Empowering Refugee Women Through Craft: A Call to Action This International Women’s Day

This International Women’s Day, as we champion rights, equality, and empowerment for ALL women and girls, we must also recognise the stark inequalities that persist.

In the Congo, a staggering 895 cases of rape cases were reported to UNHCR in the last two weeks of February alone. The conflict in Sudan has been characterised by violence against civilians, including a surge in gender-based violence. As recently as August 2024, the ratification of a “Law on the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice” in Afghanistan included chilling requirements: women must cover their entire bodies and faces, and they are forbidden from speaking in public, interacting with non-Muslims, using public transport alone, or looking at men to whom they are not related by blood or marriage.

Forcibly displaced and stateless women and girls bear the brunt of crises. The unimaginable journeys they are forced to take when fleeing war are only the beginning. Once in host communities, displaced women often find themselves with limited work opportunities and increased risk of exploitation due to their refugee status, language barriers and lack of supportive social networks.

They face heightened risks of violence, exclusion and discrimination. However, less than 40% of women subjected to violence seek help of any sort, due to fear of stigma and retaliation. Ensuring their rights is essential.

Every day, we – UNHCR and our MADE51 ecosystem partners – are investing in greater access to dignified work for refugee and displaced women, because we understand that safety and dignity must be guaranteed for all women and girls.

With women representing 94% of our refugee artisans, we frequently see the ways in which these investments translate to healthier families, societies and economies.

In Lebanon, Syrian refugee artisans like Bouchra and Sultana are not only preserving their cultural heritage through embroidery but also building supportive communities, educating their children, and creating sustainable livelihoods.

Despite the recent fall of the Assad regime, which prompted a wave of voluntary returns to Syria, for many it is too soon. Housing and education are lacking, if not absent entirely. 

Bouchra's home in Syria was destroyed, leaving her family in a camp.

“I don't have a house in Syria. That's why I didn't go back,” Bouchra explained. For her family, Lebanon remains a more stable option: “My children were raised in Lebanon and their school is here.”

Sultana shared a similar perspective on the lack of educational opportunities and housing, stating, "There is no education there. There are no homes. Our families are still living in camps. The situation in Syria is still unstable. I can’t go back.” 

Through their work with Rim N Roll, a MADE51 social enterprise partner, these artisans handcraft embroidered accessories. One of their bestselling MADE51 designs is a ‘Sisterhood Pouch’, released each year for International Women's Day. The current pouch was made in collaboration with Diane Von Furstenberg using fabric offcuts from the brand’s classic wrap dresses. 

This work provides financial independence and fosters a strong sense of community. Bouchra reveals, “Embroidery is a very nice thing. We help each other. If I don’t know a stitch, my colleague comes and teaches me." Sultana adds, "We come to work and if something is difficult for her, or something is difficult for me, we help each other, of course." 

We are proud to offer safety, community, and a solution through dignified work. We are committed to growing and scaling MADE51 so that it becomes a solution for many more forcibly displaced women. 

As we celebrate International Women's Day, we ask you to join this commitment by:

• Exploring how you or your organisation can join our ecosystem and contribute through the MADE51 pledge. 

• Shopping the Sisterhood Pouch, crafted by Bouchra and Sultana and their colleagues, for International Women’s Day.

• Exploring more stories of refugee artisans and discovering their handcrafted products by shopping our whole collection.