Organizing creatively, facing an increasing threat
Young feminist activists play a critical role in women’s rights organizations and movements worldwide by bringing up new issues that feminists face today. Their strength, creativity and adaptability are vital to the sustainability of feminist organizing.
At the same time, they face specific impediments to their activism such as limited access to funding and support, lack of capacity-building opportunities, and a significant increase of attacks on young women human rights defenders. This creates a lack of visibility that makes more difficult their inclusion and effective participation within women’s rights movements.
A multigenerational approach
AWID’s young feminist activism program was created to make sure the voices of young women are heard and reflected in feminist discourse. We want to ensure that young feminists have better access to funding, capacity-building opportunities and international processes. In addition to supporting young feminists directly, we are also working with women’s rights activists of all ages on practical models and strategies for effective multigenerational organizing.
Our Actions
We want young feminist activists to play a role in decision-making affecting their rights by:
Fostering community and sharing information through the Young Feminist Wire. Recognizing the importance of online media for the work of young feminists, our team launched the Young Feminist Wire in May 2010 to share information, build capacity through online webinars and e-discussions, and encourage community building.
Researching and building knowledge on young feminist activism, to increase the visibility and impact of young feminist activism within and across women’s rights movements and other key actors such as donors.
Promoting more effective multigenerational organizing, exploring better ways to work together.
Supporting young feminists to engage in global development processes such as those within the United Nations
Collaboration across all of AWID’s priority areas, including the Forum, to ensure young feminists’ key contributions, perspectives, needs and activism are reflected in debates, policies and programs affecting them.
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Figure inspirante pour de nombreux-ses féministes aux Fidji, Shireen était une alliée de poids du mouvement des femmes. Elle a plaidé sans relâche pour l'égalité de genre aux niveaux local et régional.
Ayant débuté sa carrière en tant que spécialiste de l’égalité de genre à la Banque asiatique de développement, elle a apporté des changements radicaux en matière d’égalité de genre aux politiques de l’institution. Sa recherche, intitulée « La règle des Danda : la violence domestique chez les Indo-Fidjiens », est l'une des premières recherches sur la violence domestique, le mariage et les femmes aux Fidji. Ce travail précurseur a servi de catalyseur pour la militance féministe dans ce domaine.
L’héritage de Shireen lui survit et beaucoup se souviennent de son influence, de son engagement et de son soutien au mouvement des femmes aux Fidji et dans le Pacifique.
¿Por qué en Bangkok?
Cada Foro se lleva a cabo en una región diferente, ¡y es hora de que el Foro de AWID regrese a Asia! Visitamos muchos países de la región, consultamos a los movimientos feministas y realizamos evaluaciones detalladas de logística, accesibilidad, seguridad, visas y más. Finalmente, la Junta Directiva de AWID aprobó con entusiasmo Bangkok, Tailandia, como la mejor opción. Nos sentimos muy emocionadxs de volver a Bangkok, donde celebramos el Foro de AWID en 2005.
Ours report 2021 summary
Today, a complex and evolving network of anti-rights actors is exerting more influence in international and regional spaces as well as domestic politics. Anti-rights actors are entering multilateral spaces (spaces where multiple countries come together for international collaboration) to transform and undermine them from the inside out. They employ a range of persuasive discourses to gain legitimacy, often co-opting the language of rights and justice to hide their true agendas.
This report is the second in a series on human rights trends reports produced by the Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs). As well as analysis of key anti-rights actors, discourses, strategies, and impacts, the report features inspiring short stories of feminist action, and knowledge-building exercises to help strengthen our collective resistance.
The effect on our rights has already been grave, but this is not a done deal. We can all play a part in resisting anti-rights agendas and reclaiming our rights.
I am pleased to share with you one of my remarkable dates as feminist with disability. It was May 30, 2014 when we (the Nationwide Organization of Visually-Impaired Empowered Ladies NOVEL) participated in the Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2014 for our white cane advocacy campaign. Two ladies who are blind walked down the catwalk to promote the white cane as one of the symbols of gender equality, empowerment, full inclusion and equal participation of women and girls with visual impairment in society.
Their walk in front of the crowd were extremely a nerve-wracking experience for me, as the proponent of our project with the Runway Productions (I enduringly waited for a year for its approval), knowing that they were not models, they were the crowned Ms. Philippines Vision and 1st Runner Up of 2013 Ms. Philippines on Wheels, Signs and Vision by Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, Inc. (House with No Steps). Also, they fell on their orientation and practiced the evening before the event and they didn’t have practice with professional models. Before the show started, I talked to them via mobile phone to boost their confidence and to pray together for God’s guidance. When they exited the catwalk, I breathed deeply while my tears were flowing. I was feeling euphoric because we did it despite the challenges we’ve been through! Our message to the world that women and girls with visual impairment can walk with dignity, freedom and independence on an equal basis with others, with the use of our assistive device - white canes was successfully delivered! We trended in social media and we were featured by television networks.
My life as a feminist with disability started as a means to mend my broken spirit and to see a different path towards finding my life’s purpose after I became victim-survivor to a vicious acid attack in 2007 while I was waiting for a ride going home from office. My eyes were severely damaged, to the point that I became a woman with low vision.
I never knew how joyful and purposeful my life could be again until I met women leaders in the gender and disability movement who influenced me to keep going. Their words of encouragement attracted me and became the sweetest music to my ears. My broken heart leaped like a hummingbird in flight every time I think of them and feminism which stimulated me to partake in making difference for our invisible sisters with disabilities and to those who continue to experience discrimination. To date, I am consumed by the desire to be with the movement. I cannot hide my excitement whenever I submit project proposals to different stakeholders for our sisters with disabilities' empowerment, development and advancement; and to make representations in local, national and international conversations to amplify our voices even at my expense.
Unexpectedly, I was selected as our country’s female representative in the 2012 World Blind Union (WBU) General Assembly in Thailand even though I was a newcomer in the disability movement. In the same year, I was elected as the only woman officer of the Philippine Blind Union (PBU) in its assembly. I was inspired to reach out, gather and empower our sisters with visual impairment on their rights and to know their intersecting issues. In 2013, we officially launched the Nationwide Organization of Visually-Impaired Empowered Ladies (NOVEL) to support the empowerment of our sisters with disabilities, build coalitions with cross-disability and women’s movements and promote gender and disability-inclusive development.
My participation as co-focal person of women with disabilities in our 2016 CEDAW Shadow Report submission convened by Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau (WLB) with the marginalized groups of women, opened many doors such as working with various women’s organizations and attending the 2017 Inclusion Days International in Berlin, Germany together with 3 Filipino women leaders with disabilities to share our good practices, mainly our engagement with the women’s movement in our country.
My journey as feminist with disability has been an emotional roller coaster for me. It gave me happiness and a sense of worth when I participated in promoting for our sisters with disabilities full inclusion, equal and effective participation in society, yet I felt frustrated and upset when I gave my all but I received negative remarks. Nevertheless, I feel that way because I am in love with the movement.
I see my future working in solidarity with the movement to ensure that our sisters with and without disabilities can equally and fully enjoy and participate in society.
Love lots,
Gina Rose P. Balanlay
Feminist with disability
Philippines
Juana was one of the founders and current Board Member of Red de Mujeres Ixiles de Nebaj, an Indigenous women’s rights organization that is a member of the Mesoamerican Initiative of WHRDs (IM-Defensoras).
She was also a midwife and a mother of 7 children. Juana had received death threats that were reported to the Prosecutor’s office. Juana is the third Indigenous WHRD murdered in the area during 2018. The Guatemala Ombudsman reports that a total of 20 HRDs were killed in the country this year.
Juana Ramírez Santiago was shot dead by unidentified attackers while crossing a bridge in Nebak, Quiché, Guatemala. Investigations to identify the perpetrators are ongoing.
À combien s’élèvent les frais de participation ?
Merci de calculer le coût de votre voyage à Bangkok, vos frais d'hébergement et vos indemnités journalières, le montant de votre visa, vos besoins en matière d'accessibilité et les frais accessoires, en plus des frais d'inscription qui seront annoncés sous peu. Les hôtels du quartier de Sukhumvit à Bangkok coûtent entre 50 et 200 dollars américains par nuit pour une chambre double. Les membres de l'AWID bénéficient d'une réduction lors de l'inscription. Si ce n’est pas encore fait, nous vous invitons à envisager de devenir membre et à rejoindre notre communauté féministe mondiale.
ours chapter 5
Capítulo 5
Tácticas, estrategias e impactos anti-derechos
Los actores anti-derechos adoptan una estrategia doble. Además de atacar abiertamente al sistema multilateral, los actores anti-derechos también socavan los derechos humanos desde adentro. Se involucran con el fin de cooptar procesos, consolidar normativas regresivas, y erosionar responsabilidades.
AWID es parte de un impresionante ecosistema de movimientos feministas que trabajan para alcanzar la justicia de género y la justicia social en todo el mundo. Al acercarse nuestro 40° aniversario estamos celebrando todo lo que hemos construido a lo largo de estos últimos cuarenta años. Como organización global de apoyo a los movimientos feministas, sabemos que nuestro camino hacia adelante es trabajar con feminismos apasionados, reconociendo tanto la multiplicidad de los feminismos como el valor de un impulso por la justicia apasionado y sin reservas. El estado del planeta y de los movimientos feministas requiere conversaciones y acciones valientes. Esperamos con ansia trabajar junto con nuestrxs afiliadxs, asociadxs y donantes para crear los mundos en los que creemos,celebrar los logros y expresar la verdad ante el poder, al servicio de los movimientos feministas a nivel global.
El Calendario Feminista 2023 es un regalo para los movimientos. Presenta las obras de arte de algunxs de nuestrxs maravillosxs afiliadxs de AWID.
GLOBAL Y DIVERSA: Reflexiona acerca de las realidades de la dotación de recursos entre las organizaciones feministas a escala mundial y desglosada por regiones.
CONTEXTUALIZADA: Se centra en las voces, perspectivas y experiencias de los movimientos feministas en toda su riqueza, audacia y diversidad, en sus respectivos contextos.
DE CREACIÓN CONJUNTA: Desarrollada y puesta a prueba en consulta estrecha con lxs afiliadxs y movimientos aliados de AWID.
COMPLEMENTARIA: Contribuye a la evidencia disponible acerca del estado de la dotación de recursos para las organizaciones feministas, por los derechos de las mujeres y la justicia de género por parte de activistas, donantes feministas y aliadxs, y la difunde.
PLURILINGÜE: Disponible en árabe, español, francés, inglés, portugués y ruso.
CONFIDENCIAL: Damos prioridad a tu privacidad y anonimato. En ningún caso, AWID divulgará información acerca de una organización en particular ni exhibirá información que permita identificar a una organización por su ubicación o características. Los detalles de nuestra política de privacidad se encuentran disponibles aquí.
ACCESIBLE: Es accesible a personas con distinto grado de capacidades auditivas, de movilidad, visuales y cognitivas, y responderla toma aproximadamente 30 minutos.
REPLICABLE: Es susceptible de ser replicada por los movimientos en sus respectivos contextos; las herramientas y los conjuntos de datos de la encuesta estarán disponibles al público como forma de apoyar una mayor investigación y la promoción colectiva.
Ana fue una firme defensora de los derechos de las mujeres y trabajó con una amplia diversidad de mujeres, desde aquellas que están redes de base hasta las que son parte del sector privado.
Creía que había que tender puentes entre sectores. Ana fue integrante de la Red Nacional de Promoción de la Mujer (RNPM), y tuvo participación activa en el desarrollo de muchos programas sociales que abordan temas como la salud y los derechos sexuales y reproductivos.
I’ve never traveled before. What should I know?
We know that first time travel can be exciting but also stressful. In recognition of the many challenges involved, we will be providing more information and details about how to get to Bangkok when Registration opens early next year.
BD: La super-héroïne féministe qui déboulonne les mythes antidroits
BD: La super-héroïne féministe qui déboulonne les mythes antidroits
Dans cette BD illustrée par Sophia, suivez les aventures de notre super-héroïne féministe qui dément les récits des antidroits dans le monde entier et sauve la mise aux mouvements féministes.
By joining AWID, you are becoming part of worldwide feminist organizing, a collective power that is rooted in working across movements and is based on solidarity.
Feminist and women’s rights organizations don’t just rely on institutional funding, we resource ourselves. Our organizing is powered by passion, political commitment, solidarity and collective care.
These resources are self- generated and autonomous, and often invisible in our budgets, but they are the backbone of our organizing.
Née en 1928, Marceline était actrice, scénariste et réalisatrice.
En 2003, elle avait réalisé « La petite prairie aux bouleaux », mettant en vedette Anouk Aimée, ainsi que plusieurs autres documentaires. Survivante de l'holocauste, elle n'avait que quinze ans lorsque son père et elle furent arrêtés et envoyés dans des camps de concentration nazis. Les trois kilomètres qui la séparaient de son père à Auschwitz alors qu’elle-même était à Birkenau furent une distance insurmontable, décrite dans l’un de ses romans majeurs « Et tu n’es pas revenu ».
En parlant de son travail, elle a un jour déclaré: « Tout ce que je peux dire c’est que tout ce que je peux écrire, tout ce que je peux dévoiler, c’est à moi de le faire. »
