Joint Statement from YWCA USA and World YWCA on the USA’s Military Strike on Iran

World YWCA and YWCA USA call on the leaders involved in the United States’ military strike on Iran to take immediate steps to stop further harm and escalation. We know firsthand that armed conflict creates a ripple effect of devastation for families – cutting off access to food, healthcare and education, and placing women and children at an even higher risk of violence and exploitation. 

“Initial reports reflect what we know to be true in nearly every armed conflict: women and children bear the heaviest burdens of war,” said Margaret Mitchell, CEO of YWCA USA. “We urgently call for peace-making, diplomacy, and accountability that ensures all people—particularly women and girls—are safe and free from violence.”

Guided by the strength of our collective voices, YWCA USA and World YWCA remain steadfast in working with and for sister organizations around the world to eliminate oppression, seek justice, unleash freedom, preserve dignity, and achieve lasting peace. We cannot accept the alternative.

Within our global YWCA family, war is not an abstraction. It is the thing that already happened to someone you know. The scars it leaves on women and children do not heal on a political timeline. Because of this reality, we call on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and to ensure the protection of civilians, especially women and children.

Casey Harden, World YWCA CEO and General Secretary, affirms: “Any credible path forward must be rooted in explicit and tangible compassion that confronts the realities of conflict and war – without evasion – and advances meaningful, lasting solutions for peace. These solutions must prioritize the lived realities of people and make sure that recovery and security are not reserved for those in positions of power but extend to all.”

For more than 160 years, YWCA USA, World YWCA, our sister YWCA entities and millions of women and girls of all ages worldwide have worked relentlessly to advance human rights. Our commitment is consistent: defend human rights, reject violence, and support pathways to just peace.

We stand in solidarity with people in Iran impacted by repression and insecurity, and we will continue advocating for dignity, justice, and accountability.