Article

The power of collective action: highlights from our global charity partnership with Women for Women International

The power of collective action: highlights from our global charity partnership with Women for Women International
Published Date
Aug 28 2025
Related people
Image of Kate Cavelle
Kate CavelleGlobal Head of Social Impact, London
Since 2023, A&O Shearman has partnered with Women for Women International to support women survivors in conflict zones, empower displaced women through social and economic training, and help increase women’s access to justice and decision-making.

Through the partnership, the firm, partners, and colleagues have been involved in organizing fundraising events, making donations, volunteering professional skills, or providing pro bono legal support.

GBP1.2 million raised for our global charity partner

Together, we set an ambitious fundraising target of GBP1m and surpassed it, raising a total of GBP1.2m.

  • We contributed GBP425,000 to enroll 500 women in the Stronger Women, Stronger Nations Program in Iraq, supporting them to save money, build businesses, understand their rights, improve their health, and drive societal change.
  • We contributed GBP100,000 to the Conflict Response Fund in Sudan, supporting communities facing one of the most severe humanitarian crises on record.

The first GBP525,000 raised was allocated to designated projects, but we also provided unrestricted funds, allowing Women for Women International to respond flexibly to emerging needs and adapt programs for adolescent girls, where the need was greatest. This approach, though less common in corporate partnerships, has been vital for the charity’s ability to deliver timely and effective support.

“The ability to deploy unrestricted funds where and when they are needed is really critical for our success.”

Everyone’s contribution makes a difference

Over the course of the partnership, 750 colleagues from 39 offices took part in our First Hour, First Day program, where partners and colleagues can opt to donate the equivalent of their first hour or first day’s pay to Women for Women International. Other fundraising initiatives included Steps for Sisterhood, where people got involved in a sponsored run, swim, walk or cycle.

Several members of our team had the opportunity to see the impact of the charity’s work on the ground. In December 2023, six colleagues travelled to Rwanda to get a deeper and first-hand understanding of Women for Women International’s work. A second visit in January 2024 enabled ten more team members to further explore the charity’s social impact initiatives. In November 2024, a team visited Sarajevo, where Women for Women International began its work, learning about its ongoing efforts across Bosnia and Herzegovina and the impact of the Conflict Response Fund.

Our support went beyond fundraising

We’ve contributed over GBP850,000 in pro bono support during the partnership. One project which is currently ongoing is a study of the impact that women’s movements have on international peace agreements. Its purpose is to inform Women for Women International’s strategy with respect to live conflicts and future peace processes. We’re looking at eleven conflicts from the 20th and 21st centuries and analyzing positive impacts resulting from women’s rights organizations and feminist movements’ participation in the peace process.

Earlier on in the partnership, we advised on a piece of policy research covering the international and domestic legal landscape relating to women’s rights, in a key programmatic jurisdiction for Women for Women International. Finally, we’ve also supported on the day-to-day matters that help keep Women for Women International running – for example, providing extra resources to help with employment law and advising on an affiliation agreement relating to the UK tax implications of corporate partnership arrangements.

The success of our collaboration – surpassing our fundraising target, supporting innovative programs, and enabling flexible, needs-driven responses – has helped to demonstrate the power of collective action and the significant impact that can be achieved when individuals and organizations unite behind a shared purpose. By combining fundraising, volunteering, and pro bono expertise, we have not only provided vital resources to women in some of the world’s most challenging environments, but also helped to build stronger, more resilient communities.