Today, with the French National Order of Merit pinned to my chest, I still see recognition not as an endpoint, but as a call to action
Standing at crossroads of great change is never comfortable and always requires persistence, resilience, and a refusal to accept the status quo. When ATINA was founded more than 22 years ago, I didn’t seek recognition, but rather transformation – the kind that allows women, especially those who’ve survived human trafficking and violence, to reclaim their rights, dignity and power.
Today, with the French National Order of Merit pinned to my chest, I still see recognition not as an endpoint, but as a call to action. It reminds me that the work we do is far from over; that the fight for justice is not one we observe, but one we actively shape. ATINA has always been more than an organisation; it is a movement, a force that defies silence and a home for every woman and girl who needs to feel safe, be heard, and find support.
To understand ATINA is to understand the power of persistence. We’ve worked over the years to create real opportunities for women – beyond temporary relief, beyond shelter, beyond survival. More than a thousand women and girls who’ve survived trafficking and gender-based violence have been part of this journey, each having shaped the organisation as much as it has shaped them. ATINA’s strength comes from this collective fight: from the women who refuse to be defined by their past; from the team that never stops learning and adapting; from every partner who chooses to stand with us.
The women in ATINA’s programmes aren’t merely survivors – they are architects of their own futures. And our role is to stand beside them, to ensure that their voices shape the laws, policies and spaces that determine their rights
Economic independence is at the heart of this change. This belief led us to establish Bagel Bejgl, a social enterprise that’s more than just a bakery. It is a statement. An act of defiance against a system that too often leaves women without options. When someone asks, “What can a bagel do?” we answer, “It can change a life.”
Every bagel sold represents a step towards economic empowerment, breaking cycles of violence and dependency. The women in ATINA’s programmes aren’t merely survivors – they are architects of their own futures. And our role is to stand beside them, to ensure that their voices shape the laws, policies and spaces that determine their rights.
This honour doesn’t belong to me alone. It belongs to ATINA, to every woman and girl who has walked through our doors and reclaimed her power, to every activist who refuses to accept injustice, to every person who believes in action over silence. This is a fight that we take on together.
The world is watching, but watching isn’t enough. Now is the time to act. Whether by supporting organisations like ATINA, standing up for policies that protect women and girls against violence, or choosing to support social businesses like Bagel Bejgl, every action counts.
Change doesn’t come easily, but it does come. It happens when we refuse to accept injustice as being inevitable; when we push back against structures that deny women their rights; when we create spaces where women aren’t statistics, but decision-makers, leaders and changemakers.
ATINA’s journey has always been one of persistence. And today, as we step into the next phase of our work, we invite others to walk with us. Not just to witness change, but to be part of it.
