Mission: To use film to drive social change that globally advances girls’ and women’s rights.

About the organization: Founded in 2010 by philanthropist Leslie J. Sacks, Women’s Voices Now (WVN) envisions a global culture shift powered by impact film, in which communities and institutions believe in the value of gender equality and adapt their behaviors and actions to support the systematic advancement of girls and women’s rights. To that end, it organizes an annual international, women’s rights documentary  film festival; hosts an free online collection of  films with local and global screenings; the Women Making Waves blog; and a youth development program, Girls’ Voices Now. Its programs serve to amplify the voices of all women by empowering filmmakers, producing social-change films, and engaging audience members to advocate for girls and women. In addition, Women’s Voices Now holds special consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and its work is internationally recognized as impacting six of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Current programs: Women’s Voices Now believes film is a powerful tool with unique abilities like easy access and wide reach that can shape and normalize representations, raise awareness, and generate empathy. As such, its film festival promotes emerging women filmmakers who produce social-change films to advocate for women’s and girls’ rights worldwide. It provides these emerging filmmakers with visibility and access to a global platform where they can share essential, authentic stories with international audiences, receive financial support through the opportunity to win cash prize awards (totaling $13,000) to invest in their next film project, and gain access to networks to connect and increase access to film industry professionals. Through its Girls’ Voices Now youth development program, youth from low-income and arts under-resourced communities are empowered to find, develop, and use their voices for social change through filmmaking. In addition, the Voices for Change Film Collection is a free online collection of films about women that raises awareness of the struggles and triumphs of women and girls around the globe that features more than 200 films from 67 countries in more than 44 languages that tells these stories—in many instances through the lens of female filmmakers.

Website: WVN’s programs and, especially, its Film Collection, are a core part of the website as it drives the organization’s mission home about using film for social change that advances girls’ and women’s rights globally. Visitors can browse all films and festival winners, and filmmakers can access resources and find out how to submit films. The site provides information on hosting a screening; access to The Women Making Waves Blog, the organization’s digital publication; where to find upcoming events; how to get involved; where to donate, and sign up for WVN’s newsletter.

Funding: Women’s Voices Now is supported by individuals, foundations, and program services.