Today, International Women’s Day, is an opportunity for the Red Cross Red Crescent to acknowledge and to pay tribute to the contribution that women make to the collective efforts to build resilient communities around the world.
Communities that tap into the potential of all its members are stronger, more innovative, more inclusive, and ultimately, more resilient. In the same way, humanitarian organisations that draw on a person’s distinct capacities, experiences and perspectives in the planning and delivery of their actions are better able to assist the communities they serve.
The IFRC is committed to developing a gender-balanced and more diverse workforce among both staff and volunteers. On this occasion, we have collected a series of testimonials from staff across the IFRC showing the diversity of professional and personal interests that exist within the organization.
Farzana Akther, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society
Farzana was part of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Regional Disaster Response Team that supported the response to the Nepal earthquakes. During her mission, she noticed that women were not coming to the assistance distribution sites, so she found a way to discuss this with the women themselves. Speaking freely to a woman in a way they could not with men, they told Farzana that they were not allowed to go outside the house. As a Bangladeshi woman working on the response team, Farzana was able to assure them that they would be safe and treated with dignity at the distribution point. After that, many more women came forward.
Melinda Steinberg, IFRC Geneva
Melinda, senior assistant in the Governance support department during the week, is also a passionate Harley Davidson rider, as well as the president and founder of the Swiss association “Toutes en Moto TEM CH”, which promotes women’s rights by showing that women ‘drive’ their lives on their motorbikes and in any other field of their choice.
Melkar el Khoury, IFRC Beirut
“More often than not in my work, I see equal commitment of both male and female volunteers and staff to helping people in need — be they women, girls boys or men. Occasionally, though, it does seem to make a difference that I am a male Gender and Diversity officer in getting traction with male colleagues and partners to support more gender-sensitive work.”
Corinne Treherne, IFRC Geneva
With a background in architecture, during the week Corinne is a senior officer within the Shelter and Settlements Department at the IFRC Secretariat in Geneva, where she provides technical support to operations. Beside her work, she enjoys investing her time and effort in the re-construction of an old church in France, which she is transforming into a house.
