Women's Voices Now

Our mission is to empower women and give voice to the struggle for civil, economic and political rights by promoting free expression.

Our Story -

The Problem

Millions of women throughout the world are marginalized and deprived of their fundamental human rights simply because they are women. As such, they are often denied opportunities to voice their ideas and concerns to their communities, or to reach out to others who share similar challenges. This problem is especially pronounced in Muslim-majority countries, where systems of gender inequality are particularly well entrenched and women’s social and economic advancement is often well behind that of most countries in the world.


Where We Come In

We have created an online platform where women make their voices heard by one another and by an international audience. Focused on our inaugural project, Women’s Voices from the Muslim World: A Short-Film Festival, our website currently hosts 98 films from 40 countries and supports an online, interactive community of commentary and discussion by contributors from a wide range of national, economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds.

This is the largest existing collection of films focused on women of the Muslim world anywhere in the world, all of which are available for instant viewing. Because of WVN, scores of previously unheard women now speak directly to each other and to a global audience, helping them become catalysts for change in their societies and beyond.

In March 2011, we convened the first installation of Women’s Voices from the Muslim World: A Short-Film Festival in Los Angeles, CA. Films from 40 countries were screened and coupled with panels of speakers providing further insight and context, WVN awarded a total of $31,500 to 23 filmmakers to support their upcoming women’s rights-focused projects.

To watch the films, please see http://www.womensvoicesnow.org/watch. You can also watch a 10-minute documentary about our work athttp://womensvoicesnow.org/blog/WVN_Festival_Documentary/.


What We’re Doing

Today, we are taking Women’s Voices from the Muslim World around the country and the world with screening events connecting pro-women actors. So far, we have held over a dozen events in five states, have participated in women’s rights events in Pakistan and England, and have toured Jordan, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates. Please see http://www.womensvoiesnow.org/ blog for a better understanding of our University and Global Tours. This travel continues with up-coming 2012 programs in Afghanistan, Iraq, California and South Carolina. In 2013, we will convene dozens of filmmakers, scholars, activists and philanthropists for an Academic Conference to discuss today’s obstacles to enjoying full gender equality and human rights around the world and with a focus on the Muslim world. Finally, if funding is secured, we are gearing up for Second film festival slated for March 2013 where we aim to provide even more filmmakers with the financial means to create films and contribute to the important education of our global community.