As a group of qualified immigrant women of African descent, we face difficulties in integrating into the Swiss labor market. This is a challenge especially for people who are not from the European Union or from countries with which Switzerland has agreed to share its labor market and workforce. For women of color, refugees, and immigrants, finding a job in Switzerland is a long, exhausting, and difficult process.

The problem does not end with finding a job, but we encounter many obstacles when it comes to advancing in our careers. A recent study conducted by the Federal Commission against Racism found that black people in Switzerland do not have equal access to public services, housing, employment, or the protection of the judicial system and are often subject to racial profiling by the authorities. This leads to systematically higher unemployment rates, fewer job opportunities, and greater job insecurity.

Based on our experience, we were determined to create a space where we could exchange experiences and share the challenges faced by underserved women in a foreign country, and to equip women with the training and skills that will enable them to reach their full potential.

A call to action

In an effort to change the situation and encourage discussion about women's career advancement and racial injustices, Phenomenal Women Global (PWG) has, in recent years, created safe spaces online & offline for women to connect, and become empowered through leadership development, mentoring, and coaching. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, PWG organized two women's leadership conferences with about 300 participants in Geneva and five similar conferences in Africa and the United States. PWG further organized more than 10 webinars with around 400 online views dedicated to addressing gender and race issues facing women. After having conducted several activities in the past on women's empowerment, PWG will now go one step further at the national and global level by opening a center for phenomenal women.

Phenomenal Women's Hub

The Women's Hub is an innovative cooperation space for constructive discussions on strategies for women advancing in leadership, career, and business. An open space for discussions on gender challenges and discrimination, to raise awareness of the issues, and to advocate for change.

As a social club for independent and creative women, the Women's Hub offers virtual and physical events to promote women's leadership, life skills, and professional development through mentoring and training courses. It also provides a safe space to address issues that affect women, such as racism, career advancement, domestic violence, workplace harassment, and inequality that affects women's personal and professional growth. In addition, a workspace will be made available for women who wish to develop practical/professional skills and generate income, for example in sewing, jewelry making, and art.

The Women's Hub in details

The center will promote the economic development and professional skills of women, especially immigrants and refugees, in order to improve their livelihoods.
Provide a safe space to discuss and seek solutions to gender issues, including racism and discrimination.
Building confidence, life skills and developing women's leadership
Provide access to a network of experienced and like-minded people.
Promote cultural awareness and intercultural exchange.
Empower the Diaspora women to take care of themselves and their families in developing countries.

Due to the current situation of COVID-19, all training and workshops will be held online.

Key activities and impact:

Through online seminars, one-on-one training, and capacity building programs, the center aims to provide more than 40 women with financial and entrepreneurial skills from June to September 2021.
The annual leadership conference in September 2021 will bring together more than 150 women from diverse backgrounds to discuss leadership, entrepreneurship, and career development, as well as social and systemic challenges affecting women, including racism, discrimination, and work-life balance. The conference also provides an opportunity to build confidence and life skills.
After its launch in September 2021, the joint workspace will be accessible to more than 500 women throughout the year.
The aim is to empower 40 refugee and immigrant women and to create a safe space for discussion on the challenges of gender and discrimination.
The Hub will work with organizations that support refugees and women from underserved communities to connect them with experts in 4 vocational and career skills sessions.
In order to promote cultural awareness, the Hub intends to link Swiss women with women from disadvantaged communities through a mentoring program. Initially, 25 mentors and 25 mentees will be trained from January to September 2021.

We need your support:

In order for the PWG to achieve its ambitious goals in helping under-represented women thrive in these uncertain times, we need financial support to cover the cost of facilitators and experts who will deliver a series of training and workshops. Furthermore, we need to cover learning materials and teaching aid for the first group of 30-40 female entrepreneurs. The training and workshops will be conducted by global and local experts with experience in women's issues and women leaders in various fields.

Phenomenal Women Global

We are a small non-profit organization based in Geneva and Uganda. Phenomenal Women Global was founded in 2019 by a group of African women from different professions because of the lack of geographical and gender representation in their organizations. The founders held an informal and constructive discussion on the lack of gender parity and diversity in cooperation and within international organizations, which led to the organization of a leadership conference in Geneva in September 2018 entitled "The Phenomenal Women Conference".

The tailor-made program included accomplished black women leaders who share both inspiring stories and important aspects of leadership. The program incorporated coaching and mentoring as key features. It also provided an opportunity for women of color to share and exchange experiences about the challenges of career advancement and leadership in Switzerland.

With a mission to advance and connect women and girls by supporting their personal and professional growth, developing their leadership skills, mentoring and guiding them, the PWG's vision is to create a world that gives all women and girls equal opportunities in leadership positions and gives them the confidence and skills to determine the course of their lives and reach their full potential.

Women's Hub: A female co-working space for career development and inclusion

Our commitments

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