Priority Areas

Supporting feminist, women’s rights and gender justice movements to thrive, to be a driving force in challenging systems of oppression, and to co-create feminist realities.

Resourcing Feminist Movements

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Around the world, feminist, women’s rights, and allied movements are confronting power and reimagining a politics of liberation. The contributions that fuel this work come in many forms, from financial and political resources to daily acts of resistance and survival.


AWID’s Resourcing Feminist Movements (RFM) Initiative shines a light on the current funding ecosystem, which range from self-generated models of resourcing to more formal funding streams.

Through our research and analysis, we examine how funding practices can better serve our movements. We critically explore the contradictions in “funding” social transformation, especially in the face of increasing political repression, anti-rights agendas, and rising corporate power. Above all, we build collective strategies that support thriving, robust, and resilient movements.


Our Actions

Recognizing the richness of our movements and responding to the current moment, we:

  • Create and amplify alternatives: We amplify funding practices that center activists’ own priorities and engage a diverse range of funders and activists in crafting new, dynamic models  for resourcing feminist movements, particularly in the context of closing civil society space.

  • Build knowledge: We explore, exchange, and strengthen knowledge about how movements are attracting, organizing, and using the resources they need to accomplish meaningful change.

  • Advocate: We work in partnerships, such as the Count Me In! Consortium, to influence funding agendas and open space for feminist movements to be in direct dialogue to shift power and money.

Related Content

Snippet - WITM To share - AR

لمشاركة تجاربكم/ن المعاشة بما يتعلق بتمويل منظمتكم/ن

Do You Want To Organize Your Own Festival?

Do You Want To Organize Your Own Festival?

Check Out our Super Short Guide To Organising Global Feminist Festivals And Online Events!

Download here

Snippet - WITM Start the survey 1 - AR

 

لتعبئة الاستطلاع

Globe

الاستطلاع متاح باللغات العربية، الإنجليزية، الفرنسية، البرتغالية، الروسية والاسبانية!

Snippet FEA Housing is a right (EN)

Three-fold horizontal graphic: 1st of a brown-skinned woman on the right side, she is sitting on a pink carpet and is wearing a pink shirt and yellow dress; 2nd two women of color looking at each other and touching their shoulders, they are on a pink background; 3rd - graphic version of three women cooking.

Housing is a right | Care sustains Life

Snippet - WITM Our objectives - RU

Задачи исследования «Где деньги?»:

1

Предоставить членам AWID, партнерам и донорам обновленный, мощный, основанный на фактических данных и ориентированный на конкретные действия анализ ресурсных реалий феминистских движений, а также текущего состояния экосистемы финансирования феминистских инициатив.

2

Выявить и продемонстрировать возможности для увеличения и улучшения финансирования феминистских организаций, выявить ошибочные решения и препятствовать тенденциям, приводящим к нехватке финансирования и/или противоречащим гендерной справедливости и межсекторальным феминистским повесткам.

3

Сформулировать феминистское видение, предложения и программы по обеспечению ресурсами.

Пройти опрос!

لماذا عليّ أن أفكر بتعبئة الاستطلاع؟

هنالك العديد من الأسباب لتعبئة الاستطلاع منها أنه لديك الفرصة لمشاركة تجربتك المعاشة المتعلقة بحشد الموارد لدعم تنظيمك، أن تعمل/ين من منطلق قوة كخبير/ة بما يتعلق بالأموال ولأين تتحرك ولأين تصل وبذلك المشاركة بالجهد المشترك والمناصرة لتحريك التمويلات الأكبر والأفضل. لقد أثبت استطلاع "أين المال" في العشرين عام الأخيرة أنه مصدر أساسي للشركاء/ الشريكات وكذلك للممولين/ات. ندعوك من كل قلبنا للمشاركة بالنسخة الثالثة لتسليط الضوء على الوضع الفعلي للموارد، وتحد الحلول الخاطئة، والإشارة إلى كيفية تغيير التمويل حتى تزدهر الحركات وتواجه التحديات المعقدة في عصرنا.

Наша группа, организация и/или движение не получали и не мобилизовывали финансирование от внешних спонсоров – можем ли мы принять участие в опросе?

Да! Мы признаем и ценим различные причины, по которым феминистки(-ты), работающие в различных контекстах, не имеют внешнего финансирования. Эти причины могут разниться: от невозможности подавать заявки на гранты из-за несоответствия требованиями и/или невозможности получения денег из-за рубежа, до использования генерируемых автономно ресурсов, в качестве самостоятельной политической стратегии. Мы хотим услышать ваше мнение, независимо от наличия или отсутствия у вас опыта работы с внешним финансированием.

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Por enquanto, o inquérito no KOBO está disponível em árabe, inglês, francês, português, russo e espanhol. Terá a oportunidade de selecionar um dos idiomas no início do inquérito.

2018: Supporting feminist movements to thrive and disrupt

This report looks back and celebrates the first year of AWID’s new strategic plan as we took our first steps towards our desired outcomes of supporting feminist movements to thrive, challenging anti-rights agendas and co-creating feminist realities.

Download the full report


We worked with feminists to disrupt anti-rights agendas, achieving important victories fought and won within the United Nations system when ground-breaking language on structural discrimination, sexual rights, and states’ obligations were included in a number of resolutions. Yes, the multilateral system is in crisis and in need of serious strengthening but these victories are important as they contribute to the legitimacy of feminist demands, providing feminist movements with more pressure points and momentum to advance our agendas.

We tried and tested different ways to build knowledge with feminist movements through webinars, podcasts and ‘live’ conversations. We developed facilitation guides with popular educators to reclaim knowledge in the interest of social and gender justice, even about a topic as seemingly opaque as illicit funding flows. We commissioned blogs and opinions about how feminist groups fund and resource themselves and threw light on the threats facing our human rights systems.

Within AWID, we practiced and learned from our shared leadership approach, and told the story of the trials and tribulations of co-leading a global, virtual organization. We don’t have a definitive answer to what feminist leadership looks like, but we know, a year on, that a continued commitment to collective experimentation and learning has enabled us to keep building an organization that we are all excited to contribute to.

As we look back on this year, we want to thank all our friends and supporters, colleagues and companions, who have given their time and shared their wealth of knowledge and wisdom with us. We want to thank our members who helped frame our strategic plan and joined us to make feminist demands. We could not do this work without you.

Download the full report

هل عليّ القيام بأي تجهيزات قبل تعبئة الاستطلاع؟

يركّز استطلاع "أين المال" على وقائع التمويل للتنظيمات النسوية، تسأل أغلبية الأسئلة عن تمويل مجموعتكم/ن بين الأعوام 2021-2023. سوف تحتاجون أن تكون لديكم/ن معلومات معيّنة عند تعبئة الاستطلاع مثل ميزانيتكم/ن السنوية ومصادر التمويل الأساسية.

Marianne Mesfin Asfaw

Biography

Marianne Mesfin Asfaw is a Pan-African feminist who is dedicated to social justice and building community. She has a BA in Gender Studies and International Relations from the University of British Columbia (UBC), and an MA in Gender Studies and Law from SOAS University of London. She has previously worked in academic administration and international student support, and has worked as a researcher and facilitator in feminist and non-profit spaces. She has also worked and volunteered at non-governmental organizations including Plan International in administrative roles. Prior to taking up her current role she worked in logistics and administrative support at AWID. She is from Ethiopia, was raised in Rwanda and is currently based in Tkaronto/Toronto, Canada. She enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her family and friends. In the warmer months she can be found strolling around familiar neighborhoods in search of obscure cafés and bookstores to wander into.

Position
Coordinator, Building Feminist Economies
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Вы просите указать название группы/организации и/или движения и контактную информацию – почему?

Мы запрашиваем эти данные, чтобы облегчить просмотр ответов, избежать дублирования и иметь возможность связаться с вашей организацией в случае, если вы не смогли завершить опрос и/или если у вас возникли сомнения или дополнительные вопросы. Здесь вы можете узнать больше о том, как мы используем личную информацию, которую собираем в ходе нашей работы.

Patience Chabururuka

Biography

Patience is a global human resources professional with over a decade of experience in human resources (HR) management in the not-for-profit sector. Patience previously worked at Mercy Corps as the Global HR Officer for Africa supporting the full employee life cycle for expatriates in the Eastern and Southern African region and provided HR technical guidance to Human Resources leaders in country offices within the African region. Before joining the global people team, she was the Country Human Resources and Safeguarding Focal Point, she was part of the senior management team leading on all human resources and safeguarding matters. Prior to Mercy Corps she led the HR and Operations department at SNV Netherlands Development Organization and was a member of the country management team. She also has HR Consultancy experience which she gained while she was still studying for her BSc Honors degree in Human Resource Management. She has a passion for HR, loves working with people and she takes wellbeing and safeguarding as her core values and in her professional work. As someone who loves sports, you can also find Patience at the basketball court, the tennis court or on the soccer field.

Position
Human Resources Coordinator
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O questionário está disponível até o final de julho de 2024. Queira preencher o mesmo dentro deste prazo para garantir que as suas respostas são incluídas na análise.

Valerie Awino Opiyo

Biography

Valerie has eight years of expertise in the areas of communications development, digital advocacy, and social research. Her responsibilities at AWID include orchestrating an innovative, engaging, and successful Forum Hybrid experience, which is a new component of the 15th AWID International Forum. Prior to joining AWID, she worked at Women Deliver as the Advisor Global Dialogue and Regional Convening Focal. Valerie has keen interest in digital and hybrid events, some of the global events she has brought to fruition are: Global Youth Summit, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (Global Congress) and Plan International Deutschland (JF-CPiE Project Launch). Valerie is also the author of the book, Relationship Literacy: Wider lessons from young single mothers in Nairobi slums. A publication that seeks to amplify the voices and lived experiences of young single mothers. She holds a Master of Arts Degree in Project Planning and Management from the University of Nairobi and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Communication from Catholic University of Eastern Africa. She is currently based in the lake region of Western Kenya (Kisumu). She loves to read African literature, visit art galleries, and explore different cultures through food.

Position
Forum Hybrid Lead
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Protection of the Family

The Issue

Over the past few years, a troubling new trend at the international human rights level is being observed, where discourses on ‘protecting the family’ are being employed to defend violations committed against family members, to bolster and justify impunity, and to restrict equal rights within and to family life.

The campaign to "Protect the Family" is driven by ultra-conservative efforts to impose "traditional" and patriarchal interpretations of the family, and to move rights out of the hands of family members and into the institution of ‘the family’.

“Protection of the Family” efforts stem from:

  • rising traditionalism,
  • rising cultural, social and religious conservatism and
  • sentiment hostile to women’s human rights, sexual rights, child rights and the rights of persons with non-normative gender identities and sexual orientations.

Since 2014, a group of states have been operating as a bloc in human rights spaces under the name “Group of Friends of the Family”, and resolutions on “Protection of the Family” have been successfully passed every year since 2014.

This agenda has spread beyond the Human Rights Council. We have seen regressive language on “the family” being introduced at the Commission on the Status of Women, and attempts made to introduce it in negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals.


Our Approach

AWID works with partners and allies to jointly resist “Protection of the Family” and other regressive agendas, and to uphold the universality of human rights.

In response to the increased influence of regressive actors in human rights spaces, AWID joined allies to form the Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs).  OURs is a collaborative project that monitors, analyzes, and shares information on anti-rights initiatives like  “Protection of the Family”.

Rights at Risk, the first OURs report, charts a map of the actors making up the global anti-rights lobby, identifies their key discourses and strategies, and the effect they are having on our human rights.   

The report outlines “Protection of the Family” as an agenda that has fostered collaboration across a broad range of regressive actors at the UN.  It describes it as: “a strategic framework that houses “multiple patriarchal and anti-rights positions, where the framework, in turn, aims to justify and institutionalize these positions.”

 

Related Content

I am a young feminist. How can I engage in AWID’s work?

Young feminist activists are at the heart of AWID’s work.

In fact, 38% of our members are under the age of 30.

We believe that young feminists are both the present and the future of the struggle for women’s rights. We promote young leaders in the global women’s rights movement and our Young Feminist Activism program cuts across all aspects of our work.

At the same time, by defining young feminist activists as one of our Priority Areas, we contribute new analysis to current debates and ensure that young feminist activists are able to articulate their priorities and voice their concerns.

Find out more about our Young Feminist Activism Program

2013: The sixth High-level Dialogue reviews progress of MDGs

The Sixth High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development, 7-8 October 2013 focused on reviewing the progress of MDG’s, and identifying gaps to be addressed in discussions on the new development framework.

A report by the MDG’s Gap Task Force launched during the session pointed to the failure to meet MDG 8 (Global Partnership for Development) as a major factor in the challenges to meeting the MDGs. The report showed that more focus should be given to developing stronger global partnerships that would ensure binding commitments for the new development framework post 2015.