Let’s take a moment to honor the remarkable achievements and invaluable contributions of these women-led organizations across all backgrounds throughout history. Their resilience, courage, and unwavering dedication have shaped the world we live in today.
From trailblazers who fought tirelessly for gender equity to those who continue to champion the cause, we remember and celebrate their legacy. Each step forward, every barrier broken, brings us closer to a more inclusive and equitable society for all.
This month, let’s not only acknowledge the past but also recommit ourselves to building a future where every woman’s voice is heard, every dream is achievable, and every opportunity is within reach. Together, we can create a world where gender is no longer a barrier to success.
Join us in celebrating the spirit of Women’s History Month and let’s continue to inspire, empower, and uplift one another. Together, we are unstoppable! 💪🚀 #WomensHistoryMonth #Empowerment #Equality #Inspiration
Perle & Rita – Eindje0Filter
Eindje0Filter is a platform that was founded in the summer of 2020 by a group of women from Eindhoven. As radio host, Perle Miangue makes ‘unapologetic radio’ together with her editorial team. Eindje0Filter gives a voice to Black women and women of colour, and speaks out to break the silence surrounding topics like racism and our history of slavery. In addition to radio broadcasts about topical social issues, the group also host events online and hopefully again in real life again. “We are women from Eindhoven who say what’s on our mind, without mincing words. In other words, zero filter.”
In Peru, Chola Contravisual, a collective of young feminists, is creating audiovisual content and organising workshops and events that challenge the oppressive heteropatriarchal norms espoused and enforced by the Catholic Church and anti-rights conservatives. The collective is advancing its vision of a world where women and gender nonconforming individuals can live in dignity, freedom, and happiness.
In Poland, the Abortion Dream Team (ADT) has contributed to a shift in discourse on reproductive rights. Founded in 2016, ADT has been crucial in advocating and mobilising for the right to safe and legal abortion. In addition to assisting over 44,000 women per year to safely terminate pregnancies, their work has garnered widespread attention within Poland and internationally.
In Zambia, Women Environs Zambia is making great progress in securing women’s right to land and advancing ecofeminist approaches to sustainable agriculture and climate change. Their knowledge and expertise is being sought out by important government bodies.
In Somalia, Hawa Feminist Coalition is working to build a strong and visible feminist movement led by young women and girls. The coalition has mobilised, empowered, and engaged over 200 young women in feminist solidarity. The group carries out advocacy and awareness-raising about gender-based violence and the consequences of female genital cutting (FGC). Their work contributed to the endorsement of the first FGC Zero Tolerance Bill, by the government of Puntland State. Over 98% of girls and women in the state have been subjected to female genital cutting.
Black feminists worldwide are doing powerful, transformative, intersectional work. Yet, according to a 2018 Human Rights Funders Network study, less than half of one percent of the nearly $70 billion in foundation giving globally goes to Black feminist groups and initiatives. Of all human rights groups that receive philanthropic funding, only five percent focus on issues that primarily affect Black women, girls, and trans and gender-diverse people. But not for long. Founded in 2021, the Black Feminist Fund aims to significantly increase the resources available to Black feminist movements globally and radically change the way Black feminist movements are funded. BFF is dedicated to supporting grassroots movements around the world that are fighting oppressive systems and building a world that offers Black women and gender-expansive people space, security, and autonomy.
Formed in 2019, Feminists Against Ableism (FAA) is working to raise awareness in the Netherlands about the challenges encountered by people with a disability or chronic illness. ‘In the Netherlands, poor accessibility for people with disabilities is very common, and we score low on compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,’ says Xandra Koster, one of the group’s founding members. ‘Fortunately, activist circles are increasingly aware that attention should be paid to the disability perspective. And this must be seen alongside race, gender, and class as they intersect.’
The group traces its origins back to the 2019 Women’s March, when an online discussion emerged about how to make the Women’s March accessible to people with disabilities. The result was an online Disability March, enabling anyone who couldn’t leave the house to participate in the physical demonstration. Yet, the feminist disability justice activists still found it difficult to get their interests represented and lacked the support of the organisers of the Women’s March. Eventually, they founded their own WhatsApp group and later a Slack channel.
SEEK Feminist Research Network – a collective of feminist activists and migrant and refugee women – launched an initiative to support Ukrainian women refugees in the Netherlands. The network created a repository of resources, including information about housing, counselling, and legal services. Building on previous experience, the group also organised a Solidarity Circle with refugee women from different countries to exchange information and experiences, as well as extend solidarity and support to newly arriving Ukrainian women and girls.