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After 20 years of tireless work for women’s rights, Farah Nazeer became CEO of Women’s Aid in March 2021. She spoke to Go Inspire UK about some of her most significant accomplishments, and her drive to end domestic violence for women.
Go Inspire: Can you explain what Women’s Aid do and about your role as CEO?
Farah Nazeer: Women’s Aid is the national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. As a national federation of just under 170 local domestic abuse organisations throughout England, we provide nearly 300 local lifesaving services to women and children. Our support services help thousands of women and children every year and we provide expert training to a range of agencies and professionals working with survivors. We also work to change attitudes, hearts and minds. We campaign to achieve change in policy, practice and awareness, educating the public on healthy relationships and helping to build a future where domestic abuse is no longer tolerated.
My role as CEO is to represent and campaign on behalf of these vital services, and on behalf of survivors of abuse. It is a role I take incredibly seriously, and feel privileged to do.
GI: Can you tell us about your early career which led you to becoming the CEO of Women’s Aid?
Prior to working at Women’s Aid, I served on the senior leadership team at Action Aid UK, working to end gender-based violence and ensure women’s economic rights. I have also worked at Bond, the Motor Neurone Disease Association and the Women’s Institute. I was a local authority councillor for almost a decade working on local service provision, health, environment, and accountability.
I’ve always been passionate about women’s rights, and working to end violence against women and children, so I was extremely proud to join Women’s Aid, a feminist and survivor-centered organisation.
GI: How would you describe your career? What would a normal day look like for you?
There is no typical day in my job- and there are never enough hours in the day! I work across a range of issues, which help survivors on their journeys to safety, as well as working towards a future where domestic abuse is completely intolerable. Whether it’s speaking at events, meeting with our amazing member services or campaigning for policy and attitudinal change, survivors’ voices and needs drive everything I do. I’m extremely proud of the power of our federation to work together to achieve real change for women and children. As we head towards Women’s Aid’s 50th birthday in 2024, I’m hopeful of how we can bring people together to reduce the level of domestic abuse in the future, and awareness-raising and myth-busting is a big part of this. We know that by challenging attitudes and educating young people, we can make a positive difference.
GI: What drives you in this line of work?
First and foremost, I’m inspired every day by the survivors we work with: their incredible strength and courage give me the drive to keep going. I’m also motivated by the women I work with at Women’s Aid, including in our local member organisations up and down the country. These hard-working women deliver lifesaving services on a shoestring budget- they run on passion and determination. Their commitment and dedication inspire me to do all I can to help both survivors and the services that support them.
I am a feminist, passionate about women’s rights, and am so proud of our achievements so far at Women’s Aid, but I know there is a long way to go before domestic abuse is intolerable in our society. That in itself drives me to keep going.
GI: You've also worked in many other places in your career - could you explain some of your other roles?
I served on the leadership team at Action Aid, leading on advocacy and influencing. My focus was on ending violence against women and girls in some of the most marginalised communities in the world, including working to end gender-based violence in the work place. At the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association, I advocated for the rights of people with MND, to improve access to provision. My time as councillor in East London gave me a clear understanding of the structural causes of poverty, often compounded by discrimination and poor policy and provision decisions. My career experience has encouraged me to do all I can to achieve real change for women and children.
GI: Specifically, I saw your work in the Czech Republic, could you expand on your work there?
I worked in the Czech Republic as Romany Rights Manager for European Dialogue, focusing on the rights and access to services and opportunities for Romany women. This included delivering European Commission-funded empowerment projects for Romany Women and young people, and working closely with communities to ensure the programmes delivered for Romany women responded to their specific needs, ensuring their voices were fully centred. I also did part of my degree in the Czech Republic, focusing on the rights of Romany women.
GI: You say, and have done a lot of work on women’s rights - is there specific areas you focus on in particular? Why do you think this is an important issue?
Every woman has a right to live a life free of violence and fear. Currently, 1.6 million women in England and Wales experience domestic abuse a year, although that’s only the tip of the iceberg, as not all women report abuse. Domestic abuse is evident in the news every single day- yet it seems to be more of an ‘acceptable’ crime in society. Things must change. We know that misogyny and gender inequality are at the root of all violence against women, which is why changing public attitudes and challenging stereotypical gender roles is so important. Everyone has a role to play in ending domestic abuse and we can all make a difference.
I also advocate for the rights of Black and minoritised women, whose voices are so often not heard. Every survivor faces challenges to reporting abuse and getting justice, but for Black, minoritised and migrant women, the barriers can be so much greater.
GI: What could readers to do campaign and support causes like Women’s Aid, or the WI - or even raise awareness of women’s rights?
You can follow and support Women’s Aid’s social media channels, become a Women’s Aid campaigner or fundraise for the cause. As part of our Come Together to End Domestic Abuse campaign, we suggest five things that everyone can do to help end domestic abuse, which includes ideas like holding a fundraising event, and dispelling sexist myths in your everyday life. You can use your social media to raise awareness of women’s rights, and talk to friends, family and colleagues. Call out sexism when you can. There are so many ways we can all raise awareness.
GI: What would you recommend for people who want to educate themselves more on women's rights?
You can follow women’s rights’ organisations on social media, read the information on their websites and share and support their campaigns.
GI: On Twitter, you say you are passionate about the environment and civic space - could you outline a bit more about what they mean to you?
Just as we all have a responsibility to help end domestic abuse, we all have our part to play in respecting the environment and the world we live in. When it comes to the environment and climate change, the consequences of not taking action to protect them will be devastating, and as ever will be felt most acutely by the poorest, most marginalised people, most of whom are women. Civic space ensures the right to protest and comment, and many of the rights women now have were born of struggle. If individuals and organisations find they are unable to peacefully protest, I believe that compromises our rights and our democracy.
I believe in the principles of sharing of power and accountable collaboration. We all have a responsibility to each other. As a federation of 168 members, at Women’s Aid we know that working together is key to achieving the change we want to see. We regularly collaborate with organisations in our sector, to influence and bring about policy change. We are stronger together, so we must all must play our part.
GI: Do you have any advice for women looking to further careers in any of the jobs you've worked in, or further their activism?
Be ambitious, passionate, be yourself and believe in yourself. Know what drives you and what your mission is. Be bold and humble. Reach out to women in positions you admire and look into mentoring schemes. In terms of activism, I’d say keeping survivors/victims’ voices at the heart of what you do is key- listen to their needs, what matters to them most, and use that to drive your campaigning.
GI: What are some of your proudest accomplishments at Women’s Aid or any other milestones in your career? How about outside of work?
I was immensely proud to join Women’s Aid last year, which involved steering the charity through the unprecedented rise in demand for domestic abuse services presented by the Covid-19 pandemic. It was a challenging time for the sector, but thanks to the hard work, passion and determination of our staff, Women’s Aid transitioned through a period of significant growth. I continue to be proud every day to be part of a feminist organisation dedicated to serving and supporting survivors of domestic abuse. Whether it’s through research, campaigning or the delivery of vital services, our federation is helping to save lives every day. That makes me immensely proud.
I’m also a very proud mum. I want to do all I can to ensure the world is a safer place for all of our children to grow up in.
womensaid.org.uk
Instagram: @womens_aid
Twitter: @FarahNazeer
Photography by Laura Pink
Styling/Direction by Marina Sardanopoli
Fashion by Trace Collective
Article by Chelsea Abbott
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