Our Story
Women without Borders (WwB), an international nonprofit organisation headquartered in Vienna, was founded by Edit Schlaffer in 2001. WwB focuses on Female Leadership, Capacity Building, Gender Based Violence, Intercultural Dialogue, and Preventing Violent Extremism. We commit and apply ourselves to …
- Working from the bottom up and empowering the female leaders of tomorrow at the individual, community, and global levels
- Supporting and inspiring women in the process of moving from victimhood towards agency
- Advocating for a future without fear, suppression, and violence against women
- Introducing and normalising the idea of mothers as the first line of defence against extremism in their homes and communities
- Bringing the voices of impactful local leaders to the attention of the world
20 Years
We have been bringing local women's leadership to the attention of the world since 2001
40 Countries
We have worked across some forty countries and in numerous communities, both urban and remote
80+ Projects
We have translated research into action through eighty projects to date
Philosophy
Women without Borders (WwB) puts research into practice through community-based strategies that combine theory and grassroots fieldwork. Responding to the threat of radicalisation by sensitising women to their roles and responsibilities in building community resilience, WwB initiated the world’s first female PVE platform in 2008: the Sisters Against Violent Extremism (SAVE) network. WwB pioneered and continues to lead the effort of harnessing the potential of Mothers Preventing Violent Extremism (MPVE) through its ‘MotherSchools: Parenting for Peace’ Model. While addressing extremism is a priority among the range of distinct but interrelated WwB capacity building projects, this approach reflects our organisation’s longstanding, broader governing philosophy: translating research into action and empowering women to move from victimhood towards agency, the world over.
Focus Areas
Team
Advisory Board
Network & Supporters
