Deteriorating health is just one of the problems encountered by women experiencing gender-based violence. In Iraq, women are threatened by domestic battery and “honor killings.” In rural Peru, widespread poverty, a history of forced sterilization, and a lack of culturally sensitive health services have impacted women on many levels. MADRE’s Underground Railroad for Iraqi Women project and the Voices for Justice project in Peru both offer women the means and social support to escape violence and overcome isolation.

In collaboration with partner groups like the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq and The Center for Indigenous Peoples’ Cultures of Peru, MADRE focuses on women’s health issues, provides safe houses, and improves their livelihoods through education and training programs in radio broadcasting. Giving women a voice through radio broadcasting enables them to share their stories, give hope to other women, and work together to improve their communities.

Women escaping domestic violence and threats of “honor killings” need support to begin building a new life.