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About the Women's Refugee Commission

Our Mission

The Women's Refugee Commission advocates vigorously for laws, policies and programs to improve the lives and protect the rights of refugee and internally displaced women, children and young people, including those seeking asylum—bringing about lasting, measurable change.

• Download a fact sheet on the Women's Refugee Commission

Our Vision

A world in which refugee, internally displaced, returnee and asylum-seeking women, children and young people:

• are safe, healthy and self-reliant;
• participate in the decisions that affect their lives, both during displacement and when displacement ends; and
• are advocates and activists themselves, providing continuous monitoring of the policies and practices that affect them.

How We Work

Through research and fact-finding field missions, we identify critical problems that affect displaced women, children and young people, including gaps in lifesaving reproductive health care, lack of dignified livelihoods for refugees and, in the U.S., the treatment of asylum-seekers. We document best practices and propose solutions, and develop innovative tools to improve the way humanitarian assistance is delivered in refugee settings. On Capitol Hill, at the United Nations and with humanitarian organizations, governments and donors, we push for improvements in refugee policy and practice until measurable long-term change is realized. Read more about how we work.

Dig deeper

• View our 2009 financial report.
• Learn about the founding of the Women's Refugee Commission and our first 20 years.
• Download a brochure about the Women's Refugee Commission.
• View our business model on how we drive change.
• Read the Women's Refugee Commission's 2009 Action Agenda and 2009 Achievements.
• Learn more about Duke University Libraries housing our historical archives.
• Read definitions that apply to the Women's Refugee Commission and refugee populations.

Our Staff

Find a full listing of our staff.

Our Board

View our board of directors and commissioners.

Accountability

The Women's Refugee Commission is a member of the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International (HAP-I). HAP-I is the humanitarian sector's first international self-regulatory body. Members of HAP-I are committed to meeting the highest standards of accountability and quality management.

Read our accountability statement here.

Employment

Learn about vacant positions and get information about internship opportunities at the Women's Refugee Commission.

Voices of Courage Awards Luncheon

Each year the Women's Refugee Commission holds a luncheon to honor individual refugee women and young people who are working on behalf of other refugees. Find out about our upcoming and previous luncheons and honorees.

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005

Contact Us

Find general contact information and access answers to frequently asked questions.

The Women's Refugee Commission is affiliated with and is legally part of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, and does not receive direct financial support from the IRC.

We also house the Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, a global network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that strives to end violations against children in armed conflicts and to guarantee their rights.