What does it really mean to put power in the hands of refugees, and what happens when those closest to a crisis are the ones making decisions?
In this episode of Women’s Refugee Commission Live, WRC President and CEO Dr. Xanthe Scharff speaks with Sana Mustafa, Independent Consultant at Sila Global Consulting, about challenging traditional humanitarian systems, advancing refugee-led leadership, and rethinking who controls resources and decisions.
Drawing on her experiences as a forcibly displaced Syrian woman and her leadership across the refugee rights movement, Sana discusses why organizations closest to humanitarian crises are often the least resourced. She shares how the Resourcing Refugee Leadership Initiative helped demonstrate the value of placing funding decisions in refugees’ hands and how her latest work aims to establish a community-led fund for Southwest Asia and North Africa.
The conversation also turns to Syria following the fall of the Assad regime. Sana reflects on the country's uncertain future, the leadership of Syrian women, and why the historic political transition does not mean it is safe to force displaced Syrians to return.
Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation about who holds power in humanitarian response, what it takes to build lasting change, and why the voices and leadership of displaced communities must remain central to decisions affecting their lives.
In This Episode
- Why refugee-led organizations need greater control over humanitarian funding
- Sana's work to develop a community-led displacement fund for Southwest Asia and North Africa
- How the Resourcing Refugee Leadership Initiative helped advance refugee-led philanthropy
- What community-led funding looks like in practice, from grant applications to governance
- Why conflict and disagreement should be expected in movement building
- Lessons from Sana's leadership at Asylum Access and her efforts to shift institutional power
- How refugee-led movements are changing representation, language, and funding practices
- Why Syria remains unsafe for forced returns following the fall of the Assad regime
- The challenges facing Syrians returning to damaged infrastructure, limited services, and continuing insecurity
- The role of Syrian women in advocating for political representation and accountability
- Why sustained investment in local leadership is essential to lasting humanitarian change
About Sana Mustafa
Sana Mustafa is a feminist human rights activist, movement leader, and independent consultant at Sila Global Consulting. Drawing on her lived experience of forced displacement from Syria, she has helped establish global refugee-led initiatives, including the Global Refugee-led Network and the Resourcing Refugee Leadership Initiative. She previously served as CEO of Asylum Access and Associate Vice President of Philanthropy at the Equality Fund. Her work focuses on shifting power, mobilizing equitable resources, and advancing the leadership of displaced communities.
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About Dr. Xanthe Scharff
Dr. Xanthe Scharff is President and CEO of the Women’s Refugee Commission and host of Women’s Refugee Commission Live.
Connect with Dr. Xanthe Scharff:
Connect with the Women’s Refugee Commission
The Women’s Refugee Commission works to improve the lives and protect the rights of women, children, and youth displaced by conflict and crisis. WRC researches their needs, identifies solutions, and advocates for programs and policies that strengthen resilience and drive change in humanitarian practice.
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What is Women’s Refugee Commission Live?
Women’s Refugee Commission Live (WRC Live) brings you informed conversations about the issues shaping the lives and rights of women, children, and youth displaced by conflict and crisis.
Through conversations with experts, advocates, researchers, and leaders, WRC Live explores humanitarian challenges, emerging issues, research, policy, and the ideas and solutions that can drive meaningful change. Episodes connect what is happening in communities and humanitarian settings around the world with the decisions, systems, and policies that affect displaced people.
Drawing on the Women’s Refugee Commission’s research and advocacy, WRC Live makes complex humanitarian issues accessible while centering the experiences, expertise, and leadership of those closest to them.
Whether you work in humanitarian response, policy, advocacy, research, or simply want to better understand the issues affecting displaced communities, WRC Live offers clear, informed perspectives on the conversations that matter.
Research. Rethink. Resolve.