ABOUT US
The Women on the Move Awards is a unique annual awards ceremony, organised by Migrants Organise and UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency, to celebrate the vital contributions that refugee and migrant women are making to communities across the country. Migrant and refugee women are smashing stereotypes, breaking boundaries and connecting communities.
The Women on the Move Awards celebrate them — the women who use positivity and inventiveness to make exceptional contributions to UK society and lead others to inspire social change.
ORIGIN
The Awards were founded by the Chief Executive of Migrants Organise, Zrinka Bralo. After being presented with an award by the Women’s Refugee Commission in New York for her work with refugees, Zrinka was inspired to establish an equivalent here in the UK. The Women on the Move Awards have been held every year since 2012, to highlight the ground-breaking work that refugee and migrant women carry out day in, day out, often without infrastructure, financial remuneration or acknowledgment.
IMPACT
The legacy of the awards also goes far beyond the ceremony, contributing to a more positive discourse on migration and shifting the conversation from one about ‘victims’ to one of shared humanity and community. The Women on the Move Awards is the only awards ceremony of its kind in the UK, giving refugee and migrant women who are inspiring positive social change the recognition they deserve.
Since its inception, the Awards have been held at the Women of the World Festival (WoW). This partnership is a powerful statement. It centres refugee and migrant women and non-binary people in the feminist movement — it is intersectional feminism in action. It connects refugee and migrant women and allies, providing them with the energy, resources and networks to carry on challenging stereotypes and boundaries.
COMMUNITY
NETWORK
The Awards are a fantastic accolade but also provide winners with the tangible means to advance their work through:
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A financial contribution towards their work / organisation
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High quality leadership development (one-to-one mentoring, group support)
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Public speaking opportunities
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Access to a network of powerful refugee and migrant women
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A platform to change the narrative on migration