born there and lived there half of my life. And then I came to the USA when I was fourteen years old. We came as refugees—there was a war going on in my country—and first we lived in Egypt, and later we got sponsored by Catholic Charities to come to Newark [New Jersey]. We moved to San Diego, where we had family, and then I came to New York in 2006 to model. I learned a lot about myself [modeling]… And now with DJ-ing, it’s been great; I just love music. When I used to have a get-together with my friends, I was always the first to put my playlists on and everybody liked them. I was like, ‘You know what, I might as well try it out and see how it’s going to go.’ After that, I just fell in love with it; I’m addicted right now. [Laughs] I’m also doing a lot with my charity, Southern Sudan Initiatives, which my cousin [Dut Leek Deng, a Lost Boy] and I started. It focuses on education, healthcare, and clean water in Africa. The main thing we’re working on right now is raising money to drill water wells in some of the villages because there isn’t any clean water. Our main goal is to bring self-sufficiency into our country.

I love New York, I love the diversity. It feels nice that people appreciate my color or think it’s beautiful. At first, I wasn’t used to it, since growing up I was teased a lot for having darker skin, even by other black kids. So I just thought it was weird [to be called beautiful], but now it actually help me appreciate myself even better. I see my skin as a blessing, and there’s nothing wrong with it, nothing to be ashamed about, you know? It also makes me want to speak to more Africans or black people because some of them are stuck in the mentality that dark skin is ugly or it’s not good… So, I think it’s good that I’m out there with my dark skin letting myself be out there and letting people see it’s beautiful.

I’m from Sudan, so we’re pretty natural with our beauty stuff—that’s how I grew up. We drink a lot of water, and use a lot of natural products. Since we tend to have dry skin, we like to use a lot of cocoa butter type of stuff. We’re not big makeup people.

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Zanele Muholi: Of Love & Loss (2014) - Currently showing at Stevenson Gallery in Johannesberg (South Africa) from 14 February - 4 April 2014.

The opening coincides with the presentation of a prestigious Prince Claus Award to Muholi.

Gallery Statement:

In times of increasingly homophobic legislation enacted by African countries and in a climate of intolerance towards homosexuals in the Western world, South Africa distinguishes itself with a Constitution that recognises same-sex marriages; yet the black LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) community is plagued by hate crimes. Black lesbians are particularly vulnerable and are regularly victims of brutal murders and ‘curatives rapes’ at the hand of neighbours or ‘friends’.

Since 2013 Muholi has been documenting weddings and funerals in the black LGBTI community in South Africa, joyful and painful events that often seem to go hand in hand. The show features photographs, video works and an installation highlighting how manifestations of sorrow and celebration bear similarities and are occasions to underline the need for a safe space to express individual identities.

As Muholi writes:

Ayanda Magoloza and Nhlanhla Moremi’s wedding in Katlehong took place four months after Duduzile Zozo was murdered in Thokoza. Promise Meyer and Gift Sammone’s wedding in Daveyton took place on 22 December in Daveyton, 15 days after Maleshwane Radebe was buried in Ratanda. Six months earlier, Ziningi and Delisile Ndlela were married in Chesterville, Durban. Many in the area attended the ceremony, blessed the newlywed couple and prayed for them and their children. We long for such blessings as we continue to read about the trials and tribulations that LGBTI persons experience in their churches, where homosexuality is persecuted. In 2014, when South African democracy celebrates its 20 years, it seems more important than ever to raise again our voice against hate crimes and discriminations made towards the LGBTI community.

The exhibition includes also a series of autobiographical images, intimate portraits of Muholi and her partner taken during their travels, a tender counterpoint to the tension still generated in South Africa today by same-sex and interracial relationships.

see her past work here.

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Photo by Yann Libessart/MSF

Here, a mother and child wait for non-food item distribution at an MSF mobile clinic in the Central African Republic (CAR). Since the beginning of February, MSF sends a mobile clinic several times a week to the Central Mosque of Bangui, the capital of the CAR, in the district of PK5. There, thousands of displaced people are gathered, afraid to go to the local Mamadou M’Baïki health center, which is supported by MSF. In the month of May alone, 583 consultations were provided provided, and patients include 93 children.

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World Refugee Day

To the forgotten women, whom everyone wants to help but fear the commitment. The one who makes the most difficult decisions of her life and that of her children everyday. The one who doesn't know whether she is a widow or not - because her husband fled ahead of her. You, our sister we stand with you and would like to hold your hand, not only today but until you are ready to stand alone. If today is a special day for you as the world says it. Then Happy World Refugee Day. If not ,hold on to the HOPE you profess as it will not let you down.

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After attacks against refugees across South Africa in 2008, Kave Bulambo felt compelled to create Women Across Borders to help

Uniting Women Across the World!