# **Company Registration Number 1921508 Charity Number 292403** **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)** ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** ## **31 MARCH 2023** **GOLDWINS** Chartered Accountants 75 Maygrove Road, West Hampstead, London NW6 2EG **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023** |**CONTENTS**|**PAGE**| |---|---| |Trustees' Annual Report|3-23| |Independent Auditor's Report|24-26| |Statement of Financial Activities|27| |Balance Sheet|28| |Statement of Cash Flows|29| |Notes to the Financial Statements|30-39| 2 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)** ## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** The Foundation for Women's Health, Research and Development (FORWARD) presents the report of its Board of Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2023. ## **Charity registration number:** 292403 ## **Company registration number:** 01921508 **Registered office:** Suite 4.8 Chandelier Building 8 Scrubs Lane London NW10 6RB **Email** : forward@forwarduk.org.uk **Website** : www.forwarduk.org.uk ## **THE TRUSTEES AS AT 31 MARCH 2023** Dr Titilola Banjoko Chair Dr Lisa Smith Treasurer Joy Fraser-Amosun Ali Sakaria Julia Klein Sarah McDonald Aniesha Obuobie Kadra Abdinasir ## **Senior Management Team** Naana Otoo-Oyortey MBE Executive Director Toks Okeniyi Head of UK Programmes Amy Abdelshahid Head of Evidence and Knowledge Management Mary Otuko UK Programme Manager Wossenyelesh Kifle Programme Design and Partnerships Manager Fosdicka Crankson Finance & Operations Consultant ## **Bankers** Unity Trust Bank, 9 Brindley Place, Birmingham B1 2HB NatWest, Strand Branch, P.O. Box 414, 38 Strand, London WC2H 5JB ## **Accountant** Goldwins, 75 Maygrove Road, West Hampstead, London NW6 2EG 3 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **1. Introduction** The Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Women's Health Research and Development (FORWARD) presents its annual report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023. This report from the Board of Trustees complies with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, and FORWARD's Memorandum and Articles of Association. It also aligns with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) required of charities when preparing their financial accounts, according to the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. ## **1.1 Objects (Objectives?) and Mission Statement** FORWARD's charitable objects are set out in its Memorandum of Association to guide the organisation's work. The organisation's strategy and objectives are developed and shaped within this framework. FORWARD's charitable objects are as follows: (A) To promote good health and human rights and empower children and women, particularly African girls and women, wherever they reside. (B) To eliminate gender-based discriminatory practices, including violence against women and girls, and to relieve the suffering of African children and women caused by those practices and compounded by poverty, ill health or distress, or arising from culture, tradition, public policy or legislation. ## **1.2 FORWARD's vision and mission** ## **Our Vision** We are working for the day when African girls and women everywhere will live in dignity, be healthy, have choices and enjoy equal rights, free from fear of violence. ## **Our Mission** We are an African women-led organisation working to end violence against women and girls. From female genital mutilation and child marriage to domestic and sexual violence, we tackle abuse, inequality and discrimination - enabling African women and girls everywhere to enjoy the dignity, health and equality they deserve. At FORWARD, we focus on personal stories and the bigger picture. That's why we invest in affected women and girls on the ground – bringing communities together, developing local skills and knowledge, and nurturing the young women leaders of tomorrow. We also work strategically to challenge and support decision-makers and practitioners – conducting community research, building partnerships and creating opportunities to transform lives. For over 35 years, FORWARD has partnered with women-led and youth-focused organisations, pioneering new work on female genital mutilation (FGM), securing the relevant services, legislation and policies to protect the women and girls affected by it, and inspiring change-makers nationally and worldwide. Together, we're working to create a world free of violence for all African women and girls – and we won't stop until we get there. 4 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **Our Strategic Goals** We exist to enable African women and girls to achieve the gender equality and fundamental human rights that they deserve. In the past year, we have revamped FORWARD's strategic goals, taking account of the changing environment and extended their applicability to 2023. Together, we aim to: - Influence the policy agenda on violence against African women and girls, - Cascade evidence-based interventions, good practices and social norm change, - • Nurture young women to become resilient leaders and change-makers, - Educate and enable professionals and affected communities to lead change, - Strengthen our organisational capacities, resilience and impact. ## **2. How We Work** ## **2.1. How we deliver on our strategic goals** In setting out our annual work programme, FORWARD adheres to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit. The Board of Trustees ensure that the organisation's objectives and activities contribute to its charitable objectives and aims. FORWARD delivers its operations from our offices in London and undertakes widereaching partnership work in the UK, Europe and Africa. We value our partnerships, as they are central to our work, thus building long-term relationships with our implementing partners on the ground - providing them with sub-grants, technical support, connections and resources. Our partnerships enable us to reach more vulnerable and at-risk girls and women at scale. They also help us to build up local capacity and ensure the sustainability of programme outcomes while at the same time making the best use of local knowledge – which can inform all of our work. We have revamped our work programme areas: The Programmes and Training Team, the Knowledge Management, Evidence and Communications Team and the Operations and Finance Team. - The Programmes and Training team oversees the community specialist support services, youth engagement, leadership development and training for key professionals. This year, the community programme was active in 25 London boroughs, further supporting a long-term partner in Bristol and engaging with new partners in London. In addition, we also carried out partnership work in four African countries. - The Knowledge Management, Evidence & Communications (KMEC) programme provides strategic support across the teams. KMEC gathers evidence for our work and coordinates monitoring and evaluation efforts. It also manages the organisation's knowledge and communication activities to strengthen our learning, programme design and resource development. Finally, it also focuses on policy engagement and visibility of FORWARD's work. - The Operations and Finance Team oversees the general organisational work to ensure teams have the relevant human, administrative, financial and resource capacity to deliver their programmes. Additionally, the team has oversight of organisational policies and governance support. 5 ## **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** All of FORWARD's programmes are grounded in a rights-based approach, ensuring that the norms and principles of human rights fundamentally guide our work and any policies and organisations we support. We prioritise protecting the rights of the most vulnerable, particularly girls and young women from migrant communities and rural areas, as they are disproportionately affected by gender-based discrimination and violence. ## **2.1. Our programme activities** FORWARD's programming areas focus on tackling multiple forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG). While FGM remains a primary focus, we also work on child and forced marriage and domestic and sexual abuse. FORWARD operates in the UK, Africa and Europe, often working through local partners and collaborative programmes. The table below shows how we deliver our programme activities. HOW WE DELIVER OUR WORK 6 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **2.3. Who benefits from our services?** FORWARD is an African-women-led organisation delivering services for black and African girls and women globally. That said, we also partner with other organisations to ensure that vulnerable women, especially those from different black and ethnic minority backgrounds, can access the appropriate services that we provide. In the UK, our community programme benefits black and minoritised girls and women from African and African heritage – but we also work with Arab and Middle Eastern communities. This notably includes many asylum seekers, refugees and migrant women. We also engage with and support key stakeholders through our work, including statutory professionals, community organisations and the general public, through our training programmes, policy work and awareness-raising campaigns. In Africa, our work benefits vulnerable girls and young women in Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and the Gambia. Our programmes specifically target those most affected by – or at risk of – child marriage, sexual abuse, teenage pregnancy and FGM. In addition, other beneficiaries of our work include adult men and women (including parents), young men and boys, and community leaders; we operate through schools and local communities to reach them. ## **2.4. Public Benefit** The Board of Trustees has referred to the guidance provided by the Charity Commission regarding public benefit in reviewing the charity's aims and objectives and in planning its activities and services. The Trustees ensure that FORWARD's programme activities contribute to the organisation's aims and objectives and that they benefit the public. The Trustees also strive to identify risks and potential harm to the organisation's operations and programmes in good time and to ensure that these are minimised and do not hamper the public benefit of its activities. ## **3. Achievements and Performance in the Year** FORWARD's work enables African women and girls to gain vital skills, develop selfconfidence and access the support they need. Our training and outreach programmes aim to build their resilience, improve their well-being and develop their leadership capacity to transform their lives. We work at multiple levels, engaging women, community members and our local partners, building on all their vital insights to inform and shape policy and practice. We are committed to evidence-based programming and assessing the performance and outcomes of our work in multiple ways. This includes regular monitoring, risk management, assessment of progress targets and evaluation, and using the learning to adjust our programmes. We use various quantitative, qualitative, and participatory methods to monitor the delivery of our activities and evaluate their outcomes, including periodically engaging independent external consultants to assess our work. In this reporting year, our programs were affected by the adverse consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. The gendered impact of the cost of living and energy crisis and unfavourable policy environment for migrant women has exacerbated poverty and vulnerability levels for migrant women, particularly those with no recourse to public funds. Our services have started operating a hybrid model, providing online and offline services, especially in our outreach work. We have expanded our services to support the needs of migrant women with no recourse to public funds. 7 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **3.1 Strategic Goal 1: Influence the policy agenda on violence against African women and girls** This area of work focuses on undertaking advocacy actions to address policy gaps relating to violence that affects African women and girls. Our priority areas are FGM, sexual harassment, child and forced marriage, and the specific needs of child mothers. We carry out this work through joint actions and individual policy work; the scope of this advocacy spans the UK, Africa and continental Europe. The programme activities focused on attaining the following three outcomes: - Increased engagement of key communities and policy-makers to ensure holistic approaches to tackling FGM - Increased visibility and voices on sexual violence and harassment against African and minority ethnic young women, including in higher education - Strengthened impact and partnerships in tackling early child and forced marriage and child motherhood ## **Diaspora change makers in the global movement to end FGM** In the past two years, FORWARD was an implementing partner in the Spotlight Initiative, a global partnership between the European Union and the United Nations, to eliminate violence against women and girls. One of the outcomes of FORWARD's project, " _Accelerating African-Led Diaspora Change Makers_ ", included a study on "Diaspora Change Makers in the Global Movement to End FGM: Exploring Experiences, Motivations, and Impact". This study aims to capture and showcase Diaspora Change Makers' work in the campaign to end FGM and provide policy recommendations for strengthening diaspora change makers in scaling up work on FGM. It documents evidence of their contributions to the body of knowledge on successful interventions for ending FGM. Also, it inspires young activists and affected communities to commit to ending the practice. Little is known about the work of Africans in the Diaspora (Change Makers) in advancing FGM abandonment. Information is, at best, anecdotal and often undocumented, ignored, and overshadowed by work carried out by non-Africans. Change Makers have been actively working to end FGM since the 1980s in Diaspora countries. Even under challenging circumstances, when there was no law against FGM, in the absence of funding, and when speaking about FGM in their communities, Change Makers in the Diaspora persevered at great personal risk to put FGM on national agendas. The Change Makers identified a total sample of 58 participants, and 27 participated in the final study from 15 countries in the diaspora. Change Makers came originally from 13 African countries where FGM is traditionally prevalent. The dissemination of the study will be in 2024. Below is a quote from a UK Change Maker. _"My academic background gives me that open door to research inequalities facing women, issues of violence against women including FGM…I am convinced we need more evidence to make the case for work in this area. I believe I can use research as an advocacy tool to make this point". FGM Researcher UK._ **Influencing the change in the UK Marriage and Civil Partnership Act** After five years of a joint policy campaign to end child marriage in the UK, with the UK Girls Not Brides Partnership, we were successful in influencing the passing of the **Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act,** which received Royal Assent in April 2022 and came into effect on Monday 27 February 2023. The Bill was sponsored in the House of Commons by Pauline Latham (Conservative MP for Mid Derbyshire) with support from a legal team and Girls Not Brides UK partnership, co-chaired FORWARD, 8 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** the Independent Yemen Group, Karma Nirvana and the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation (IKWRO). The Act helps to bring UK laws in line with international child rights laws and protects children from child marriage in two crucial ways. Firstly, it removes legal exceptions that allow children to marry in civil ceremonies at 16 years with parental consent, increasing the minimum age to 18. Secondly, it criminalises any other marital rites involving a child, such as religious marriages. This new law marks a significant milestone in eliminating harmful practices and protecting children's rights in the UK. We are delighted that such progress also demonstrates the UK's commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and targets under UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 on harmful practices. ## **3.2. Strategic Goal 2: Cascade evidence-based interventions, models of good practice and social norm change** The programme goal focuses on developing evidence to shape our programmes and assesses what works in changing social norms that fuel VAWG, particularly FGM. The key outcomes we seek to attain are as follows: - Improved design and delivery of effective and innovative evidence-based programmes and specialist support services - Improved generation and dissemination of evidence and best practices on social norm change - Enhanced capacity of partner organisations to deliver evidence-based programmes on social norm change ## **FORWARD launches an Integrated MEL System** We have revamped our systems for designing and evidencing our programmes through several online systems. We set up a new client database system through Charity Log in the reporting year. In 2022, we also launched our new integrated Monitoring, Evaluation and learning (MEL) system to ensure consistent data collection across all of FORWARD's programmes. The framework outlines the core principles of our MEL approach and includes new standardised evaluation surveys and qualitative tools to provide evidence of programmes' effectiveness and stories of change. All data collection and storage have been digitalised and centralised on the online Qualtrics platform. In addition, automated reports are available for all staff to access in real time. 9 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** **10-year review of the Youth People Speak Out Programme (YPSO)** The YPSO programme, launched in 2010, targeted Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities in Birmingham, Bristol, London, Manchester, Newcastle, and Cardiff. Its objective was to safeguard the rights of girls and young women who had or were at risk of undergoing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), as well as to empower young people to speak out in the movement to end FGM and other Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the UK. We delivered the project in four streams: Awareness Raising and Peer-to-Peer Support of Girls and Young Women; Youth Advocates for Change; Schools Engagement Initiative; and National Youth Campaign to End FGM. The external evaluation identified five good practices in the 10-year project, reaching over 36,000 students nationally through 2000 school sessions. They included the following: - Empowering young people to engage in national advocacy campaigns and social action projects has helped enhance their leadership and public speaking abilities. - Enabling young people to use creative arts to communicate sensitive and advocacy messages helped reach communities that would be marginalised. - Developing and disseminating youth-friendly resources and training to schools, universities, and youth groups have dispelled the beliefs and misconceptions underpinning FGM's continued practice. - Providing mentors and cultural counselling training has enabled them to create a safe and culturally sensitive space that allows mentors and mentees to address taboo subjects comfortably. - Creating virtual platforms like the 'Young Women’s Hub' enabled BME young women to receive health, wellbeing and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic. ## Case Study: Youth Voice Matters " _Over the years, what was always kind of drilled into us was that youth voices matter, and that was actually something I really did not believe. I thought decision-making was for adults, decision-makers, people in power and everyone else kind of just had to follow. Looking back at it, it sounds silly, but I genuinely did believe that. If you're in a meeting, you know, with a bunch of adults, especially when they're talking about youth issues, we have the right to speak up. We were able to critique and analyse challenges around the UK, especially looking at FGM and what needed to happen. And we were able to then feed into advocacy-related activities and processes within FORWARD to have that input and a say. It was the first experience I had with advocacy and also policy work as well. I remember I had the opportunity to even analyse the policy documents and provide feedback and have that input._ ” Youth Advocate ## Case Study: Finding Healing _“Although I come from a culture of FGM, I didn't know or understand FGM. When I was studying at university, we had a lecture about FGM, which triggered something inside me. I asked my lecturer for some more information. She had seen a poster about FORWARD and was able to put me in touch with Jenny. I am just so grateful for how things aligned. This was a life-changing moment. I no longer felt alone or embarrassed. I suddenly had the language to talk about myself and my feelings. Knowing that there is help that exists is profoundly important. That there are laws that exist. FORWARD taught me that you could help women turn sexual and birth trauma into a place where they can feel safe in their bodies and they can heal themselves. They created a space where girls who come from communities under scrutiny can talk about issues in their community. Through FORWARD, I have been able to access de-infibulation surgery. I have been able to talk to my family and understand the difficult nuances of FGM. This is such a complex issue bound up in family traditions.” Youth Participant_ 10 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **3.3. Strategic Goal 3: Nurture young women to become resilient leaders and change-makers** The goal focuses on leadership development and building a sisterhood movement to tackle VAWG in the UK and Africa. We prioritised partnerships with young women-led organisations, strengthening the young women's leadership alums. Eight (8) new members were recruited to join the Young Women's Advisory Council (YWAC). The function of the YWAC is to advise our youth programme, informing and shaping the work of the young women's hub activities. The outcomes for this goal are outlined below; - Young African and minority ethnic women in the UK and Africa, including LBTQ and those differently abled, are resilient and empowered leaders and changemakers - A dynamic sisterhood of diverse youth voices is nurtured and united in activism on VAWG and the rights of African and minority ethnic girls and young women ## **Investing in young women leaders in the UK and Africa** Under the Tuwezeshe Young Women's leadership programme in the UK and Africa, we trained thirty-nine (39) young women. In the UK, we trained 14 young women through in-person and virtual training and supported the previous cohort in shaping their social action projects. In the Gambia, 25 young women participated in the 5-day residential training focusing on personal, social and entrepreneurship leadership. A former UK Tuwezeshe Fellow originally from the Gambia supported the training in the Gambia as a co-facilitator. She also shared her experience setting up Home Girls Unite, a young women's space for immigrant elder daughters in the UK, an initiative that emerged from her Tuwezeshe experience. The training was a partnership with Think Young Women from the Gambia. " _I believe in self-worth, self-confidence, self-care and self-awareness as a good leader. I am a proud feminist who is ready to fight and advocate for the rights of women and girls. I am so glad meeting you all! You are so special. I love being trained by these strong activists. We promise to share the knowledge you taught us with our communities,"_ Feedback from the Gambia Participants. Participants & Trainers at the Young Women's Leadership Training in the Gambia. 11 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** The Unsung Sheroes Publication showcases the journeys of female activists in Kenya and 25 TuWezeshe Fellows who took part in the leadership training. The curation and production of the publication was jointly done by Akili Dada and FORWARD. The stories of change help us understand Kenya's challenges, hopes, and opportunities for sustained change in ending FGM and child marriage. Kenya presents a beacon of hope on ending FGM within our generation; this is evidenced in the reduction of prevalence of FGM from 38% to 15% in the past 20 years. **Strengthening the capacity of young women's organisations** : Young women leaders and their organisations are essential for breaking the cycle of poverty, gender inequality and entrenched gender-based violence. When supported, they have tremendous potential to mobilise their peers to advocate for change and serve as role models to others. Enhancing the capacity of young women-led organisations with lived experience ensures better access to women and girls who are most marginalised and left behind, hence shifting the power in development more effectively. By investing in young women and their organisations, we can unlock their full potential to contribute to inclusive growth and create a more gender-equitable and sustainable future. In the past year, we continued supporting five (5) young women-led organisations in Sierra Leone, Uganda, the Gambia, and the UK. We started a new partnership with WEEDO in Tanzania. This support included board and management support and mentoring, provision of partnership grants, organisational support and co-creation of leadership programme. This was in line with FORWARD's FAST model of partnership support- providing funding, accompaniment and sustained technical support. " _We are super happy for the financial and technical support you gave to WEEDO. The impact is huge. Now small organisations around us depend on us for training, especially safeguarding training_ ." Rehema Konza, Director of WEEDO, Tanzania” **Building young women's movement and activism** FORWARD's Young Women's Advisory Council (YWAC) comprises twelve (12) young women who provide advice to shape the direction of FORWARD's youth programme and strategy. They also help run FORWARD's young women’s hub, including events and research. Members are FORWARD ambassadors, leaders and change makers. During 16 Days of activism on VAWG, a Tuwezeshe Fellow worked with YWAC and other Tuwezeshe fellows on her social action project to explore feminism and what they do to #OrangeTheWorld daily through women's rights advocacy. 12 ## **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** Alya Harding, a 2022 Tuwezeshe Fellow, conducted her social action project in Sierra Leone by working with Girl-to-Girl Empowerment (G2G) to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Alya provided training to G2G staff on communication and social media management. The G2G@10 event also marked Zero Tolerance to FGM on 25[th] February 2023. Fifty young women from the G2G network and other young women and men attended the one-day event. The interactive event, co-hosted by network members helped showcase the work of G2G. It enabled network members to reflect on the work of G2G, the impact of G2G on their lives and the changes they wanted in the organisation. G2G, a young women-led organisation, was supported by FORWARD in 2013 and operates in 10 slum areas in Freetown. They now have 450 network members - aged 13 35 years. ## **3.4. Strategic Goal 4: Educate and enable key professionals and African communities to lead change** The theory of change in our work with professionals and communities is to create an enabling environment and ecosystem of keepers and decision-makers to have the knowledge, awareness and leadership to support women's access support and lead change on the ground. We achieved change through professional training, provision of support services and training community champions to deliver peer-to-peer outreach within their communities. Partnership working remains a strategic part of our community and professional training work. The key outcomes include the following: - Statutory organisations and frontline staff have improved knowledge and capacity to appropriately identify, safeguard and respond to women and girls affected by VAWG - Increased awareness and leadership of communities in tackling multiple forms of VAWG in the UK and Africa - African and minority ethnic women know their rights and entitlement and access support and well-being services ## **Raising awareness among key professionals and schools** Professional training and school sessions have picked up after the COVID crisis. We trained 560 professionals in the year, including education, health and social care. We have also continued the partnership with Imperial College on their annual placement of medical students and St. Mary's University trainee teachers. We reached 602 pupils and students through our schools and college sessions. - _"Personally, my understanding of FGM has been dramatically enhanced after the session and understanding why FGM is undertaken in certain communities." Feedback from Trained Professional, 2022._ 13 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **Highlights of our Specialist Support Services** - 16 Community Champions trained - 19 community champions participated in the study to document the journeys of community champions in Bristol and London. - 31 women accessed 1-2-1 counselling - 120 accessed emotional support and practical and advisory services - 1627 community women through our events, coffee morning sessions and workshops on health and wellbeing - 32 referrals received from outside London to our services, from 19 cities. - We work pan-London. We deliver commissioned services in the borough of Ealing and 13 London boroughs where we deliver the London Councils EHP project -namely, Barking & Dagenham, Bexley, Brent, Croydon, Greenwich, Hammersmith & Fulham, Lambeth, Merton, Southwark, Wandsworth, Islington, Haringey, Westminster. We received referrals and supported women from outside these boroughs i.e. Redbridge, Richmond, Waltham Forest, Hillingdon, Tower Hamlets, Brentford and Newham. - Initiated two new projects on Floating Support Services for women with No recourse to Public Funds. ## **Spotlight on Tagwa Ahmed- A FORWARD Community Champion** I am a qualified overseas medical doctor and mum of 4 children, all under 10 years. I put my General Medical Council's Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board exams on hold, which would enable me to obtain my license to practice in the UK so that I could start my family. I participated in FORWARD’s Community Champion Leadership Training in October 2021. The training made me realise I could share some of my health skills through community engagement and mobilisation, potentially enabling me to become a community champion. This has ignited my fire to back to my profession. The leadership training facilitated the opportunity to work with FORWARD as a Community Champion and later as a Sessional worker starting in March 2022 with the Community Programme. The training helped me better understand the UK landscape, management skills, interpersonal skills, and interacting with diverse groups from a culturally competent perspective. I acquired effective facilitation, organising support outreach activities such as information stalls at events, community engagement, attending events, forums and online sessions. It also helped build my networking skills. I have been mobilising women to access specialist support, provide emotional and floating support to migrant women. I have helped to build women’s confidence and collaborate with BME community organisations in London to raise awareness of FORWARD’s support and outreach services. I mobilise people (women and men) to attend coffee morning workshops and help organise parent sessions. Being a Sessional Worker at FORWARD gave me the opportunity to interact and engage with various communities, build contacts and forge working relationships with many BME organisations, individuals, faith groups, community organisations, as well as community influencers, GPs and other professionals. My work has helped me to choose my speciality of Obstetrics & Gynaecology due to the focus and learnings from my work at FORWARD. I am now processing my registration to practice medicine in UK. 14 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **3.5. Strategic Goal 5: strengthening organisational capacity, resilience and impact** This goal underpins the ability of FORWARD to deliver our programmes. It is about organisation-wide systems, staff capacity, financial sustainability and resilience. Our work focuses on communication, digital working, fundraising and human resource processes. We have made vast progress in strengthening staff and organisational capacity and resilience, tackling well-being and human resource processes. Our core outcomes focused on the following: - Improved organisation-wide systems, digital resources, data and knowledge management processes - Increased staff capacity and skills to deliver effective and impactful programmes - Increased staff capacity and skills to deliver effective and impactful programmes - FORWARD is recognised as a bold, trusted and thought leader in the sector ## **Improving systems, staff development and fundraising** FORWARD has successfully transformed our client management and human resource management to cloud-based systems. We are delighted to have shifted our case management and support work to Charity Log client systems – a cloud-based customer relationship management solution for managing casework and contacts, document storage and retrieval, and reporting. Charitylog will enable all programme information to accessed centrally. All staff have been trained to use Charitylog, improving our case management and client follow-up. Our HR processes have been effectively transferred to the Breathe HR online platform. This is an exciting period for FORWARD as the HR system we have implemented allows us to simplify and optimise all our HR procedures. This includes managing holidays, appraisals, document storage, training, tracking and handling sickness and enhancing line managers' control over staff-related issues. ## **FORWARD Staff Away Day in 2023** We used our bi-annual FORWARD staff Away Day, where 18 staff and sessional workers attended to reflect on our progress over the year. We reviewed our strategic plan, team dynamics and human resources. Staff worked on an exercise to assess what progress has been made in the past 12 months in their personal or professional lives. Staff were proud of their achievements at FORWARD, which was good to see, as the sector has faced rapid change, growth and demands. All recognised that the following year was going to be challenging. Staff need to continue to adapt, learn and grow to support our clients better. Several team members have achieved their training/development objectives, e.g., getting degrees and certificates. 15 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **3.6. Partnerships** Partnership working and strategic collaborations remain core elements of FORWARD's programme approach. Over the past year, we have worked alongside various agencies and organisations in the women's rights and specialist VAWG sectors. We have also continued to work alongside statutory partners at local and national levels, building alliances, supporting campaign actions and carrying out policy engagement. In delivering our community programmes, on the other hand, we have continued to work with a number of community-based organisations across the UK, Europe and Africa. Our collaborative approach allows us to pursue our strategic goal of building capacity in partner organisations and fostering alliances between several African diaspora women's organisations. These partnerships remain a primary channel for our advocacy and campaigning activities, both nationally and internationally. FORWARD is an active member of the following networks and partnerships: - African Diaspora Women's Network (ADWN) - End FGM European Network (based in Brussels) - Girls Not Brides UK (co-chair) - End Violence Against Women (EVAW) - Gender and Development Network (GADN) - MOPAC Harmful Practices Forum - Home Office Stakeholders Group - London Councils: ASCENT - VAWG forums: we are involved in VAWG forums in a number of London boroughs, including those working with BME women. (This reporting year, these included the following: Tri-Borough Harmful Practices operational group, the Haringey VAWG CCR group, the Haringey VAWG and BAMER community forum, Lambeth VAWG, the Bexley DA operational forum, Islington's BAMER forum, Croydon's FGM stakeholders meeting, the Brent VAWG forum and the Merton DA forum.) ## **3.7. External factors affecting our work** In this reporting year, the impact of the cost-of-living crisis shortly after the COVID crisis, which adversely affected Black and minoritised communities, has created new challenges for our work and the communities we work with. VAWG continues to be a significant challenge for women, and with the cost-of-living crisis, this has become a major safety issue for women living with domestic abuse. Many women who face abuse and violence continue to experience economic hardships, which makes it much harder for them to escape abuse. The impact of adverse national policies on migrant women, including those with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) or insecure status, has resulted in a hostile environment, creating vulnerability and hardship for many migrant women. In particular policies such as the Victims and Prisoners Bill and 'Illegal' Migration Act, the Domestic Abuse Act, and most importantly, the UK's reservations to ratify the Istanbul Convention denying certain rights to migrant women. We are seeing a high demand for our services, especially from women with NRPF who have more complex and multi-layered challenges in addition to VAWG. Many women also face immense cultural pressure from their families to remain in abusive marriages due to 'honour' stigma, ' 'shame,' and control of women's lives. Providing support involves adopting a holistic approach to tackle these multiple layers facing women. This has resulted in FORWARD operating a waiting list for the first time and having to secure the services of a second counsellor to support women. 16 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** Mainstream services fail to meet the intersectional and complex needs of Black and minority (B&M) communities. A study by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner's Office (2022) on migrant victims of abuse found that support from B&M specialist VAWG organisations was the preferred option for migrant women. This need for gender, trauma, and culturally appropriate specialist B&M services is reflected in government policy on VAWG; this means that our services are more in demand in these times. The Women's Budget Group report released in 2023 highlighted the gendered impact of the cost-of-living and energy crisis on women who have become the 'shock absorbers of poverty'.[1] Women continue to be hardest hit due to increased maternal poverty rates, lack of savings or property, the ongoing gender pay gap and extensive caring responsibilities, amongst other issues. According to this report, B&M and disabled women face unprecedented levels of poverty. The funding crisis in the sector continues to adversely impact the VAWG sector. A new study conducted in Bristol in 2023 highlights challenges in funding for community and adverse policies on safeguarding in clinical settings are all resulting in women losing trust in services. Women in the study lacked awareness of existing specialist services and had unmet health needs, including sexual counselling and called for awareness raising in communities and access to specialist services. (University of Bristol, 2023) The recent 2023 Rosa Report _Mapping the UK Women and Girls Sector and its Funding: Where Does the Money Go_ ? states that less than 2% of total funding grants went to women and girls' organisations in 2021. Other associated challenges included staff recruitment in the sector due to career changes, as well as the shift in the funding landscape towards emergency and short-term funding. This situation is felt most acutely by specialist B&M women's organisations, who have historically been underfunded. Yet, we deal with more complex cases due to the intersectional impact of the cost of living and other crises on B&M women. The introduction of the national Relationship and Sex Education curriculum for schools provides a new impetus for FORWARD's work in schools. However, schools are illprepared to tackle VAWG issues, mainly honour-based abuse, safeguarding and reporting duties on FGM. Most schools and teachers are not confident in teaching FGM and coercive control (SafeLives 2022). Communities often view the Enforcement of safeguarding policies as stigmatising and discriminatory because there is limited funding for community engagement awareness and prevention work. FORWARD continues to respond to these external factors which affect our work through strategic work with communities, engaging community advocates, using research to create evidence and working through advocacy coalitions at national and local levels to campaign and explore partnership funding opportunities. ## **4. Financial Review** ## **4.1. Overview of income and fundraising activities** FORWARD's financial objectives seek to ensure sound financial management, reporting, and planning for and mitigating strategic and operational risks. We oversee and manage the budget for the year and maintain financial record keeping on all expenditures and reserves. This joint objective is monitored quarterly through the management accounts and the finance committee's work. > 1 https://wbg.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/The-gendered-impact-of-the-cost-of-living-crisis.pdf 17 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** FORWARD's income in the year ended 31[st] March 2023 was £1,081,645, compared with £1,041,109 in the year ended 31[st] March 2022. The total expenditure was £871,134 from 31[st] March 2023, compared with £817,964 in the previous year. The total unrestricted funds carried forward on 31[st] March 2023 was £656,597 of which £446,628 was general funds and £209,969 was designated funds, while our restricted funds carried forward on 31[st] March 2023 amounted to £127,126. FORWARD continues to make progress in increasing the diversity of our funding sources, despite the challenging economic climate, post the Covid-19 years and the shift in some of our funders' funding priorities. We continue to focus our fundraising efforts on the diversification of income sources. We also continue to reach out to more private trusts and foundations in our fundraising efforts, and to develop other diversified income streams from commissioned services, such as our accredited FGM training, support casework and other consultancy services. The Management Team continues to build up FORWARD's existing staff's capacity to support its fundraising efforts, including using digital media channels to increase our visibility and share information about our work more widely. In particular, the launch of our new fundraising appeal page last year, linked to our website, has since enabled us to launch a number of appeals to help engage FORWARD's followers in our funding efforts, encouraging them to support us and our programmes more regularly. We seek to recruit a new Digital Communications Officer in the coming year, and are confident that this will expand our reach on social media and harness our engagement with newer audiences and potential donors. ## **4.2. Reserves policy and going concern** FORWARD's Reserves are based on unrestricted, general funds that are set aside to ensure our long-term ability to meet the charity's objectives and to ensure the continued operation of our programmes. The reserves policy makes a provision for unforeseen obligations and emergency situations, taking into consideration the main risks to our organisation. The Operating Reserve is intended to provide unrestricted source of funds for unplanned situations such as a sudden increase in expenses, unbudgeted expenses, unanticipated loss in funding, or unsecured core expenses. Operating Reserves are not intended to replace a permanent loss of funds or eliminate an ongoing budget gap. It is the intention of FORWARD for its Emergency Operating Reserves (EOR) to be used and replenished within a reasonably short period of time. These Reserve Funds are designated funds set aside by the Board for purposes detailed above. The minimum amount to be designated as Operating Reserve will be established in an amount sufficient to maintain ongoing operations and programs measured for a set period of time, measured in months. FORWARD's current reserve policy aims to allocate up to 50 % of its annual budget expenditure as its emergency operating reserves. The Trustees also agree that in addition, this minimum level of the EOR at any time should be equivalent to up to six months' operating costs. This figure will be calculated and reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees in relation to internal and external circumstances. The current reserve level is based on general funds not allocated for programmes and includes income from donations, training, bank interest and Gift Aid. The total amount of the Operating Reserves is calculated annually based on the annual audit report and approved by the Board of Trustees. 18 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** FORWARD remains a going concern. The Board of Trustees have assessed the organisation and are assured that FORWARD has adequate resources and staff to continue to operate for the foreseeable future. It consequently adopts the going-concern basis in preparing this report. ## **4.3. Grant-making and fundraising** FORWARD's trustees see sub-granting as an essential component of the organisation's charitable operations. This is predominantly the case for our charitable projects in Africa as well as partnership work in the UK. We provided sub-grants to three community project partners in the UK this year. This approach to sub-granting has become a strategic lifeline for smaller organisations we nurture and support as this enables them to access funds and grow their income as many do not have fundraising expertise. The majority of our charitable work in Africa is carried out through sub-grants to our local partners. These partners are selected in line with our strategy of working with girls and young women. Partners are required to re-apply for their grant on an annual basis; the renewal of the grants is subject to contract-specific performance measures and financial adherence. All partners sign a Memorandum of Understanding and a financial grant agreement, detailing roles and responsibilities and outlining grant conditions. FORWARD's staff conduct regular monitoring, including site visits, and provide our partners with technical support and capacity development. Fundraising is the responsibility of FORWARD's senior staff members. In this reporting period, we worked with an intern and an external fundraising consultant to support our efforts, this included conducting an audit of our fundraising and fundraising policy and strategy. Our fundraising work includes writing funding applications, working through partnership bids and undertaking fundraising campaigns that target the general public. In addition, we are very grateful to our numerous individual fundraisers, who generate much of our unrestricted funding through their fundraising activities, and to our private donors providing us with monthly direct debits. We continue to experience challenges in recruiting senior fundraising staff, an experience affecting the women's VAWG sector. ## **5. Our Future Plans** Our plans for 2022-23 financial year will focus on strengthening our internal processes after coming out of COVID crisis and entering the cost of living crisis to ensure that we build our resilience to deliver for our service users. We will strengthen fundraising, prioritise our human resources particularly staff resilience and well-being, consolidate our partnership work and our programme evidence. We will consult internally and externally on development of a new strategic plan for the next 3 years, to enable us to build on our learning as well as respond to emerging challenges within our sector. In the coming year, our strategic efforts will focus in particular on the areas outlined below. In relation to our community programmes, we will strengthen our community support and engagement work. This is because changing community social norms is essential for preventing abuse and enabling women to seek needed services. We will work more closely with partners to scale up the community champions programme. We will conduct research to share the learning from our community champions programme. We will continue to provide access to specialist support services, including counselling, mental health services and VAWG support, reaching out to new migrant women with limited access to such services. This work will continue to take place as a mix of hybrid and face-to-face services as the COVID crisis changes. In addition, we will support the mental well-being of our staff and volunteers in response to the ongoing challenges, providing training and external supervision support. 19 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** Our plans for our young women's leadership is ambitious. We will scale up our bespoke TuWezeshe young women's leadership programme, investing in new partners and young women in Africa and the UK. The feminist leadership training focusses on nurturing resilient young women leaders from B&M communities, who are affected by intersecting challenges, including VAWG, racism, and mental health issues. We will build on the leadership alumni, strengthening sisterhood and movement building through regular convening events and developing new partnership. We will also strengthen resource development and better sharing of learning of the Tuwezeshe Programme. We will work on generating evidence from our programmes in the UK and Africa through research and end of project evaluations. We will continue the studies initiated on sexual harassment in public spaces as well as sexual harassment in universities to utilise the evidence for policy engagement as well as shape our programmes. In Africa we will build on the evidence work on child mothers' access to education to help generate evidence on this much neglected policy and development challenge. With the changing landscape on funding for our Africa Programmes, including reduced UK development funding and related strategy to shifting funding to southern partners, we will firm up our Africa base and identify new funding partnerships. This will also include identifying new funding opportunities and models of working for our Africa-facing advocacy and programmes and develop further our Africa partnership office. We will also continue to carry out this advocacy work in collaboration with our existing national and global partners, such as Girls not Brides, the Gender and Development Network, and the African Diaspora Women's Network, focussing on child marriage, child motherhood and FGM. We aim to consolidate our work with current African partners and to identify new partners to help us roll out our young women's leadership programme in new countries. ## **6. Structure, governance and management** FORWARD was established in 1983 and registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales in August 1985 as a charity with registration number 292403. FORWARD is also incorporated as a charitable company limited by guarantee (Company No. 01921508), governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association; its incorporation came into force on 11[th] June 1985. ## **6.1. The Board of Trustees** In accordance with the charity's Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Board of Trustees have the responsibility to oversee the business of the organisation. The minimum number of trustees on the Board - also known as directors - is five; the maximum number is fifteen members. We currently have eight Board members. One board member joined with observer status for a year as part of the onboarding process. In line with the Articles of Association, the Board should be comprised of individuals with knowledge of the socio-economic factors underlying BME women and girls. It should be made up of three-fifths (i.e. 60 percent) of members of African descent and have at least 75 percent representation of women. This ensures the effective participation in decisionmaking by those who are most affected by the issues that FORWARD works on. The Board of Trustees meet four times a year. Nine Trustees served on the board in this reporting year (including the member with observer status). FORWARD's trustees can co-opt new board members during the year, where needed, to fill vacancies or to meet any skills deficit identified by the Board. There are currently two honorary officers on the Board; the Chair and the Treasurer. All the Trustees are full members of FORWARD. 20 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** The Board of Trustees' work is governed by the seven principles of the Charity Governance Code. This includes organisational purpose, leadership, decision-making, risk and control through the monitoring of financial and operational systems, and annual planning, risk analysis and risk management. The Board ensures that FORWARD complies with all relevant financial policies, regulations and good practices, and conducts annual review of their work. The Board has two functioning sub-committees: The Finance and Human Resources Committee and the Fundraising and Communications Committee. The Finance Committee provides oversight on financial and risk management matters, while the fundraising and communication oversees visibility and digital funding matters. The Strategy and Governance Committee has been proposed to provide guidance on programmes, monitoring and evaluation, as well as on our organisational strategy. A skills audit of its members is conducted annually by the Board. For skill areas that are identified as needing further expertise, a selection process is started to identify potential new candidates, using advertisements and charity trustee recruitment organisations. The board is seeking to recruit additional male member of the board. New trustees are required to serve for a period of up to a year in an observer status. The induction training for new trustees addresses their legal obligations under charity and company law, the Charity Commission's guidance on the meaning of public benefit, and in general the duties and responsibilities of the Board. This induction process includes the provision of relevant statutory documents and reports, including copies of the charity's Memorandum and Articles of Association, its latest finance and annual reports, and an overview of current trustee roles. ## **6.2. Organisational management, staffing and volunteers** The Executive Director is appointed by the Board of Trustees to manage FORWARD's operations efficiently. The Executive Director has delegated authority of the Board to manage operational matters, including finance, employment and programme planning and execution. This role is performed with the support of the Senior Management Team (SMT); together, they are responsible for the implementation of the organisation's strategic plan and for realising FORWARD's mission and vision. The salaries of the Executive Director, Senior Management Team and members of staff are reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees. Provided that the necessary funding is available, the Board normally raises them in accordance with the annual change in average earnings within the Charity Sector. 19 members of staff worked with FORWARD in this reporting year, comprising 12 parttime and six full-time employees. In the past year, five staff left FORWARD, and three new staff joined the team. The staff retention rate has improved after staff challenges during the COVID crisis. We have been successful in continuing to recruit our community champions to transition to staff members. Additionally, over the course of the year, 8 interns and volunteers supported the organisation with a wide range of tasks. FORWARD recruits' new volunteers and interns through adverts published on its website and through recommendations from stakeholders and community advocates. We have updated our volunteers and interns' handbook and our on-boarding procedures to enable volunteers to be better supported to facilitate their experience at FORWARD's. Our current organisational structure includes the Programmes team- made up of the community, youth, Africa and training; the Knowledge Management, Evidence and Communication team oversee the research and communication and the Operations team who support overall operations, finance and human resources. 21 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **6.3. Related party transactions** In our operations over the past year, there were no related party transactions to disclose as at the end of March 2023. ## **6.4. Risk management** The Board of Trustees undertake a periodic analysis of the major risks that the organisation faces, or is exposed to, in line with FORWARD's risk management policy and risk register. This risk analysis is reviewed twice a year during Board meetings. The analysis includes: - The six-monthly review of FORWARD's risk matrix and the principal risks; the Board of Director's reports to each board meeting also include a review of key risks to the organisation. - The development of appropriate policies, procedures and actions to mitigate any risks identified (including programme risk areas, which are reviewed every quarter). - The development of procedures, plans and actions to minimise and manage potential and identified risks to the organisation. The principal risks that faced FORWARD this past year included financial risk, governance risks, operational risks and risks pertaining to the ongoing cost of living crisis. The charity's Treasurer and the Board's Finance and Human Resources Committee are together tasked with regularly reviewing the financial risks to which FORWARD could be exposed to as we conduct our work both internally and externally. Oversight of the risk register more generally is delegated by the Trustees to the Executive Director, who is tasked with reporting on it to the Board on a regular basis. Over the year, the main risk areas remained changes in UK government policy and in the funding landscape, with cuts in public spending affecting our sector and terms of government contracts which focus on pre-financing and late payments of grants. The cost of living crisis shortly after the harsh impact of COVID are posing additional challenges. The shifting policy focus of the Domestic Abuse Act, negative policy and public environment for migrants has also been especially challenging for FORWARD, as we now see more service users faced with complex needs in addition to VAWG. Providing holistic services requires more staff time and active collaboration due to their multiple needs. We continue to collect further evidence in support of our approach and to engage with policy-makers on this matter. As a further element of our approach to effective risk management, external consultants are contracted to undertake end–of-project evaluations for every project, focussing on the choice of programme areas, project outcomes, value-for-money and budgetary considerations. The external consultants' reports confirm our adherence to financially sound practices, in line with SORP guidelines, and ensure transparency and scrutiny. Finally, we continue to monitor the impact of the cost of living crisis on staff well-being; FORWARD continues to prioritise this risk area. We have put in place a policy on safety measures to protect staff and volunteers, which supports better staff working remotely and providing staff and volunteers with ongoing support, including well-being supervision and flexible working. These efforts are being further supported through our human resources audit recommendations and processes and development of a well-being policy and more streamlined HR processes. 22 **FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES** The Board of Trustees is responsible for preparing the Trustees' Annual Report, the Chairman's Statement and the financial statements, in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations. Company law requires the Board of Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Accordingly, the Trustees have prepared the financial statements in compliance with the United Kingdom's Generally Accepted Accounting Practice and the law applicable to charities in England and Wales. The financial statements are required by law to provide a true and fair view of FORWARD's financial situation, including incoming resources and the application of these resources by the charity. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to: - Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; - Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and - Prepare the financial statements on a going-concern basis, unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. The Board of Trustees is responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy, at any time, the financial position of the charity and for ensuring that the annual financial statements comply with the Companies Act of 2006. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the charity's assets and, hence, for taking reasonable steps to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities. ## **The Board of Trustees** The members of the Board of Trustees are FORWARD's directors for the purposes of company law and its trustees for the purposes of charity law, serving during the past financial year and up to the date of this report, as set out on page 3. In accordance with company law, as the company's directors, we certify that: So far as we are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company's auditors are unaware, and that, as the directors of the company, we have taken all the steps that we ought to have taken in order to make ourselves aware of any relevant auditor information and to establish that the charity's auditors are aware of that information. ## **Auditors** Goldwins Chartered Accountants were-re-appointed as the charitable company's auditors. Approved by the Board of Trustees and Signed on its behalf by: 29 November 2023 .......................................... Trustee- Dr Lisa Smith 23 ## **INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)** ## **Opinion** We have audited the financial statements of the Foundation for Women's Health Research & Development for the year ended 31 March 2023, which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the statement of cash flows and the related notes. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is the applicable law and the United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). ## **Opinion on financial statements** In our opinion the financial statements: - give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company's affairs as at 31 March 2023 and of its income and expenditure for the year then ended; - have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and - have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. ## **Basis for opinion** We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the section of our report entitled Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements. We are independent of the Charity, in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRCʼs Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. ## **Conclusions relating to going concern** In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue. Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to the going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report. ## **Other information** The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, to consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material 24 ## **INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)** misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard. ## **Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006** In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit: - the information given in the trustees' report (incorporating the directors' report) for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and - the trustees' report (incorporating the directors' report) has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. ## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception** In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the Charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees' Annual Report. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters, where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion: - adequate accounting records have not been kept or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or - the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or - certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or - we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit. ## **Responsibilities of the trustees** As explained more fully in the Trustees' Responsibilities Statement, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give an accurate and fair view and for such internal control as they determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the Charity's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to the going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting, unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the Charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. ## **Our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements** Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements in their entirety are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance. However, it is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our 25 ## **INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)** procedures can detect irregularities, including fraud, is set out below. In identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, our procedures included the following: - We enquired of management, which included obtaining and reviewing supporting documentation concerning the charity's policies and procedures relating to: - Identifying, evaluating, and complying with laws and regulations, and whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance; - Detecting and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they had knowledge of any actual, suspected, or alleged fraud; - The internal controls are established to mitigate fraud risks or noncompliance with laws and regulations. - - We inspected the minutes of meetings of those charged with governance. - We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework that the charity operates in, focussing on those laws and regulations that had a material effect on the financial statements or that had a fundamental effect on the operations of the charity from our professional and sector experience. - We reviewed the financial statement disclosures and tested these against supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations. - We performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud. - In addressing the risk of fraud through management overriding of controls, we tested the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments, assessed whether the judgements made in establishing accounting estimates were indicative of a potential bias, and tested significant unusual transactions or those outside the normal course of business. A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report. ## **Use of our report** This report is made solely to the charitable company's members as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity's members those matters that we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity's members as a body for our audit work, this report, or the opinions we have formed. 29 November 2023 ………………………………. **Anthony Epton (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of Goldwins Limited Statutory Auditor Chartered Accountants 75 Maygrove Road West Hampstead London NW6 2EG** 26 Foundation For Women's Health Research And Development (Limited By Guarantee) Statement of Financial AcLiVities Ilncorporating An Income and Expendirure Accounrl For the ear ended 31 March 2023 2023 2022 Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds Total funds Note Income from.. Donations and legacies Charitable activities.. Africa programme Community programme Youth programme Public education, training & other Other trading acrivities Investments Oiher 96,838 15,000 111.838 57,764 188,662 2,250 138,633 589,627 40.000 327.295 591.877 40,000 7,500 222,098 634,717 99,065 26,564 300 601 7,500 3,129 3,129 Total Income 298,385 783,260 1.081,645 1,041,109 Expenditure on.. Raising fund5 Charirable activities Africa programme Community programme Youth programme Other 8,182 8,182 6,036 76,629 28,678 108,311 611,322 34,196 184.940 640,000 34,196 3,816 207,784 540,382 63,762 3,816 Total expen(liture 117,305 753,829 871.134 817,964 Net Income I lexpendlturel before net galns I Ilossesl on investments 181,080 29,431 210.511 223,145 Net gains I Ilossesl on investments Net income I lexpendlturel for the year 181,080 29,431 210.511 223,145 Transfer5 between fund5 11,4521 1,452 Net Income I lexpendlturel before other recognised gains and losses 179,628 30,883 210.511 223,145 Net movement in funds 179,628 30,883 210.511 223,145 Reconciliation of funds-. Total fuNd5 brought forward 476,969 96,243 573.212 350,067 Total funds carried foThvard 656,597 127,126 783,723 573,212 All of the above results are derived from conrinuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stared above. Movemenr5 in fund5 are disclosed in Note 18 to the financial 5tatemenis. 27 Foundation For Women's Health Research And Development ILimited By Guarantee) Balance Sheet Company no. 192 1508 As at 31 March 2023 2023 2022 Note Fixed assets.. Tangible assets 12,409 11,886 12.409 11,886 Current assets.. Debtors Cash at bank and in hand 112,264 752,274 95.835 856.111 864,538 951,946 Liabilities.. Creditor5'. amount5 falling due within one year 93,224 390,620 Net current assets 771.314 561,326 Total a55ets less current liabilities 783.723 573,212 Creditors.. amount5 falling due after one year Net assets 783.723 573,212 Total net assets 783.723 573,212 The funds of the charity.. Restricted income fund5 Unrestricted income fund5'. Designated funds General funds 127.126 96.243 209,969 446,628 211,421 265,548 Total unrestricted funds 656,597 476,969 Total charlty funds 783.723 573,212 The financial statement5 have been prepared in accordance with the Special provisions for small companies under Partl 5 of the Companies Act 2006. 29 November 2023 Approved by the trustees on and 5igNed on their behalf by Dr Lisa Smith Treasurer 28 Foundation For Women's Health Research And Development {Limired By Guarantee) Statement of Cash Flows For the year ended 31 March 2023 Nore 2023 2022 Cash flows from operatlng actlvltles Net cash provided by I lused inl operating activities 194,1411 410,696 Cash flows from investing activitie5'. Dividends, interest and renrs from investmenrs Proceeds from the sale of fixed assets Purchase of fixed assets Proceeds from Sale of inve5tment5 Purchase of investments 19.6961 117,8301 Net cash provided by l {used in} investing activities 19,6961 (17,8301 Net cash provided by I lused inl financing attivities Change in cash and cash equivalenis in the year 1103.8371 392,866 Cash and cash equivalent5 at the beginning of the year Change in cash and cash equivalents due to exchange rate movements 856,111 463,245 Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 20 752,274 856,111 29 Foundatlon For Women's Health Research And Development (Llmlted By Guarantee) Notes to the Flnanclal Statements For the year ended 31 March 2023 Accounting policies al Basls of preparatlon The financial siaiements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Staremeni of Recommended Pracrice applicable to charitie5 preparing Iheir aciount5 in accordance with the Financial Reporting Siandard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 102 effective l January 20151 (Chariiies SORP FRS 1021 and rhe Companies Aci 2006. The charitable company meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilitie5 are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note. bl Golng concern The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charitable company'5 ability to continue as a going concern. The trustees do noi consider Ihat there are any sources of estimation uniertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of asset5 and liabilities within the next reporting period. cl Income Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and that the amount can be measured Income from government and other grants, whether 'capital' grants or 'revenue' grants, is recognised when the charity ha5 entitlement to the fund5, any performance condition5 attached to the grant5 have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be mea5LJred reliably and is not deferred. For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the dale on which either.. rhe charity is aware that probaie has been granted, rhe estate has been finalised and norificarion has been made by the executorlsl to the charity that a disrribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and rhe chariry has been norified of the executor's inteniion to make a distriburion. Where legacies have been noiified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and rhe criieria for income recognition have not been mei, then the legacy is a treated as a conringenr asset and disclosed if material. Income received in advance of rhe provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met. dl Donations of glfts. seNices and facllltles Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when rhe charity has conrrol over the item or received the service. any condirions associated with the donation have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the irem is probable and rhat economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance wirh the Charities SORP IFRS 1021, volunteer time is not recognised so refer ro rhe trustees, annual report for more information about rheir contribution. On reteipt, donated gift5, professional services and donated facilitie5 are recognised on the ba515 of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain 5ervice5 or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market,. a corresponding amount 15 then recogNised in expenditure in the period of receipt. el Interest receivable Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amouni can be measured reliably by rhe charity., this is normally upon notification of the inrerest paid or payable by the bank. 30 Foundatlon For Women's Health Research And Development (Llmlted By Guarantee) Notes to the Flnanclal Statements For the year ended 31 March 2023 Accountlng pollcles {contlnuedl f) Fund accounting Restricted funds are io be used for specific purposes as laid down by rhe donor. Expenditure which meers these criteria is charged to the fund. Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the charitable purposes. Designared funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes. gl Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT Expenditure is recognised once there is & legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is cla55ified under the following activity headings. Costs of raising funds relate to the costs incurred by the charitable company in inducing third parties to make voluntary contributions to it, as well as the cost of any activities with a fundraising purpose Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of delivering services, undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs. Other expenditure represents those items not falling into any other heading Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred. h) Allocation of support costs Resources expended are allocated ro the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. However. rhe cost of overall direction and administration of each activity. comprising the salary and overhead costs of rhe central function. is apportioned on the basis which are an estimate, based on sraff rime, of rhe amounr artributable to each activitv. Where informarion about rhe aims, objectives and projec15 of the chariry 15 provided to potential beneficiaries, the costs a550ciaied wirh this publiciry are allocated 10 chariiable expenditure. Where such information about rhe aims, objectives and projects of the charity is also provided to potenrial donors. acrivity costs are apportioned between fundraising and charitable activities on the basis of area of literature occupied by each activity. 11 Operatlng leases Renial charges are charged on a straight line basis over the ierm of the lease. jl Tangible fixed assets Items of equipment are capitali5ed where the purchase price exieed5 1600. Depreciation costs are allocated to activitie5 on the ba515 of the use of the related a55ets in those aitivitie5. Asset5 are reviewed for impairment if circumstance5 indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use. Depreciation is provided at rate5 calculated to write down the c05t of each asset to it5 estimated residual value over it5 expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows.. Website development Over 3 years Computer equipment 33.33% straight line Fixtures. fittings and equipment 25% straight line kl Debtors Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due. 31 Foundatlon For Women's Health Research And Development (Llmlted By Guarantee) Notes to the Flnanclal Statements For the year ended 31 March 2023 Accounting policies Icontinuedl 11 Cash at bank and in hand Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from rhe dare of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account. Cash balances exclude any funds held on behalf of service users. m) Creditors and provisions Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligarion resulting from a past evenr that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amc>unt due to settle the obligaric>n can be measured or esrimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at rheir settlement amount after allowing for any trade discc>unts due. n) Financial instruments The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind thar qualify as basic financial insrruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transacrion value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using rhe effective interesr method. o) Pensions The charity operates stakeholder pension scheme. 2 Detailed comparatives for the statement of financial activities (Prior year-2022} 2022 Total Unrestricted Restricted Income from.. Donations and legacies Chariiable activities.. Africa programme Community programme Youth programme Knowledge Management, Evidence & Comms IKMECI Public education, rraining & other Other trading acriviries Investments Other 52,484 5,280 57,764 222,098 604,717 42,000 222,098 634,717 99,065 30,000 57,065 21,964 300 601 4,600 26,564 300 601 Total Income 162,414 878,695 1,041,109 Expenditure on: Raising fund5 Chariiable activities.. Africa Programme Community Programme Youth Programme Knowledge Management, Evidence & Comms IKMECI Public education, training & other 6,036 6,036 207,784 540,382 63.387 207,784 540,382 63.762 375 Total expenditure 6,411 811,553 817,964 Nei income l expenditure Transfers between funds 156,003 22,549 67,142 122,5491 223.145 Nei movement in funds Total funds brought fO￿ard 178,552 298,417 44,593 51,650 223,145 350,067 Total funds carried forward 476,969 96,243 573,212 32 Foundatlon For Women's Health Research And Development (Llmlted By Guarantee) Notes to the Flnanclal Statements For the year ended 31 March 2023 3 Income from donations and legacies 2023 total Total 2022 Total Unrestricted Restricted Donations Caskell & Wilkinson Cift Aid 88.047 88,047 15.000 8.791 47.530 5,000 5,234 15,000 8,791 96,838 15,000 111,838 57,764 4 Income from investment5 2023 Total 2022 Total Unrestricted Restricted Investment income 3.129 3,129 601 3.129 3,129 601 5 Income from charitable activities 2023 Total 2022 Total Unresrricted Restricted Africa Programme Wallace Global Fund Comic Relief - Manda 2 Children's Dignity Forum- Haki Ya Binti Phase 2 United Nations Population Fund IUNFPAI Schwab Charitable Fund Communlty programme London Counci15 National Lottery Community Fund GLA-Ascenr NRPF CLA-Refuge - NRPF Creenwich Council London Borough of Ealing Lloyd5 Bank Foundatio MOPAC - Prevention & Action EHP National Loitery-coronavirus Community Support Fund The London Community Foundation Comic Reliefi DCMS Fund Comic Relief MOJ Fund Tudor Trust Youth programme Paul Hamlyn-Act for Change Dr Martens Foundarion London Councils-AVA Schs The Big Give Trust FGM - ERASMUS Esmee Fairbain- Covid 19 Re5pon5e Grant Public education & training London Councils - Prevention Imperial College Charityworks - Kickstart Training, con5ultaNcy and event 28,387 70,050 16,754 106,907 108,700 29,933 108,700 29.933 188.662 188,662 48,131 124,305 49,013 78,073 48.131 124.305 49,013 78,073 49,938 124.304 2,000 39,000 30,000 52,945 39,000 39.000 2.250 40,853 2.250 40,853 58,286 111,966 58,286 111,966 82,128 121,932 112,470 20,000 40,000 40.000 42,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 375 2,690 54.000 4,600 1,353 2,522 18,089 7,500 7.500 Toial income from charirable aciivities 198,412 768,260 966,672 982,444 33 Foundatlon For Women's Health Research And Development ILlmlted By Guarantee) Notes to the Financial Statements For the ar ended 31 March 2023 6 Analysls of expenditure Charitable Activities Cost of raising Africa Community Youth funds Programme Programme Programme Support costs 2023 Total 2022 Total Staff costs (Note 81 Direct project C05t Partnership and networking Consultant and research fee5 Monitoring and evaluation Campaigning and advocacy Training outreach & event Publication and media Travelling and subsistence Support Cost Organisational development Membership & Sub5cription5 Accounting and professional Rent, utilitie5 and rale5 Printing and stationery Insurance Capital costsitr Fundraising and rnarketing Depreciation Audit fee5 Capacity Building costs Office moving c05t5 Governance costs Bank charges 58.086 355,909 28.386 442.381 420.239 68.787 6,715 9.465 83,426 528 15,891 2,211 72,266 6,928 1,457 152.213 7,243 25,356 190.357 7,110 28.132 200 34,066 13,633 2.977 1.789 75.246 12,090 9,759 5,162 8.297 6.129 20,733 1,392 26,862 1,392 1,436 47,915 5,227 3,595 9.449 17,097 9,786 4,300 11.324 1,410 2.584 59,079 8,339 3,552 10,925 12,915 6,082 4,000 613 326 9,082 32,017 5,212 3,595 7,449 3,000 3,816 2.000 6,500 8.182 1,000 9,786 3,000 1,300 1.900 4,001 421 443 4,001 421 443 428 8,182 184,940 640,001 34,195 3,816 871.134 817,964 Total expenditure 2023 8,182 184,940 640,001 34,195 3,816 871,134 Of the total expenditure, £1 17,305 was unrestricted 12022-. £6.411 l and £753,829 wa5 restricted 12022. £811.5531. Analysis of expenditure Iprior yearl Charltable Acrivltles Cost of raising Africa Community Youth funds Programme Programme Programme Support costs 2022Total Staff costs (Note 81 Dlrect projea cost Partnership and networking Tuwez End of Project Allocation Consultant and research fee5 Monitoring and evaluation Campaigning and advocacv Training outreach & event Publication and media Travelling and subsistence Support ctsst Organisational development Membership & Subscription5 Accounting and professional Rent. utilitie5 and raies Printing and stationery Insurance Capital costsllT Fundraising and rnarketing Depreciation Audit fees Other expenses Bank charges 52,365 340.889 26,985 420,239 96,584 86.773 7,000 190,357 6,608 20,132 503 7,110 28,132 200 34,066 13,633 2,977 8,000 200 27,358 7,932 287 1,645 5,325 2,996 5,063 375 86 13931 1,298 10,026 1.410 2,081 36.844 5,768 3.552 6,668 1.500 5,943 2,000 613 35 540,382 11,324 1,410 2,584 59.079 8,339 3,552 10,925 12,915 6,082 4,000 613 428 817,964 503 10,782 1,000 11,453 1,572 2,961 3,447 139 2.000 1,296 1,932 6,036 393 6,036 207,784 63,762 Total expenditure 2022 6.036 207,784 540,382 63,762 34 Foundatlon For Women's Health Research And Development Iumlted By Guaranteel Note5 to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2023 Net incoming resoU￿e5 for the year This is stated after charging I crediting.. 2023 2022 Depreciaiion Operating lease renrals.. Property Auditors, remuneration (excluding VAn'. Audir 9.173 6.083 22,272 30,228 3,583 3,583 Ahaly515 Of Staff c05t5. trustee remuneratlon and expen5e5. and ¢he c05t of key management personnel 5raff costs were as follows.. 2023 2022 Salaries and wage5 355,463 27,833 9,226 41,093 8.766 349,659 27.387 9,885 25,543 7.765 Employer's conrribuiion to defined coniribution pension schemes Freelance Staffs Other siaffs costs 442,381 420,239 No employee earned more than E60,DOO during the year 12022." nill. The roial employee benefits including pension and narional insurance coniributions of rhe key managemenr personnel were £63.059 12022.. £59,897). The charity trustees were not paid or received any other benefits from employment with the charity in the year 12022.. £nlll. No £harlty trustee received paymÈnt for professlonal or other sÈrvlces supplled 10 the charity 12022.. £nlll. Staff numbers The average number of employees Ihead count based on number of staff employed) during the year was as follows.. 2023 2022 No. No. Africa programme Community programme YoLJth programme Knowledge Managemeni, Evidence & Comms IKMECI Public education, training & other 12.0 19.0 16.0 l O Related party tr4nsa¢tlons There are no related party tran5actioTrs to disc105e for 2023 12022.- none). There are no donarions from related parties which are outside the normal course of business and no restricted donations frorn related parties. I l Taxatlo The charitable company is exernpt from corporaiion tax as all lis income is charitable and is applied for chariiable purposes. 35 Foundatlon For Women's Health Research And Development Iumlted By Guaranteel Note5 to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2023 12 Tanglble fixed assets Web51te Developmenr Computer Fixtures Equipmenr and fittings Total Cost At the Start of the year Additions In year Disposa15 in year 60,090 58,330 9.696 150,171 9,696 At rhe end of the year 60,090 68,026 159,867 Depreciation At the start of the year Charge for the year Eliminared on disposal 60,090 46,444 9.173 138,285 9.173 Al the end of the year Net book value At the end of the year 60.090 55.617 147,458 12.409 12.409 At the start of the year 11,886 11,886 All of the above assets are used for charitable purposes. 13 Debtors 2023 2022 Trade debtors Other debtors Prepaymenrs 107,544 759 3.961 90,856 729 4,250 112.264 95,835 14 Creditor5.' amount5 falling due within one year 2023 2022 Trade creditors Other creditors Accruals Deferred income 17,270 50 30,904 45,000 22,905 50 29.344 338,321 93,224 390,620 15 Deferred income Dèferred grant income comprises Comic Relief Manada2 £15,000, Tudor Trust £20.000 and The FebrLJary Foundation £1 0,000. 2023 2022 Balance at thè beginning of the year Amouni released to income in Ihe year Amount deferred in the year 338,321 1338,3211 45,000 172.587 1172,5871 338,321 Balance at ihe end of rhe year 45,000 338,321 16 Pen5i0n Scheme The charity operates stakeholder pension scheme and has no pension liability as ar the year end. Foundatlon For Women's Health Research And Development Iumlted By Guaranteel Note5 to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2023 17 Analysls of net assets between funds General Designated Restricted Total funds Tangible fixed asseis Net current a55et5 12,409 434,219 12,409 771,314 209,969 127,126 Net assets at the end of the year 446.628 209.969 127.126 783,723 18 Movernents in funds At the start of the year At the end of the year Income Expenditure Tran5fer5 Restrlcted funds.. Africa Programme Wallace Clobal Fund Comic Relief - Manda 2 Children's Dignity Forum- Haki Ya Binti Phase 2 Gaskell & Wilkinson Communlty programme London Councils National Lottery Community Fund GLA-Ascenl NRPF GLA-Refuge - NRPF London Borough of Ealing MOPAC - Prevenrion & Acrion EHP MOPAC VAWC Gra5srootS Comic Reliefi DCMS Fund Comic Relief MOJ Fund Tudor Trust Youth programme Dr Martens Foundaiion London Councils-AVA kh5 3.384 15,207 13.3841 173.1881 118,2421 113.4971 108,700 29,933 15.000 50.719 11.3471 156 48,131 124.305 49,013 78,073 39,000 40,853 58.286 10.769 1126.4501 137.7781 155,8761 138,3811 133,2931 162.535) 8.624 11.235 22.197 9,140 7.560 8,521 3.579 20,685 28,402 7.043 670 129,1841 147.043) 782 40.000 20,000 20.000 117,5841 2.416 3.388 Total restricted funds 96,243 783,260 1753,8291 1,452 127,126 Unrestricted funds.. Designated funds-. Capacity Building Fund Fixed Asset designated Fund5 200.000 200,000 9,969 Total designated fund5 209,969 General funds 265,548 298,385 446,628 Total unrestrlrted funds 476.969 298.385 656,597 Total funds 573,212 1.081.645 783,723 Purpose5 Of designated funds Designared funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the rrustees for particular purposes stated as above. Purposes of restrlcted funds Income, which is received for specific projects, a5- for example grants, donations and earned income is accounted for as restricred funds. If proJecr funds are projecied io be overspent, we lake action early io reduce expendiiure andior raise more funds 10 cover the potential shorifall. If we contlnLJe to project and Incur an unavoidable overspend, a transfer is made from unrestricted funds. The balance5 on restricted fund5 arise from incorne received for 5peiifii projecrs on which some expenditure 15 srill io be incurred in rhe coming financial year. Each of the project5 15 described In more detail below.. 37 Foundatlon For Women's Health Research And Development Iumlted By Guaranteel Note5 to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2023 Movements In funds Icontlnuedl Purposes of restrlcted funds Africa Programme The Africa Di35pora Advocacy & Policy Team (ADAPT) programme continues to play a key role in rhe work of FORWARD. Ir bridges UK and Africa programmes. providing opportunities for rhe diaspora ro have a voice in development conversatlons. ADAPT operates through local partners In Afrlca and through collaborations in the UK. Community Programme Women from FGM affected communities are leaders and advocates among their own communities. FORWARD'S vision 1$ 10 suppori communities io say no to FGM and end all forms of violence againsi women and girls and to take the lead In campaigning against FGM. child marriage and all forms domestic and sexual Violence and discrimination enabling African women and gir15 to have the dignity, health, and equality they deseNe. Youth Programme.. FORWARD'S youih team provides FGM awareness sessions In primary and secondary schools, colleges. oiher higher educaiion Insriiuiions and universities narionwide. Through ihe Tuwezeshe Leadership Programrne, FORWARD seeks to nurture young women to beiome resilient leaders and Ihangemaker5 to drivelinspire social change in their communities and beyond and in taking acrion on VAWG and righis of African & minority ethni girls and young women. 19 Re¢on¢lllatlon of net Income I lexpenditurel lo net cash flow from operating artlvities 2023 2022 Net income I lexpenditurel foT the reporting perlod la5 per the statement of financial a£tiMtiesl Depreciarion charges Ilncreaselldecrease in debiors 210.511 223,14S 9.173 116,4291 1297,3961 6,083 6.318 175.150 Net cash provlded by I (used Inl operatlng act￿￿tIeS 194.1411 410,696 20 Analysls of cash and cash equlvalents Other At31 change5 March 2023 2022 Cash flows Cash in hand 1103,8371 752,274 Total cash and cash equlvalents 1103.8371 752,274 21 Operating lease commitments Total fuiure minimum lease paymenis under non-cancellable operaiing leases are as follows.. Property Equipment 2023 2022 2023 2022 Le55 than one year One to five years 18,560 9,280 18.560 27.840 27,840 46.400 The Iharity ha5 Secured three year5 property lease effeited from l Oitober 2021 22 Legal status of the charity The charity Is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of inding up is limited to £1. 38 Foundatlon For Women's Health Research And Development Iumlted By Guaranteel Note5 to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 March 2023 23 a. Summary analysls of assets and IlabllltlÈs by funds of pre￿ouS reportlng perlod 120221 General Designated Restrirted Total funds Tangible fixed asseis Net current a55et5 1 1,886 253,662 11,886 561,326 96,243 Net a55ets at the end of the year 265.548 96,243 573,212 b. Detai15 of movement in fund5 during the prewou5 reporting period 120221 Incoming resources & Outgoing resources & At the start of the year At the end of the year Tran5fer5 Restricted funds.. Africa Programrne Wallace Global Fund Comic Relief - Manda 2 Children's Dignity Forurn- Haki Ya Binti Phase 2 Unired Nations Population Fund IUNFPAI Make Child Mothers Count Gaskell & Wilkin50n Community programme London Councils National Lottery Community Fund Greenwich Council London Borough of Ealing Lloyds Bank Foundation MOPAC - Prevention & Action EHP London Funder5 MOPAC VAWC Grassroots MOPAC - VAWC MOJ Comic RelieflDCMS Fund Comic Relief MOI Fund Tudor Trust Youth programme Paul Hamlyn-Act for Change Clty Bridge TrLJSt Esmee Fairbain Public education & training London Councils - Prevention 28,387 70.050 16.754 106,907 280 s,000 125,0031 152,4931 116.754) 1106,9071 12801 16.3471 3.384 15.207 12,3501 11.347) 49.938 124,304 2.000 39.000 149.938) 10.769 12,0001 140.229) 9.750 20,000 8,521 13,6651 52.945 i 0,000 61,674 10.454 121,932 12.470 20.000 152,9451 11 0.0001 156,7551 110.4541 11,3401 3.579 20.685 28.402 7,043 173,9871 42.000 142,0001 112.0001 19,3871 12,000 9,900 4,600 14,6001 Total restrltted funds 51,650 878,695 122,5491 96.243 Unrestrlcted funds.. Designared funds.. Capacity Building Fund Fixed A55et designated Fund5 200,QOO 200,000 Total designated fund5 General fund5 298,417 162,414 265,548 Total unre5trirted funds 298,417 162,414 22,549 476,969 Total funds 350,067 1,041,109 1817,9641 573,212 39