Womenion 1196452
WOMENION Annual Report and Financial Statements
30 April 2023
Charity Name WOMENION
Charity Registration Number 1196452
Principal Office at the time of this report Sterling House Suite 310E East Wing Langston Road Loughton
Phone: +447447320189 Email citizensfriendcic1@gmail.com Facebook page: Womenion
Board of Trustees
Maimouna Joanna Emmanuel
Maria Sessegnon
Roya Modaresi
1
Womenion 1196452
Womenion 1196452
The year 2022/23 is a continuation of the COVID-19 virus's impact on the lives of the UK population and companies. UK families, including those from black minority families, were all striving to survive.
During that hard period, we were just registered, and finding funding to start our project was one of our main issues. However, the trustees commit themselves financially to starting some of their activities, which include their coffee morning at the Newham Library every Saturday morning. We managed to run about four sessions where women were able to talk to other women and get some advice, and we referred them to organisations that were best suited to address the issues that they shared with us during the session. About 10 to 15 women attended our sessions every Saturday morning.
The women we decided to support through our project now face financial hardship and food insecurity. Some of them were also dealing with domestic violence and social isolation, and they did not know how to seek help due to their beliefs and cultural backgrounds. The trustees used their own money to set up an emergency number on their website, which was in French, Persian, and Punjabi, to allow those who could not speak or understand English to call and get support in their mother tongue.
Mahsa Amini, also known as Jina Amini, died in Tehran, Iran, under suspicious circumstances. She was arrested by the Guidance Patrol for not wearing a hijab according to government standards. Eyewitnesses reported severe beatings and police brutality, leading some observers to believe she had a stroke. Amini's death sparked widespread protests, with at least 476 people killed by security forces attacking protests across Iran by December 2022. The global Woman, Life, Freedom movement, rooted in Amini's Kurdish background, demands the end of compulsory hijab laws and other forms of discrimination against women in Iran.
Womenion supported Iranian women's outcries for change following the above incident. We reached around 100 people on Instagram and Facebook and attempted to create an online forum for women-related discussions, but this failed due to financial constraints.
The trustees decided to create animated stories with their clients consent and publish the videos on the charity's Facebook and YouTube channel for future income, as well as to reach a wider audience and empower women who would for some reason be unable to attend our activities physically. We also decided to organise fundraising events twice a year to help increase our income. This will include our traditional food and other delicacies. Unfortunately, we could not go ahead with this project as funding was still an issue.
3
Womenion 1196452
The issue of funding led the trustees to ask if one of the directors could work part-time for women to seek funding and help identify organisations that could also help the organisation with their fundraising campaign. Besides this challenge of funding, we continued to provide essential services and solidarity to some of the most marginalised women in the UK, Iran, Bangladesh, and the Ivory Coast using contributions from trustees.
We helped set up a foundation called Emmanuel Foundation on September 22, 2022, in Ivory Coast and are now working directly with 15 women. We have provided support to nine widows and their children with food and advice.
The association aims to help disadvantaged women, particularly widows, start their businesses and provide them with training to enable the business to flourish. The company aims to encourage women to be financially independent and works closely with recruitment agencies and other businesses to help women find jobs. This is in addition to the defense of their human rights.
The difficult circumstances made the project too ambitious, and we lost our website as we could not maintain it financially. The trustees are determined to continue with their project and help those that they consider the most vulnerable in our society.
We bid farewell to a wonderful colleague and friend, Rupa Talukder, one of the trustees who encouraged other women to start this project of helping vulnerable women. She had decided to focus on personal affairs but promised to one day have a charity that would support vulnerable women.
We wish Rupa all the blessings that she needs, and we thank her for her dedication and hard work over the past year.
Finally, 2022 will be remembered as our year of networking. The trustee will adopt a proper strategy to continue to support some of the most marginalized and vulnerable women in the world and hope to affect more lives in a positive way.
We would like to thank our clients and participants for their trust and reassure them that we will continue to strive to deliver excellent service.
On behalf of womenion Trustees
Maimouna Emmanuel
4
Womenion 1196452
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Four women founded Womenion on March 3, 2020, in response to their recent graduation experiences and the impact of COVID-19 on their lives and mental health. The company's aims include, support to victims of domestic violence, female genital mutilation, and other traditional practices that could infringe on their human rights. The support includes emotional support, training, financial support, and medical aid. This is in addition to advocating for their human rights, helping to get redress in their country of origin, and conducting research on women's human rights issues.
According to the United Nations, violence against women is "any act of gender-based violence that results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.
The World Health Organisation states that domestic violence and sexual violence are major public health problems and violations of women's human rights, among other forms of violence against women. The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests that 1 in 3, or about 30%, of women in the world have experienced either physical or sexual violence by their intimate partner.
The consequences of domestic violence include physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health issues, as well as an increased risk of HIV and other sexual infections and, in the worst-case scenario, death.
If we take the proper steps, we can stop violence against women. The health sector, the police, and other organizations, including women NGOs, have an essential role to play in providing holistic support such as health care, training to help them secure a permanent income, free legal aid, and counseling to women subjected to violence. We provide relief to women in our target countries who are victims of domestic violence and cultural practices detrimental to their health, such as female genital mutilation (FGM), supplying them with medical aid, counseling, and training to empower them.
The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to impact the UK population and companies, with families struggling to survive. Womenion, like other charities faced funding issues during
5
Womenion 1196452
this time, but we committed to starting activities such as coffee mornings in Newham libraries and running sessions for women to discuss their issues. We also set up an emergency number on their website in French, Persian, and Punjabi to provide support in their mother language. The trustees decided to create animated stories with clients' consent and publish them on their platforms for future income and to reach a wider audience. This will empower the women and their story will raise awareness about women issues. They also planned to organize fundraising events twice a year to increase income. However, funding was still an issue, leading the trustees to ask a director to work parttime to seek funding and identify organizations to help.
Emmanuel Foundation committee in Ivory Coast
The company aims include:
The relief of financial hardship by the provision of free legal advice and assistance to persons who, through lack of means, would otherwise be unable to obtain such advice. The relief of women, in any part of the world who are victims of domestic violence and/or cultural practice that is detrimental to their health such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) by: supplying them with medical aid, counselling and training to empower them. The promotion of equality and diversity for the public benefit by the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of gender; and conducting or commissioning research on equality and diversity issues and publishing the results to the public. To promote human
6
Womenion 1196452
rights as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent United Nations conventions and declarations throughout the world by all or any of the following means: Obtaining redress for the victims of human rights abuse.
Womenion bring pressure to bear in individual cases (including through the mobilisation of public opinion) to encourage a government to respect its own human rights legislation. Womenion provide support for attempts to obtain redress through the courts of the country concerned, whether by way of specialist legal advice and representation or by less direct means. The availability of that option will, of course, depend upon whether the country’s legal code enables the victims of human rights abuse to obtain redress. Even if the legal code of the country in which the abuse takes place does not expressly provide redress, Womenion will still attempt to obtain compensation or a public inquiry or an acknowledgement of responsibility. Womenion supports the investigation and prosecution before international tribunals of individuals and organisations accused of human rights abuse.
Womenion provide financial, educational and rehabilitation help. We aim to relieve the suffering and distress of individuals who have suffered human rights abuses. This may include financial assistance to victims of torture who are in financial need to enable them to obtain compensation or redress. Womenion promotes and commission research into the maintenance and observation of human rights to add useful information on the existing country data.
7
Womenion 1196452
Opening of Emmanuel foundation in Ivory Coast
Structure, governance and management.
Governing document
Womenion is a charitable incorporated organization registered with the
Charity Commission on 08 November 2021 under charity number
Organizational structure
The charity trustees are responsible for the management of the charity and give, their time on a voluntary basis.
Womenion’s trustees meet every month to discuss important information and take decisions that would promote the success of the organization. The trustees plan the activities of the charity and help secure funding to help deliver the projects.
The trustees fund some of the activities of the charity while looking for funding with another organization. The weekly management of the charity coffee morning was managed by the trustees themselves and one volunteer.
Recruitment and appointment of trustees
Trustees are also responsible for the recruitment of new trustees, volunteers and staff. The selection process help recruit people with skills and experience that will allow them to work with vulnerable women and their families. Trustees seek to identify volunteers during charity activities. Potential trustees are invited to attend trustees’ meetings as observers and are given more details of the charity’s aims and activities and, if all agree, they are then proposed as new trustees at the subsequent trustees’ meeting. This process helps the organization ascertain the person's eligibility, personal competence, specialist knowledge and skills.
8
Womenion 1196452
Our fund-raising approach.
Womenion is a UK-based charity that focuses on delivering best-practice fundraising activities, adhering to regulatory standards, and ensuring compliance with the Charities Act 2016. We raise our funding via donation from the trustees themselves, and planning to raise fund through various fundraising initiatives, including individual donations, event, videos, grants, sponsorship programs, special events, and partnerships with businesses. We also engage professional service providers and regularly attend fundraising training to stay updated on fundraising practices and trends. In 2022 we contributed £600 toward the opening of our website and other activities such as our coffee morning.
In 2022, the company plans to create animated stories for clients, organize annual fundraising events, charge monthly fees for legal advice, create a commercial website and blog, and apply for funding to achieve Womenion objectives. One of our trustees who has a master's in art proposed to set up an art club for women’s. The participants will sell their art articles to help the charity financially. We will continue in the same line the following year if our funding applications come back successful.
Recruitment and appointment of trustees
Trustees recruit new trustees, volunteers, and staff, identifying suitable individuals for vulnerable women and their families. They identify volunteers during charity activities,
9
Womenion 1196452
observe meetings, and propose new trustees based on eligibility, competence, and specialist knowledge.
Induction and training of trustees
New trustees are introduced to their roles, provided with the charity constitution, policies, procedures, and publications from the Charity Commission, ensuring they understand their role under the Charities Act.
Risk management.
The organization identified major risks and their management measures, regularly reviewing these risks at meetings. Despite having no insurance, the organization continues to review activities and risk management to mitigate challenges, including Criminal Records Bureau checks and policies for vulnerable groups working with children.
Operations
Womenion trustees have generously donated to vulnerable women in the UK and worldwide. Using their time and money to address financial, social, and sometimes mental health issues for families and their children. They also provided food and toiletries for widows in Ivory Coast to help those who were facing hardship.
Use of volunteers
Volunteers play a crucial role in our organisation work, with over 6 volunteers regularly participating. Our organisation encourages all members to participate and share their skills, and all volunteers working with vulnerable groups are CRB checked .
The charity does not have a restricted income and is actively looking for funds.
Reserves policy
The trustees have reviewed the charity's reserves, aiming to meet basic needs when taking necessary steps to secure funding. Womenion plans to apply for funding to recruit staff and rent office space, with a fundraising officer and local community advertising through events as key strategies.
10
Womenion 1196452
Investment policy and objectives
The charity has no long-term investments.
Plans for future periods
Womenion is planning to apply for funding to recruit staff and rent office space. The organization will work with local authorities and clients outside the region, with teams of staff to cover the area. The cost of services will be £20 per month, with the option to become a member for general legal assistance. Womenion will charge £300 for speaking at other organizations' conferences and may collate 20% fees to other private organizations. The marketing strategy includes advertising on womenion website,
11
Womenion 1196452
reaching out to local authorities, hospitals, and other women organizations, and developing good relationships with clients, advocates, and decision-makers. Financial Statements 30 April 2023
| Financial Statements30 A | pril 2023 |
|---|---|
| Income | £ |
| grant | 00.00 |
| Trustees contribution | 600 |
| Coffee Morning | 80 |
| Volunteers’expenses | 00.00 |
| Employees salaries | 00.00 |
| website | £400 |
| Other expenses | 120 |
| Total expenses | 600 |
| Profit before tax | 00.00 |
| Total | 00.00 |
Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities
The charity trustees are responsible for preparing an annual report and financial statements in accordance with the law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Standards).
12
Womenion 1196452
The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year, which gives a true and fair view of the situation of the charity and of the incoming resources. The trustees are also required to choose appropriate accounting policies and implement them consistently. The goal is to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.
Womenion has adopted policies recommended by the charity commission and will continue complying with the commission requirement.
Womenion is a small charity and did not receive funding from other organisations. Trustees funded most of the activities this year.
Approved by the trustees and signed on its behalf by:
Maimouna Emmanuel (Chair)
08 April 2024
13