The post-2015 mechanism in development is expected to ensure gender equality and ‘leave no one behind.’ However, gender mainstreaming or even the MDGs and ICPD15 platforms have still failed to address gender inequality in a nuanced manner. 

As I reflect back on my experiences as a girl and woman, and what living in a deeply patriarchal, prejudiced, sexist, racist, ableist and ageist society means, I wonder often about what influenced my [feminist] politics. Was it the ostracizing? The unjust beauty standards for women? The countless times I heard and lived stories of surviving violence? These all added up. But the ability to look at different struggles and forms of oppressions and draw connections strengthened my feminism, as did my willingness to empathize (and not sympathize). These are all elements of “breaking the silos,” building solidarity and forming a sense of sisterhood.

For AWID member Meher Bano Mirzayee, experiences and dreams are strongly connected to hard work. The education she completed so far was driven by hard work and the wish to challenge and change the way in which Afghan society views girls and women.

Some of the objectives of the Trust include raising awareness and increasing knowledge of HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections among sexual minorities.

Javeria Ayaz Malik is a human rights activist, and a communications and security expert. In her role she coordinates the organisation’s safety and security policy and establishes external relationships with global security networks.