A young feminist activist from Brazil describes the cycle of collective pain, mourning, and hope that she and her comrades experienced throughout recent political events

This June-July session of the Human Rights Council (HRC38), as every year, focuses on issues of gender and sexuality.

On June 5, 2018, AWID’s co-Executive Director Hakima Abbas interacted with three other panelists at the opening ceremony of the European Development Days 2018, in a discussion focused on global movements tackling multiple forms of violence against women and girls.

Without accountability, corporations will continue to exploit the system and us all

Black Panther, the film, presents the United Nations as a peaceful alternative to an armed revolution. But can this intergovernmental institution truly live up to such expectations?

Abortion has long been criminalized in Brazil, and barely figures into the mainstream leftist political agenda. It is an issue that many have all but given up on - but not the feminist movements.

International Women’s Day, firmly rooted in the struggles of women, is the perfect occasion to recall that we will not be on the path of gender equality without a binding treaty. States must support and engage constructively in the negotiations if they truly wish to champion women’s rights. 

Since its explosion onto the social media landscape at the end of 2017, the #metoo movement has continued to gain global traction. Initially centred on powerful Hollywood women breaking decades of silence about sexual abuse and harassment in the industry, the conversation soon spread across global regions and sectors, from #YoTambien in the Spanish-speaking world to #balancetonporc in French.

Watching Black Panther made me think about our everyday feminist superheroes, stepping out of their comfort zones and powering activism with creativity and skill.

With the beginning of a new year, we’re ready to dive with fresh energy into the work of building a world where feminist realities flourish, where resources and power are shared in ways that enable everyone - including future generations - to thrive and realize their full potential with dignity, love and respect, and where the planet nurtures life in all its diversity.