Blog By Raakhi Shah CEO The Circle
In 2008, our Founder Annie Lennox singer, songwriter, and activist, was on a mission to harness the collective change-making power of women and support some of the world’s most marginalised women. From this simple notion The Circle was born. For the past thirteen years, committed and passionate allies and supporters of The Circle have worked together to reach and transform the lives of over 160,000 women and girls with funding, resources, skills, support, sanctuary, and the tools to rebuild their lives. Together we have lobbied for change to ensure millions of garment workers, 80% of whom are women, receive a living wage, and we have published ground-breaking reports highlighting the need for new legislation that will economically empower women globally. Our unique and collective work is ever more important, and our ambitions for the future are embodied in our new brand with global feminism at its heart.
Creating change for women globally – The global facts and figures, particularly relating to violence against women, are devastating.
- In no country have women achieved economic equality with men, and women are still more likely than men to live in poverty
- Between 1.5 million and 3 million girls and women die each year because of gender-based violence.
- Violence against women during or after armed conflicts has been reported in every international or non-international war-zone.
- Two thirds of the 780 million people in the world who cannot read are women.
Every country, every village, every community I have visited, it is resilient, passionate, inspirational women and girls that are striving to make change. The notion of a circle, of standing shoulder-to-shoulder and building connections to make change is incredibly special and makes The Circle a unique organisation. Our journey towards developing a refreshed brand began with the need to fully reflect our ambitions for change, and to harness the power of The Circle’s incredible global community. We knew we wanted a brand that would further ignite our collective potential and build on our founders’ transformative vision. A brand that allows us to draw from and celebrate the change-making power of women from around the world.
The heart of our brand remains untouched; we are a collective standing shoulder to shoulder with women everywhere. We have developed a bold logo which has evolved seamlessly from our existing one. In the movement of the word Circle, we emphasise the importance of growth and change, building on our vision of Global Feminism in Solidarity and Action.
We were extremely lucky to find a team of talented creatives and feminists at United Us who share our mission and gave much of their time and talents for free on this project. We are hugely grateful to them for their hard work, creativity, and passion to support our ambitions. Their contribution to our future exemplifies the spirit of the many people who give their time and talents to The Circle.
Global Feminism for global solutions
In an era of growing division, we are more determined to bring women and allies from across the world together in a shared mission. Inspired by acclaimed feminist and author bell hooks who coined the term when she said, “Global feminism means to reach out and join global struggles to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression”, Global Feminism encompasses our mission to stand shoulder to shoulder with women and girls everywhere; to leave no woman or girl behind.
Global Feminism harnesses our spirit and guides us in solidarity and action. In solidarity we show up, listen, learn, and stand shoulder to shoulder with women everywhere. Action can mean many different things. It can be making a connection. It might be speaking out over and again until change happens. It can be bringing a community together in Pakistan, or Sri Lanka, South Africa, or the UK to share ideas and activism. It can be listening and creating space for those who don’t have a voice to speak. It can simply be supporting with a vital donation.
We are honoured to partner with grassroots partners across the world who have a deep understanding of the challenges women face in their communities. But we are more than funders or grant givers. As global feminists, we look to build relationships with partners, seek out solutions, use our networks to amplify and create connections, bring women together to share stories, collaborate and create spaces for change.
Join us!
We are determined to bring more women and allies together to support, connect and inspire each other to create a world in which no woman is left behind. We call on all allies and global feminists to stand in solidarity and take action. Our supporters are central to our work, our voice, our influence — you are the power behind everything we do. Join us on our mission, show up, stand together, use your skills, harness your power, and create a fairer world for women & girls everywhere with The Circle. Donate, fundraise, join as a member.
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