Launched in 2021, the Fund has supported feminist groups and women rights organisations in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nepal, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, leveraging a total of £1,568,687 in 98 grants through five grant- making cycles. This has enabled advocacy addressing intersectional issues on gender-based violence, disability rights, LBQ inclusion, climate justice and land rights, women political participation and economic rights, driving transformative change in challenging and constantly shifting contexts across Africa and Asia.

Today, Womankind is launching ‘Resourcing Resistance: an evaluation of the Her Voice Fund’s impact on feminist advocacy (2021-2024)’. This research focuses on the first three cycles of HVF, the distribution of funds across these five countries and the out of cycles grants. It reflects Womankind’s broader approach of intentional commitment to supporting feminist organising in diverse and often challenging contexts.

The evaluation highlights HVF’s timely and transformative role in nurturing feminist advocacy, while identifying critical opportunities to enhance and strengthen its impact and sustainability. For Womankind and its funders, lessons and recommendations provide a clear roadmap to strengthen HVF, ensuring feminist movements thrive in pursuit of equity and justice.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the 80 respondents from 37 Her Voice Fund (HVF) grantees across Ethiopia, Kenya, Nepal, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, who shared their insights and personal narratives with openness and trust. We would like to thank to Isabella Matambanadzo, Esther Svova, Abraham Magoto, and Rungano Muchetu from Balise Consultants for their dedication, care, and thoroughness in conducting this research across all our focus countries and synthesising findings, and to Her Voice Fund Manager, Mercy Otekra, for summarising these for this evaluation.

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After Sunita Foundation’s founder Sunita Danuwar passed away in 2025, Swostika Danuwar is continuing her mother’s legacy of activism. Her story shows the power of intergenerational feminist work.

Sunita Foundation has been supported by Womankind Worldwide’s Her Voice Fund (HVF) since 2023.

HVF provides flexible funding to women’s rights and feminist organisations and activists. With an intersectional focus, the fund supports advocacy efforts to influence policy at local, national, regional and international levels. Launched in 2021, the fund has supported feminist groups and women rights organisations in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nepal, Uganda, and Zimbabwe with a total of £1,568,687 in 98 grants. Sunita Foundation focuses on mental health and psychosocial support for trafficking survivors along with advocacy to end trafficking.

With support from HVF, Sunita Foundation has advocated for policies that facilitate the social and economic integration of survivors while ensuring their mental health needs are prioritised. They are pushing for long-term support systems that include job training and opportunities. Swostika and her team are advocating for trauma-informed care at health centres and making mental health services accessible to survivors in rural and high-risk areas.

HVF gave Sunita Foundation the space to focus on influencing local laws governing reintegration efforts, alongside promoting workshops for officials to enhance their ability to support survivors effectively.  Sunita Foundation align their advocacy with community needs, creating an environment that not only holistically supports survivors to rebuild their lives but addresses systemic barriers for trafficking survivors in Nepal too.

Learn more about Sunita Foundation.

Learn more about Her Voice Fund.

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”Across regions around the world, the use of violence against women and girls in all their diversities, is increasing. It has been used as a tool to silence their voices and stifle their agency, particularly during times of political instability, economic crisis, conflict, displacement and rising authoritarianism. And, in response to feminist organising and resistance.”

The Global Struggle for Gendered Justice and Safety 

In Womankind’s partner countries (Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nepal, Uganda and Zimbabwe), feminist movements are resisting violence that is both state-sanctioned and socially normalised, even as the risks grow. In Kenya for instance, the recent ‘Gen-Z’ protests have been met with escalating police violence, with women protesters facing increased assaults and harassment. These brutal acts not only violate their right to protest but also serve to suppress collective action for justice, silencing the very voices demanding change. According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), reports from the June 2025 protests indicate eight fatalities, and over four hundred casualties, underscoring the deadly toll of state-sanctioned violence on peaceful demonstrations.  

Similarly, in Zimbabwe, feminist movements are also confronting violence and repression from both state forces and societal structures, with crackdowns on women-led civic groups, widespread arrests, and increased surveillance. These actions are part of a broader strategy to suppress women’s voices and movements advocating for gender justice and equality. Womankind partner, Women and Land in Zimbabwe further highlights that these repressive tactics are particularly threatened by patriarchal, gender-blind institutions and policies, compounded by politically controlled spaces that restrict freedom of expression and hinder activism against corruption.  

The Global Pattern of Silencing 

In Nepal and Uganda, feminist activists and women journalists face increasing cyber harassment, digital repression, and surveillance, particularly under restrictive laws. In both countries, online spaces have become battlegrounds where women’s voices are silenced, with state authorities using technology to monitor, intimidate, and threaten those advocating for gender equality and justice. These digital tactics not only curb free expression but also contribute to a wider environment of fear and self-censorship, severely hindering the ability of women to mobilize and speak out.  

Womankind’s policy brief, Disrupting the Continuum of Violence: Combatting Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence, emphasizes that Technology-Facilitated Gender Based Violence (TFGBV) is not only used to attack the character and legitimacy of women. It also perpetuates harmful gendered stereotypes and undermines their participation in public and political life. Further, it highlights how the digital sphere often acts as a precursor, escalating violent behaviours that can lead to fatal outcomes for women. As a result, some women have resorted to avoiding digital platforms entirely for their safety, while others have been forced to abandon their activism and careers due to the relentless abuse they face online.  

Additionally, in Afghanistan and Ethiopia, gender-based violence in conflict and post-conflict settings continues to escalate, with women human rights defenders being specifically targeted for their activism. These systemic acts of violence not only violate fundamental human rights but also aim to silence women’s voices and prevent their active participation in shaping the future of their societies. Maryam Rahmani, Womankind Worldwide Advisor, Afghanistan, affirms that “Since the Taliban’s return to power, Afghan women have faced increasing violence and harsh restrictions, with little or no access to justice or protection. Women human rights defenders are being targeted and silenced simply for raising their voices and demanding the most basic of rights.’’  

These recurring scenarios reflect a global trend in the increasing use of violence, both physical and digital, used to silence women and girls who challenge power and demand justice. 

A Feminist Collective Resistance and Action 

Through a feminist lens, the continued forms of violence against women and girls whether physical, digital, or systemic, are not isolated incidents but part of a continuum that stretches across both private and public spaces. They reflect deeper structural inequalities shaped by patriarchal systems, that are sustained through silencing the voices and agency of women and girls in all their diversities across the world. In light of this, Womankind, together with partners in its focus countries, continues to centre feminist and decolonial principles, supporting women’s rights organisations to challenge unequal power structures, and advocating for long-term, transformative change. We continue to strengthen and facilitate the feminist collective action and cross movement solidarity, in line with Womankind’s 2030 strategy while amplifying their representation, visibility and leadership power. In doing so, we call on all actors committed to gender justice to prioritise feminist, locally led approaches that are grounded in the lived realities and centre the leadership of women and girls. 

”The patterns of violence we see today, from Nairobi to Kabul are not new. Yet women and girls around the world continue to resist, organise, and reimagine a more just future. As Womankind, we recognise that dismantling systemic violence requires collective action, bold leadership, and unwavering solidarity. This is working towards a world where all women and girls in all their diversities can live free from all forms of violence.” 

The post From Nairobi to Kabul: No safe space for women everywhere! appeared first on Womankind Worldwide.

We continue to advocate for flexible funding, but in 2019 we also took the bold decision to create our own flexible funding schemes to channel high quality feminist funding to our partners. In doing this we have learnt from and are grateful to other feminist funders who have led the way – including Mama Cash, African Women’s Development Fund, Global Fund for Women and Foundation for a Just Society.   

What have we learned?  

Coordination is Key

While each of our flexible funds has a dedicated Fund Manager, it’s essential that we meet regularly to plan our grant cycles, align our processes and share learning. This helps ensure clarity and reduce the administrative burden on partners – making our funding more accessible.  

Integrate Feedback

In 2024, Womankind organised our first Flexible Funding Convening in Kenya. The convening brought together grantees of all three funds based in Kenya to envision the utopia of feminist funding, discuss the challenges to feminist movement building and share what they are learning from flexible funding. Grantees provided feedback to Womankind on how we can continue to improve our funding to make it more accessible and responsive to the needs of feminist movements.  

In response to grantee feedback before and during the convening, we’ve rolled out several good practices, such as: 

• Facilitating a Fund Guidelines Webinar prior to each fund opening so applicants can ask questions before taking time to draft their applications.  

• Holding start-up calls with grantees when grants are issued to discuss queries, expectations and reporting requirements.  

• Creating a bespoke due diligence process for grassroots groups which enables them to access funding without formal registration or organisational structures. 

The importance of feminist partnership

Within and beyond our grantmaking, Womankind builds long-term, trust-based relationships with our partners which allows us to provide support and accompaniment in response to the needs they express.  This can range from reviewing their funding applications to other donors and sharing internal policies to sponsoring attendance at global movement building spaces. For example, in December 2024, Womankind supported 16 feminist organisations to attend the 15th Association of Women in Development (AWID) Forum in Bangkok, Thailand.  

Womankind also creates learning spaces for partners to connect, strategise, and build collective power and solidarity within and across movements. We work with our partners to document learning, for example through blogs published on our website. 

The post What have we learnt in six years of feminist grant making?  appeared first on Womankind Worldwide.

Hailed as one of the most promising instruments advancing women’s rights globally, BDfA  (adopted by 189 countries) established commitments towards transforming education, health, violence against women, women and the economy, and political participation. 

Marking its 30-year anniversary in 2025, this year’s sixty ninth session of the Commission of Status of Women (CSW69) from 10-21 March 2025 in New York, will appraise and review BDfA, outlining some of its major achievements, milestones and challenges as the world gears up for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

Womankind Worldwide together with partners will be co-hosting side events focused on Beijing+30 and its vitality towards the feminist movements. From women’s participation in leadership to women’s economic empowerment to ending violence against women and girls, we will reflect on the persistent gender backlash and explore ways in which we will continue to build momentum. 

We invite those attending CSW69 to join us in these sessions being co-hosted with partners and allies. Together, let us hold mutual accountability centering the voices of diverse women and girls to tackle some of the most pressing issues preventing the advancement of women’s rights globally. 

‘‘As we celebrate 30-year’s post Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDfA), we are at a pivotal moment in the journey, where we must refresh and renew our commitment and efforts towards gender equality. While we pause to celebrate the progress and achievements made, we must acknowledge that the path ahead demands renewed commitment, unwavering solidarity, care for self and each other and bold actions towards a world where every woman and girl can fully enjoy their rights and potential.’’ Diana Njuguna, Disha Sughand, Co-CEOs, Womankind Worldwide. 

Session 1: Feminist movements and the Beijing Vision, 30 years later!  

Date: 19 March 2025, 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm, CCUN 2nd  Floor 

Hosts: Womankind Worldwide, Polycom Girls, FEMNET 

About event 

In this event Womankind Worldwide will be launching the BDPfA+30 Review Report which unpacks the progress made 30 years since the adoption of the BDPfA; what has been achieved so far and how women’s rights and feminist organisations can hold their governments accountable to the promises made for gender equality. 

Session 2: Why feminists should lead: A call to accelerate the promise of Beijing+30 

Date: 18 March 2025, 12:30pm-2pm, CCUN 8th Floor 

Hosts: AWESOME Programme and Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) 

About event 

This event will feature a high-level roundtable discussion highlighting learnings from the AWESOME programme focused on the status of women’s participation in leadership across three countries: Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. A policy brief on ending violence against women in politics will also be launched during the event. 

Session 3: Women’s Advocacy for Voice and Empowerment 

Date: 18 March 2025, 2:30pm-4:40pm, CCUN 8th Floor 

Hosts: The Women’s Advocacy for Voice and Empowerment (WAVE) consortium 

About event 

This event will feature a 30-minute screening of a documentary showcasing the experiences of local organisations in grassroots movement building. It will highlight inclusivity, amplify marginalised voices, and strengthened advocacy through intergenerational leadership, well-being in activism, and intersectional advocacy in a homophobic, patriarchal, and repressive Uganda. There will also be a 40-minute plenary session on navigating programming with limited funding.  

ENDS: Womankind takes collective action alongside women’s rights organisations, feminist movements and activists in Eastern and Southern Africa and South Asia. We support diverse women’s rights organisations, representing the most marginalised groups – including LBTQI+, women with disabilities, young women, Indigenous women and women in the criminal justice system – to challenge inequality, at home, in communities and the workplace. We fund and strengthen these movements and advocate for change alongside them. 

The post Commemorating Beijing+30: progress and milestones in gender equality appeared first on Womankind Worldwide.

Key take aways

The book shares tips from feminist activists on how anyone can take small but powerful action through daily acts of everyday feminism to support social justice. 

They share their real experiences as grassroots campaigners, fighting for gender equality in the face of political unrest.   

With a free digital edition available to all, Womankind Worldwide – the UK’s largest feminist organisation – wants to show we all have the power to bring meaningful change this IWD. 

London, 6th March 2025 – In celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025, Womankind Worldwide – the UK’s largest feminist organisation – is launching Everyday Feminism: The Anthology, a powerful collection of short stories from feminist activists across the globe. 

Alongside emotive real-world experiences, each contributor offers their top tip for how everyone can be a  feminist, everyday.  

The digital book, which will be available free of charge and accessible to all here, aims to inspire action in the fight for gender equality this IWD.   

Why it matters  

Feminism faces growing resistance as the global political landscape continues to shift.  

Fewer than one in five young women now identify as feminists (Fawcett Society) and 16% of young men believe it has done more harm than good (Kings College London). With gender parity now projected to take until 2158 (World Economic Forum), action is urgently needed.  

Storytelling has always been at the heart of social change, amplifying the voices of those demanding justice to inspire action. Everyday Feminism: The Anthology acts both as an archive of feminist contributions and a practical guide – showing that feminism isn’t just about policies and protests, but about everyday choices that create lasting impact.  

By spotlighting ten extraordinary feminist leaders, it aims to cut through the noise around feminism with a powerful, simple call to action: small, daily acts of feminism can build a movement and accelerate change. 

10 ways to be an everyday feminist 

The book profiles feminist leaders from Womankind’s global partner network who work on the front-line tackling gender-based violence, advocating for women’s leadership, defending land rights and ensuring access to education and economic opportunities. 

For example, readers hear from Editar Ochieng, a survivor of gender-based violence in Kenya and leader of the  Feminist for Peace, Rights, and Justice Centre (FPRJC), who tells us about how she fought for her right to be heard for years. Today, she leads providing safe spaces for survivors and challenging harmful systems that silence women. “I am an everyday feminist because I speak out, even when it’s dangerous” she says. “And I want every woman to know she can, too.” 

Each of the featured activists shares a top tip on how readers can incorporate feminism into their everyday life.  

They are:  

• Be open-minded – challenge preconceived ideas about power and gender roles every day. (Editar Ochieng, FPRJC) 
• Lead with kindness – approach feminism with love and empathy. (Sakhile Sifelani-Ngoma, WiPSU) 
• Speak out – use your voice to raise awareness and include all women. (Gloria Mutyaba, FARUG) 
• Be curious – read, listen, and learn about feminism’s history and impact. (Maryam Rahmani, Womankind Worldwide) 
• Start small – everyday feminism can be as simple as calling out disparities. (Anne Agar, Polycom Girls) 
• Shift perspectives – feminism is not an elite idea—it’s part of daily life. (Lily Thapa, WHR) 
• Consider local context – understand specific challenges women face in different regions. (Thandiwe Chidavarume, Women and Land in Zimbabwe) 
• Listen and learn – follow feminist voices on social media; take their insights and engage in conversations, digitally or in real life. (Dibabe Bacha, EWDNA) 
• Make it fun – connect feminism to art, media, and culture. (Srilatha Batliwala, Feminist Grandmother) 
• Fuel your passion – let injustice drive your motivation for change. (Dinah MusindarwezoPan-African Feminist) 
• Join the movement with one small action today  

 This IWD, Womankind Worldwide is calling on everyone to join the everyday feminism movement as part of its mission to create a world where all women, girls and people of all genders enjoy equal rights and freedoms. Whether it’s speaking up in daily conversations, supporting women-led businesses, advocating for fair policies, or educating oneself about gender inequality, every action matters and is achievable in everyday life.  

Disha Sughand, Co-CEO at Womankind Worldwide, comments: 

“The world is on the precipice of a major gender equality step-back. From the rollback of reproductive freedoms in the U.S, to the erasure of women’s rights in Afghanistan, progress is stalling. In some places, it’s reversing. Sadly, at this rate, full gender equality is over a century away. That’s why International Women’s Day this year must be a rallying call for action, as well as a celebration of all the progress we have made. Womankind’s Anthology has been created as part of this fight, calling on everyone, everywhere, to take action, no matter how small. And equipping them with easy tips to help them do so.” 

You can download the free digital copy of the Anthology of Everyday Feminism here. 

ENDS

About Womankind Worldwide 

Womankind Worldwide is an international women’s rights organisation and funder, working with women’s rights groups and feminist movements across the world to end gender inequality. We take collective action alongside women’s rights organisations, feminist movements and activists in Eastern and Southern Africa and South Asia. We support them to challenge inequality at home, in communities and the workplace. We fund and strengthen these movements and advocate for change alongside them. 

Meet the Feminists 

Everyday Feminism: The Anthology spotlights ten feminist leaders advocating for gender equality across the globe. From Editar Ochieng in Kenya, who provides safe spaces for survivors of gender-based violence, to Gloria Mutyaba in Uganda, who fights for LGBTQI+ women’s rights. Lily Thapa in Nepal and Thandiwe Chidavarume in Zimbabwe are securing economic and land rights for women, while Dibabe Bacha in Ethiopia ensures women with disabilities have a voice in feminist movements. The anthology also features Sakhile Sifelani-Ngoma, championing women in politics, and Maryam Rahmani and Dinah Musindarwezo, who work to strengthen feminist movements across Africa and South Asia. Finally, Srilatha Batliwala, a longtime activist and scholar, reminds us that feminism is built on collective action. Together, these leaders prove that everyday feminism is a movement shaped by those who refuse to accept inequality. 

Further information about the authors in the book is available upon request.  

Contact 

Sally Gift, Communications Manager at Womankind Worldwide 

sallyg@womankind.org.uk 

Hannah Moore, Senior Account Manager at Woodrow 

h.moore@woodrowcommunications.com 

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As we approach to the 30th anniversary during the 69th session of the  Commission of Status of Women to be held between 11-22 March 2025 in New York, it is a crucial moment for reflection, rejuvenation and action. Having different stakeholders from across the globe, leaders, human rights activists, feminist activists, policy makers. This momentum gives us a platform to celebrate the achievements and progress of 30 years, reflect on the pushback and changes that are happening every day that risk the progress, refresh our energies and  chart the collective way forward towards gender equality.  

”As Womankind Worldwide, our vision is to see ‘a world where all women, girls and people of all genders enjoy equal rights and freedoms and live with joy, choice and dignity.’ The commitments under the Beijing Platform for Action guide our efforts and remain our blueprint, with our focus and commitments on advancing women’s economic rights, ending violence against women and girls and advocating for women’s participation in leadership. It is undeniable that in the three decades we have witnessed significant achievements in advancing gender equality.”

Some of these milestones include increase in women’s representation in political leadership from  Presidents to Prime Ministers to various political leadership seats,  across various countries in the world. In ending violence against women and girls (VAWG)we have seen wins and shifts in legal frameworks and structural changes protecting women’s rights, cultural and mental model shifts, institutional systems supporting this process. One notable achievement is the recent adoption of the African Union (AU) Convention on VAWG, a major milestone in the commitment of African states to protect women and girls from violence, alongside cultural and mental model shifts and the strengthening of institutional systems to support these efforts.

In economic rights, there has been a growing recognition of women’s economic contributions and an increase in women taking up leadership positions. As we celebrate these wins, there remains serious drawback that persist and new threats that continue to emerge. It is undeniable that there is a global regression in women’s rights.

Furthermore, the United Nations has faced increasing challenges in upholding commitments to women’s rights and gender equality through the various resolutions and conventions. The continued threats in reduction in funding for women’s rights organisations which barely stands at less than 1 per cent, the heightened right wing global shift in governance further reducing the civic space and with the surge in technology access and its weaponisation through technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Addressing this growing challenge demands urgent innovation in policy and legislation to safeguard individuals’ digital rights and protect them from violence both online and offline 

While recognition of women’s economic contributions has increased, the gender pay gap continues to persist with  disproportionate unpaid care responsibilities. Though in the 30 years, more women now hold political office, many women political leaders continue to face harassment, discrimination, and hindrance to meaningful participation. 

The Beijing+30 platform presents a crucial opportunity to regroup, reflect and re-strategize the approach to the commitment towards gender equality. We should look towards the future we all want to see through making action-based commitments such as: 

• Ensuring we are shifting our funding models and practices to increase the access to more sustainable funding for women’s rights organizations that is flexible and gives room from adaptation to the ever-changing contexts; 

• Growing a stronger inter-generational feminist movement which promotes learning, succession planning, collective healing and care and action; 

• Sustaining and pushing forward our commitments around decolonisation of the development principles and practices and continuing to advocate for local led and local driven interventions for sustainability; 

• Working towards strengthening the structures to support women to have meaningful participation in decision-making at all levels; 

• Strengthening the international approach to combat gender-based violence; 

• Strengthening the implementation of legislation, policies and mechanisms that are supporting the commitments towards gender equality; 

• Having mechanisms that allow us to learn and continue to address emerging challenges such as digital rights and justice;  

The path to gender equality depends on our ability to learn from the past while boldly imagining and working toward a more equitable world.  

The post Beijing+30: Hopes for a Feminist Future appeared first on Womankind Worldwide.

‘’People have their own solutions more often than we want to accept’’.

During recent visits to our partner organisations in Uganda and Kenya, the continuous standing agenda was the need for flexible funding. The rigid funding structures often fail to address rapidly changing needs and contexts. Most countries in the majority world are facing different changing needs such as: 

• Structural changes through policies and laws that are regressing gender equality. 

• Slowing down in transformational and relational change within communities due to heightened patriarchy norms and values being reenergized socially. 

• Increase in poverty levels and reduced access to basic needs which affects the whole communities and even more deeply women and girls. 

Topped off with the rise of far-right movements globally, this adds another layer of urgency to this conversation. The shifts present new challenges to civil society organizations and movements that risk heightening the vulnerability and stripping of dignity of rightsholders 

Our partners consistently emphasized how predetermined restrictions can limit their ability to respond to emerging challenges effectively. With a continuous conversation centred around localisation agenda, sharing and shifting of power, here are some considerations: 

• Local organisations require substantial autonomy and discretionary power to redirect and reallocate resources based on evolving local needs, community priorities, and ground realities. 

• Swift, adaptive responses and innovative problem-solving approaches become particularly essential during periods of political transition, social upheaval, or community and structural transformation. 

• Traditional grant structures and conventional funding frameworks often prove inadequate in addressing unexpected challenges or capitalizing on emerging opportunities in our rapidly evolving global landscape. 

• Organisations must maintain sufficient operational flexibility to effectively protect and continue serving populations, especially when political and social circumstances begin to deteriorate unexpectedly. 

• Unforeseen security concerns and emerging threats may necessitate immediate and strategic reallocation of resources to ensure both program continuity and staff safety. 

As responsible donors and funding organisations committed to maximizing impact, we should carefully consider implementing these essential recommendations. First, substantially increasing unrestricted funding allocations enables greater operational flexibility and responsive programming. 

Secondly, establishing robust and accessible rapid response mechanisms designed specifically is essential for addressing emergencies and supporting necessary programmatic adaptations. 

Thirdly, simplifying grant modification processes through the implementation of trust-based approval systems is an emerging approach in flexible funding.

Lastly, cultivating and maintaining long-term, trust-based relationships with implementing partners with a sustainability lens is the future of transformative grant making. 

”The evidence continuously demonstrates that flexible funding isn’t just beneficial – it’s essential for organizational survival and impact. This is a rallying call to all funder/philanthropists, donors and givers as we all go into a season of reflections, consultations and rethinking our models to test or partner with organizations such as Womankind Worldwide that has been implementing the trust-based model through flexible funds. As we navigate increasingly complex global challenges, our funding approaches must evolve to become more adaptable and responsive to real-world needs.”

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It is alarming to envision a world where social justice is upheld for the most marginalized and oppressed in society – solely through political goodwill. Unfortunately, this is quickly becoming the prevalent trend, globally with world leaders seemingly ‘ignoring’ international human rights and normative standards.  

I recount previous incidents such as the Israel and Gaza conflict where Israel was asked by the International Court of Justice to stop killing Palestinians (my own views) – they did not. A ceasefire deal was reached but before the ink dried, there were reports of 82 people killed in Gaza by Israeli forces. As at now it all seems quiet, with the ceasefire agreement being upheld and Hamas releasing Israeli captives. From the civil conflict in Sudan, to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, to the proliferation of Congo and mass genocide of its people for resources and Myanmar; the world is bleeding and applying pressure doesn’t seem to be stopping the bleeding. 

Reversed human rights gains 

As 2025 begins President Trump is back in power. His inauguration speech was an emphasis of his revamped campaign manifesto. First on the list, was exerting a new immigration policy closing the southern border with Southern America. Among many other assertions and consequently executive orders – we’re witnessing the establishment of a colorblind America. The 47th president of the United States of America said, “I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life.    (Applause) we will forge a society that is colorblind, and merit based.”  

He has called for the creation of a merit-based society that is colorblind without the acknowledgement and recognition of systemic racism still deeply entrenched  in both public and private institutions. This could potentially be a catalyst to further exacerbate institutionalised racism and prejudice of historically marginalised and oppressed persons, across the strata of the social fabric in USA and ultimately, globally. As we all know, when America sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold.  

Currently, an executive directive has been put in place discontinuing Diversity Equality and Inclusion (DEI) as established in policy framework at the federal level. Government staff employed as part of DEI policies have been put on paid administrative leave. Multinational corporations based in the USA have also promptly followed suit.  

This directive is a continuation of the Trump led administration’s efforts during his first tenure as president, that was swiftly rescinded by the Biden administration and now is back in full force. The Supreme Court has also been a catalyst to the current state of affairs. In June 2023, a largely conservative US Supreme Court voted 6-3 in a decision that significantly changed the way colleges and universities used affirmative action in their admissions.  The targets of the lawsuit were Harvard University and University of North Carolina for alleged racial discrimination in admissions. Even though the decision didn’t mention the workplace, private employers stopped their commitments towards DEI. This entire directive will have far-reaching implications on addressing institutional and structural systems of oppression deeply embedded in societies such as America.  

Halt to global health programmes 

Additionally, as was with his first term President Trump and his administration have continued their onslaught on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Amendments and the canceling of grant contracts under USAID have been effected. USAID grantees around the world working on ‘contentious’ SRHR aspects have been cut off and surprisingly this has included halting funds supporting the supply of HIV, Malaria, TB and medical supplies. 

There is much that is happening and definitely more to come in the first 100 days of the second tenure in office for President Trump.  

It is pertinent that feminist funders, donors, other bi-lateral donors, philanthropists, private foundations and trusts rally at double the speed to cover the gaps that these changes and those to come will create. Never has there been a better time for flexible and unrestricted funding such as this. Furthermore, this may be the new norm regardless of political change across the minority or even the majority world.  

We all need to practice our resilience praxis and we must fortify our accountability mechanisms globally to ensure regime changes have a minimal effect on the human rights and dignity of life of the oppressed, marginalized and vulnerable. This is too much power assumed by political figures, yet it has long been established that the people hold the power, not the political machinery. 

Lastly, we must break out of the cycle of regurgitating political leaders who have a clear track record in clawing back on established human rights-based approaches and normative standards anchored in international law. There is nothing new with Trump’s measures and his administration’s mode of operation. We saw it all during his first term and now we are enduring accelerated efforts from that first time. It is pertinent that we swiftly and urgently develop global and localized mechanisms that counter misinformation and disinformation in the electoral process. 

Linda Kroeger is a human rights lawyer and pan-African feminist passionate about women’s rights and gender equality. She’s a Policy and Advocacy Manager, Women’s Participation and Leadership at Womankind Worldwide.

The post Do the people hold power? appeared first on Womankind Worldwide.

For those of you attending the forum in person and virtually, we’re hosting and co-organising two events. We can’t wait to connect with you there, here’s all the information on what to expect and where to find us. 

Resourcing the Revolution – how flexible funding leads to autonomous voices

Hosted by: Womankind Worldwide 

When: Tuesday 3rd December 2024, 1pm – 2pm ICT (Bangkok) 9am EAT, 6am GMT (London) 8am CAT (Harare) 11.45am NPT (Kathmandu) 10.30am AFT (Kabul) 

Where: Virtual (for those registered for the AWID Forum) 

Women’s rights organisations feminist movements, especially in the global south, often lack adequate, flexible, and timely resources to lead the change they are best suited to drive.  

Flexible funds contribute towards bolstering autonomous feminist voices at the heart of feminist movements. This is why, Womankind has created three dynamic feminist funding streams that provide women’s rights organisations and feminist movements with what they critically need – funds to nurture new and diverse feminist voices and political awareness. These streams fund feminist movements and women’s rights organisations to engage in movement strengthening; take advantage of strategic advocacy opportunities at local, national, regional and global levels; and cover the core costs of their work – often overlooked and under-resourced but vital to their work and survival.  

Join us for a realistic and intersectional discourse on how flexible funds contribute to amplifying autonomous feminist voices.  

Womankind will be joined by speakers from grantee organisations of our funds: Her Voice Fund, Movement Strengthening Fund and Strategic Grants – Sunita Foundation, Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG), Synergy for Action Ethiopia (SAFE), Young Women Leadership Institute (YWLI), Mitini Nepal, Ethiopian Women with Disabilities National Association (EWDNA), Femprist. 

Together, we will share insights and key learnings on flexibility from experiences with these funds. Partners will also delve into a rich and insightful discussion on the findings and recommendations from an upcoming research report on Her Voice Fund.  

How corporations are trying to take over feminist spaces and other myths

Hosted by: The Feminists for a Binding Treaty coalition – along with other members, Womankind is co-organising and participating as part of this coalition 

When: Tuesday 3 December, 2.30-3.15pm ICT (Bangkok)  

Where: Room 110B, in person. 

Corporate Capture is how an economic elite undermines the realisation of human rights and the environment by exerting undue influence over decision-makers and public institutions.  

This workshop commemorates almost 10 years of campaigning for corporate accountability. We aim to to identify synergies among diverse feminist movements, women from affected communities, and ideas, to mobilize and stop corporate capture in the process towards a Treaty to stop corporate harms.  

Together, we will understand corporate capture from a feminist perspective from the advocacy experience of the Feminists for a Binding Treaty coalition while calling for new gender equality advocates to join forces to shift power to the people and movements.  

Feminists from across the world will discuss these topics in groups with designated speakers presenting to the group and reflections from a panel of experts. We finish with a Q&A and brainstorm of ideas with findings being taken to the UN Binding Treaty session. 

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Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) manifests in various forms, including cyberstalking, defamation, doxing, harassment, revenge porn and online abuse. Like offline forms of GBV, TFGBV is deeply linked to broader social perpetuates harmful stereotypes, cultural and social norms, and patterns of toxic masculinity that discriminate against women and girls, including those with intersecting marginalised identities. 

The Rise and Rise of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence  

According to the Institute of International Development, between 16-58 per cent of women and girls in all their diversities, have experienced TFGBV. This staggering statistic underscores the widespread and growing threat of digital abuse, affecting women and girls globally, across age, race, or socio-economic backgrounds. The wide variance in the statistic also highlights systemic challenges in reporting, reflecting persistent and the underreporting due to stigma, fear of retaliation lack of awareness about reporting mechanisms, and inadequate legal frameworks.  

UN Women reports that current laws, policies, and frameworks designed to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls (VAWG) have not kept pace with technological advancements. Significant gaps remain in understanding and developing effective strategies for preventing TFGBV, which are critical for shaping evidence-based prevention and response interventions. 

The Dark Side of Artificial Intelligence 

New forms of technology such as Artificial intelligence (AI) continue to facilitate VAWG by enabling the creation of harmful content, such as deepfakes and data privacy violations, while also amplifying online harassment through automated bots. These technologies allow perpetrators to easily spread misogynistic material, impersonate victims, and create false narratives that damage reputations and mental health. A study by Rutgers indicates that AI-driven algorithms on social media platforms disproportionately target women and girls in all their diversities, as well as gender and women’s rights defenders, feminists, activists, and those affiliated with organizations tackling gender-based discrimination.  

This risk is further amplified by the visibility of women in public facing roles such as politicians, whose online presence makes them particularly vulnerable to abuse. Research by the Institute of Global Politics, highlights the consequences of being targeted by TFGBV often aims to silence these voices, forcing individuals to reduce their online presence, curtail their digital engagement or prematurely abandon public leadership roles. The sophisticated manipulation enabled by AI makes these attacks more persistent and difficult to detect. 

 Femicide the Global Epidemic 

In many cases, digital harassment and surveillance can escalate into physical violence, contributing to the global femicide crisis. An article by ICJ Kenya reports that dating platforms have not only fostered a culture of victim-blaming and shaming but have become dangerous tools for exploitation. These platforms are increasingly used to manipulate and lure potential victims, facilitating in-person physical and sexual assaults. The negative perception of dating apps has intensified VAWG, creating a dangerous environment where victims are less likely to report incidents, fearing stigmatisation or disbelief.  

Call to Action 

During this year’s 16 Days of Activism, it is crucial to address the root causes of TFGBV and take immediate, coordinated action to combat this widespread violence, ensuring the safety, dignity, and protection of the rights of all women and girls in all their diversities. In line with these efforts, Womankind is launching a Policy Brief on Technology-Facilitated GBV, which highlights the urgent need to tackle its root causes and impacts. The policy brief calls for an immediate, coordinated action, stressing that a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach involving key stakeholders is essential to ending TFGBV and creating sustainable change: 

• Governments must review, update and enforce laws that specifically address digital violence against women and girls, holding digital platforms accountable for user safety. Governments must invest in prevention efforts, such as digital literacy programs for women, girls, and communities to navigate online spaces safely, while supporting community-led action, advocacy, and activism, and training law enforcement in survivor-centred responses to combat TFGBV. Furthermore, criminalizing online and offline misogyny and violence is essential to establish legal consequences for perpetrators of GBV.  
• Tech companies must prioritize the developing of AI-driven tools to detect and prevent online abuse collaborating closely with experts in GBV prevention. 
• Civil society organizations, women’s rights organizations as well as feminists and individual activists, must continue to advocate for stronger protections and support systems for women, especially those who are publicly visible or in positions of leadership.  
• Research requires urgent investment. Policymakers, Big Tech companies, and advocacy organizations must conduct comprehensive interdisciplinary research to understand the scale, forms, impacts and prevention strategies for TFGBV.  
• Public awareness must be prioritised through targeted digital literacy education programmes and advocacy. This is by engaging diverse groups including young people, parents, educators, and digital platform users, to foster a culture of respect, accountability, and safety in the digital world.  
• Community Organizing must be integrated into practical guidance that speaks directly to women’s lived experiences, addressing the specific issues they face. Through community organizing, this guidance becomes more accessible and actionable, reaching women and girls in all their diversities. By fostering grassroots efforts, we can transform online safety advice into targeted, community-based support that empowers women and girls to understand, apply, and advocate for their own online safety. 

The time is now to create policies and digital spaces that truly protect women and girls in all their diversities from TFGBV fostering an equitable digital environment.  

Jill Anami is the interim Policy and Advocacy Manager, Ending Violence Against Women and Girls, Womankind Worldwide. 

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The convening offered an opportunity for Womankind staff and partners to build relationships, deepen our shared feminist networks and movements, share knowledge and experiences, and of course celebrate our work through feminist joy.  

Participants discussed the challenges to feminist movement building, what we are learning from flexible funding and our aspirations for the future of feminist funding. Participants shared their advocacy initiatives that have enabled them to address urgent issues, sustain long-term strategies, and respond effectively to changing social and political landscapes. They also provided essential feedback to Womankind on how we can continue to improve our funding to make it more accessible and responsive to the needs of feminist organisations and movements. We met with over 16 representatives from a range of intersectional feminist organisations to unpack their experiences of flexible funding in partnership with Womankind Worldwide.  

Key Learnings

• Wellbeing must be centered in advocacy funding. Partners and informal groups emphasised a need to ensure passion is fostered in grassroots advocacy, not only through financial investments but by centering collective and individual wellbeing as part of this process.  

• Womankind partners and informal groups emphasised the importance of providing long-term funding to sustain their advocacy and movement work.

Feminist movements are facing unprecedented challenges. Well-funded and politically connected anti-rights groups are undermining progress on gender equality and infiltrating institutions. Additional funding is urgently needed to shore up women’s rights organisations and prevent further backsliding. 

Feminist movements have diverse values and priorities and often must compete for limited resources and political space. This can exacerbate exclusion and lead to the further marginalisation of certain groups, including youth, Disabled women, LBTQ+ folks and those living at the intersection of these identities.  

Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) face significant risks in both the personal and private spheres. Their security must be ensured and prioritised at home, in public spaces, and online, including through proper consent for how their data is used and by whom.  

Feminist movements are confronting and responding to these challenges. They are exploring and implementing alternative organising models and structures.. They are fostering transformative change by introducing inclusive decision making, new leadership models, decolonising feminist spaces andcentring afro-feminism. and focusing on those things that bring movements and communities together around shared values and goals to collaborate more effectively. 

Movements are also prioritising the safety, security and wellbeing of WHRDs by developing policies and systems to address these needs, including around self and collective care. 

Key Recommendations

Flexible funding is essential to strong, sustainable feminist movements. Partners and grantees emphasised the importance of Womankind’s flexible funds, but also shared the challenges they have faced implementing these grants and made recommendations for how they can be improved. Some of the key recommendations that Womankind will be taking forward include: 

• More notice of funding windows and longer application timelines to ensure that partners have sufficient time to think about what they want to fund and put together relevant applications. 

• Longer implementation cycles to ensure they have time to generate impact with the funds received. 

• Facilitation of network-building with other funders so partners can create direct access and develop donor relationships. 

• Partners and grantees also emphasised that more flexible funding is needed to sustain and scale up their work around advocacy, movement-building and the sustainability of their organisations through core grants. 

Why does Womankind provide  flexible feminist funding?

With nearly four decades of experience working with women’s rights organisations and movements, we know that  flexible funding is essential for advancing gender equality.  Unlike traditional funding models, which often come with restrictive contractual conditions and extensive reporting requirements, feminist funding trusts local women’s rights organisations to allocate resources where they are needed most, responding swiftly to shifting political, legal and  social challenges. This model of funding provides resources for collaboration with  grassroots groups to strengthen  their work, implement innovative solutions that address the root causes of gender inequality and ultimately, build and sustain strong and diverse feminist movements. 

Womankind recognises that local activists and organisations are the experts on their contexts and have the solutions to the challenges they face. By offering flexible funds, Womankind strengthens the feminist movement globally, allowing women and marginalised groups to drive transformative change.  

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