Agency Report

Women's Commission for Refugee Women & Children
 

A. Where is home base (city/state/country)?
The Home Base of “The Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children is centered in New York City.
B. What is key constituency or audience?
The key audience for this organization are refugees themselves.
C. What are the agency’s main activities?
This Organization is dedicated to the sole purpose of helping refugees who are abused in many different ways. This organization documents and exposes information they find through fact finding missions. They monitor international efforts and revise UN policy and guidelines that have been created to protect refugees. Another important aspect of this organization is that they advise U.S Congress and the administration to pass and implement legislation for the protection and the rights these refugees have. The Women’s Commission not only advises U.S Congress, but they help strengthen indigenous women’s organizations by working with refugees and donating small grants and by offering them technical assistance as well. This organization calls on the power of the refugees and asylum seekers in order to link them to international organizations, the highest level of government and the UN so that they may identify their number one concerns, and help bring solutions. The Women’s Commission joins with other international groups in order to form coalitions and networks so that actions become initiated on the matter. One very important job that “The Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children” have is to organize and host caucuses, panel discussions and consultations at major world conferences, such as UN conferences on women and the UN special session on Children.
D. Mission statement? Key goals?
The Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children works to improve the lives and defend the rights of refugee and internally displaced women, children and adolescents.
We advocate for their inclusion and participation in programs of humanitarian assistance and protection.
We provide technical expertise and policy advice to donors and organizations that work with refugees and the displaced.
We make recommendations to policy makers based on rigorous research and information gathered on fact-finding missions.
We join with refugee women, children and adolescents to ensure that their voices are heard from the community level to the highest councils of governments and international organizations.
We do this in the conviction that their empowerment is the surest route to the greater well-being of all forcibly displaced people
E. What are key immigration issues of concern to this agency?
The main concern of this organization is to help refugees who have been abused in any different way. They are intensely involved with the Government, Congress, The Administration, The UN, and with refugees in order to help make changes that would benefit refugees and asylum seekers.
F. What is the most common basis for statements issued, agency’s research, press releases, etc.?
The most common basis for statements issued is on discriminatory treatment, refugee youth, and urgent protection and peace issues. Some press releases include teaching children about peace when there is war, bill to provide vital protection for women and children in armed conflict, humanitarian relief and protection, U.S obligations to protect refugees, etc.
G. Is the agency noticeably pro or con immigration?
The agency does not specify if they are for or against immigration, their main concern is to help bring about changes so that the abuse on refugees could be diminished, and to help those refugees that are in need now.

H. Names of key spokespersons/officers
Shogufa Alpar, Administrative Aide
Mahlet Dessalegn, Grants Specialist
Matthew Emry, Project Manager, Children and Adolescents Project
Mary Jane Escobar-Collins, Office Manager
Julia Freedson, Coordinator, Watchlist on Children in Armed Conflict
Ramina Johal, Senior Coordinator, Participation and Protection Project
Ellen Jorgensen, Director of Administration and Resource Management
Sandra Krause, Director, Reproductive Health Project
Jane Lowicki, Director, Children and Adolescents Project
Julia Matthews, Project Manager, Reproductive Health Project
Megan McKenna, Media Liaison

Janet Meyers, Emergency Obstetric Technical Advisor
Carrie Morrison, Reproductive Health Focal Point, Pakistan/Afghanistan
Louise Olfarnes, Development Officer
Samuel Owusu-Afriyie, Grants Manager
Jenny Perlman, Project Manager, Participation and Protection Project
Clelia Peters, Program Specialist, Watchlist on Children in Armed Conflict
Diana Quick, Director of Communications
Roxanne Saucier, Administrative Assistant
Halima Tejan-Sie, Project Coordinator, Sierra Leone Protection Partner
Wendy Young, Director, Government Relations and U.S. Programs

I.        Other issues of interest? This organization has a diverse professional staff of 20.

The Commissions Board of Directors includes experts in human rights and refugee policy, education, medicine, law, journalism and government, many of whom are former refugees. The organization mentions to focus on four program areas, these include Participation and Protection of Women Refugees, Reproductive Health, Children and Adolescents, and the Protection of Asylum Seekers.
L.        Web site? Give URL
www. womenscommission.org