She Matters Foundation

Potential was never the question. Opportunity is.

Talent, ambition and potential are not defined by where someone comes from. That belief is at the heart of Stichting She Matters, a nonprofit organisation supporting women with refugee or migration backgrounds in the Netherlands.

Talent, ambition and potential are not defined by where someone comes from. That belief drives Stichting She Matters, a nonprofit supporting women with refugee or migration backgrounds in the Netherlands.

We work to expand access to meaningful employment, building on the skills and experiences women already bring and creating opportunities for connection, learning and professional growth.

Our goal is paid, meaningful work that reflects women’s skills and ambitions. Through mentoring, career workshops and professional connections, we help make that work more accessible.

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The challenges

Talent knows no borders.
Opportunity still does.

A woman’s experience doesn’t disappear when she crosses a border. Yet having that experience recognised, finding the right connections and getting a fair opportunity can take more than talent.

A woman’s experience doesn’t disappear when she crosses a border. Yet finding work in the Netherlands can take more than talent.

Every woman brings her own skills, ambitions and circumstances. The challenges below may be part of her experience, but they are never the whole story.

Every woman brings different skills, ambitions and circumstances. These challenges may be part of her experience, but never the whole story.

Experience overlooked

Years of experience should count wherever they were gained. Yet overseas qualifications and careers are not always recognised in the Netherlands, leaving women having to prove skills they already bring.

Experience should count wherever it was gained. Yet overseas qualifications and careers are not always recognised in the Netherlands, leaving women proving skills they already bring.

Networks to rebuild

Professional networks often need rebuilding after arrival in the Netherlands. Learning Dutch and finding out how recruitment works can make accessing the right career opportunities harder, even with valuable experience.

After arriving in the Netherlands, professional networks often need rebuilding. Learning Dutch and navigating unfamiliar recruitment processes can make finding the right opportunities harder.

Unequal access to support

Employment support in the Netherlands can prioritise a male partner’s route into work. A woman’s own ambitions may receive less attention, leaving her without guidance that recognises her individual goals.

Employment support can focus on a male partner’s route into work, leaving a woman’s own ambitions overlooked and her access to individual guidance limited.

Childcare barriers

Dutch lessons, job searching and caring for children are not always easy to combine. Childcare shortages and few relatives nearby can leave women putting their own career plans on hold.

Combining Dutch lessons, job searching and childcare can be difficult. Limited childcare options and few relatives nearby can leave women putting career plans on hold.

Meaningful support starts with listening to each woman, recognising what she brings and understanding what would help her move forward.

Sources and further reading

These sources explore experiences of women with refugee status (statushouders) in the Netherlands. The 2025 KIS monitor also covers family migrants. Findings relate to the groups studied and do not describe every woman’s experience. Sources are in Dutch.

These Dutch-language sources focus on women with refugee status in the Netherlands. The 2025 KIS monitor also covers family migrants. Findings reflect the groups studied, not every woman’s experience.

KIS (2020): Ondersteuning bij de arbeidstoeleiding van vrouwelijke statushouders (PDF)
Qualifications, language, networks and employment support.
Divosa (2025): Rol begeleiding gemeente
How municipal employment support can overlook women’s own goals.
KIS / Verwey-Jonker Instituut (2025): KIS-Monitor Arbeidstoeleiding en Inburgering
Childcare and integration challenges for women with young children.
NIDI (2024): Vrouwelijke statushouders met jonge kinderen komen nauwelijks aan werk toe
Parenthood and entry into paid work among women with refugee status.

Our programmes

Opening doors. Building connections.

Our programmes have explored two connected needs: opening pathways to meaningful work and supporting women as they navigate workplace experiences. Interested in taking part in a future programme? Get in touch to tell us about your interests.

Our programme experience spans preparing for work and navigating the challenges that can follow. Interested in taking part in a future programme? Get in touch to tell us about your interests.

Opening doors

The Lotus Flower Programme

The Lotus Flower Programme brought women and corporate volunteers together through career workshops, mentoring and connections with employers. Past collaborations included Salesforce and Nike, helping women put their existing skills and ambitions into action.

The Lotus Flower Programme brought women and corporate volunteers together through workshops, mentoring and connections with employers. Past collaborations included Salesforce and Nike.

Explore the programme →

Building belonging

On Equal Terms

Starting a job is one step. Feeling confident, connected and respected at work matters too. On Equal Terms grew from listening to women after they entered employment, including women placed through She Matters B.V., and creates space for reflection and shared experience.

On Equal Terms grew from listening to women after they entered employment, including women placed through She Matters B.V. It creates space for reflection, connection and shared experience.

Explore On Equal Terms →

Our impact

Every opportunity has a story behind it.

[Participant story to be added: her ambitions, her experience with a Foundation programme and what happened next.]

Support our mission

Ambition deserves opportunity. Let’s make it happen.

Women bring the talent, experience and determination. Together, we can help make the connections, learning and opportunities they’re looking for more accessible.

Women bring talent, experience and determination. Together, we can make the connections, learning and opportunities they’re looking for more accessible.

Partner with us

Bring your organisation’s funding, expertise and networks into the conversation. Let’s explore how we could work together to connect women’s professional ambitions with meaningful opportunities.

Bring your organisation’s funding, expertise or networks. Let’s explore how we could connect women’s professional ambitions with meaningful opportunities.

Explore a partnership

Make a donation

Help us prepare the Foundation’s next programmes, bringing women together with mentors, practical career support and professional networks. Your contribution can help turn those plans into opportunities.

Help us prepare future programmes connecting women with mentors, career support and professional networks. Your contribution can turn plans into opportunities.

Support our Foundation

Volunteer with us

Have experience to share? Tell us about your skills and interests, from mentoring to facilitating workshops. We’d love to explore where you could contribute as opportunities develop.

Have experience to share? Tell us about your skills, from mentoring to workshops. We’d love to explore how you could contribute as opportunities develop.

Governance and accountability

Transparency is at the heart of our work.

Stichting She Matters is recognised as a Public Benefit Organisation (ANBI) by the Dutch Tax Administration. Find out who oversees our work, how we use our resources and what guides our decisions.

Stichting She Matters is recognised as a Public Benefit Organisation (ANBI) by the Dutch Tax Administration. Explore who oversees our work, how we use resources and what guides our decisions.

Our board

Meet our board and learn about their roles in guiding the Foundation and overseeing its work.

Meet the people guiding the Foundation and overseeing its work.

Meet our board →

Reports and policy

Explore our policy plan, annual reports and financial information to understand our priorities, activities and spending.

Explore our priorities, activities and finances through our policy plan and annual reports.

View reports and policy →

ANBI information

Find our statutory details, charitable objectives and remuneration policy, alongside information about the Foundation’s ANBI recognition.

Find our statutory details, charitable objectives, remuneration policy and ANBI information.

View ANBI information →

With gratitude

The people and partners behind our work.

To everyone who has shared their time, expertise, connections or funding with the Foundation: thank you. You’ve helped bring women, mentors and employers together, making our programmes possible.

To everyone who has shared time, expertise, connections or funding with the Foundation: thank you. You’ve helped bring women, mentors and employers together.