Women's Refugee Commission

The Women's Refugee Commission operates under the auspices of the International Rescue Committee. It was founded in 1989 by the Norwegian actress Liv Ullmann and several other women as an advocacy organization that works to bring about systemic, long-term change in policy and programs that will improve the lives of refugee women, children and young people. It speaks out on issues of concern to refugee and displaced women, children and adolescents, who have a critical perspective in bringing about change but often do not have access to governments and policy makers. The Women's Refugee Commission has expert staff in health care, gender, youth, asylum, protection, and refugee law. Staff travel to refugee camps and urban settlements, detention centers where asylum seekers are held, and other areas where there are thousands of displaced families, to conduct field research, technical training, and convene meetings. Recent delegations have traveled to Thailand, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Jordan, and Sudan.