On Wednesday, USA for UNHCR, Islamic Relief USA and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came together to host the Faith-Bridge Iftar for Displaced Women and Girls, a shared gathering dedicated to standing in solidarity with forcibly displaced women and girls around the world. Held during the holy month of Ramadan, and overlapping with the observance of Lent, the event offered a meaningful space for community building, and a collective commitment to compassion and advancing livelihoods as a pathway to empowerment.
This year’s iftar convened faith leaders, humanitarian agencies, permanent missions and consuls general. Together, they celebrated the efforts of faith-based actors who champion the protection and empowerment of displaced women and girls, ensuring they have access to the resources and opportunities needed to rebuild their lives.
Hosted on the margins of the seventieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the iftar aligned with this year’s global focus on expanding and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls. The faith-inclusive iftar honoring the daily breaking of the fast highlighted the essential role that faith communities play in responding to the urgent needs of women and girls experiencing displacement. Guided by core principles of compassion, justice, and human dignity, faith-based organizations continue to provide culturally sensitive support that strengthens resilience, empowers women and girls, and helps rebuild communities.
“Today, there are over 117 million forcibly displaced people around the globe, the majority of whom are women and children. We are proud to stand alongside our faith-based partners to reflect on and respond to their unique needs, while building opportunities for long-term empowerment. This iftar represents the faith-based community’s continued commitment to refugees at a critical time. USA for UNHCR is proud to have co-convened this event alongside our partners, Islamic Relief USA and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” remarked Suzanne Ehlers, Executive Director and CEO of USA for UNHCR.
Representing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Carol McConkie reflected on the power of faith-based engagement: “Our partnership expands our ability to provide services and be physically present in critical emergencies where people, predominately women and children, are suffering. Through collaboration, we address immediate and long-term needs, providing hope for a life-long future of well-being and opportunity.”
Ahmed Shehata, CEO of Islamic Relief USA, shared, “This week’s Faith-Bridge Iftar for Displaced Women and Girls reminds us that compassion and justice are shared beliefs across faith traditions. Our faiths teach that caring for the vulnerable is not optional. It is a mandate. By bridging together faith communities during Ramadan and Lent and alongside CSW70, we honor the strength of displaced women and girls and renew our collective responsibility to support their resilience and long-term recovery through dignified and innovative solutions.”
The event’s theme came to life through featured handcrafted items from MADE51, a global UNHCR initiative that connects refugees with social enterprise partners to design, produce and market artisanal products around the world. Items are created by displaced artisans, empowering them with sustainable livelihoods while utilizing their heritage craftsmanship. More than 85 percent of MADE51 artisans are women. The initiative is a key example of sustainable programming for refugees globally.
At sunset, the fast was broken, and attendees were reminded of the universal values that unite faith traditions: empathy, solidarity and the obligation to help those in need. The Faith-Bridge Iftar served not only as a communal meal, but also as a collective reaffirmation of the power of faith-inspired action in meeting one of the world’s most urgent humanitarian challenges.
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Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) is a U.S.-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to delivering critical humanitarian aid and development to vulnerable communities both at home and abroad. Established in 1993, IRUSA has worked in over 40 countries and promoted domestic and international programming designed to eliminate poverty and create sustainable solutions to the most challenging humanitarian crises. Driven by our core values, IRUSA provides immediate and long-term health, food security, education, economic empowerment assistance to those who need it most in a dignified and non-discriminatory manner. Through world-class programming, IRUSA strives to promote lasting change and positively transform the lives of those we serve.
For more information, visit https://irusa.org or follow us on X at @islamicrelief