Come & join our parallel event: “Beyond Survival: Sustainability and Resilience of Feminist Movements in MENA”, at CSW69
Do not miss this opportunity to engage in a crucial discussion on the challenges that feminist movements in MENA/SWANA face amid the growing power and influence of the global far-right and anti-women’s rights groups, funding cuts, and the impacts of war, post-conflict instability, authoritarianism, and increasing backlash against women’s rights. This event will bring together feminist activists and experts to explore strategies for resilience, sustainability, and collective actions to protect hard-won gains and strengthen feminist movements in the region.
📅 Date: Mon, 17 March 2025
📍 Location: CCUN 8th Floor
⏰ Time: 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Background:
As we approach Beijing 30+, the global context for advancing women’s rights and supporting civil society is facing critical challenges. The struggle for gender justice is no longer about only making progress. It has also become a battle to stop the rough backlash on all the hard-won gains.
Recently, several governments announced significant cuts in international cooperation budgets for funding related to SDGs, democracy, women and human rights. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared a 70% cut in funding for civil society programs, while Germany, the UK, France, and Sweden also declared plans to reduce their international cooperation budgets, citing these cuts either under their call to reduce the NGOs’ dependency or as necessary economic austerity measures. However, these governments have not cut budgets for defense or military expenditure; instead, they specifically targeted funding for key areas of development programs in the global south, human rights, gender justice, and refugees and migrants support.
The United States, under Trump’s administration, has clearly supported this global trend since the beginning of the year by announcing highly restrictive and hostile policies against democracy, human rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ communities, migrants, refugees, and more. These decisions reflect the consequences of the growing power and influence of the global far-right and anti-women’s rights groups that extend beyond the borders of these Global North countries and severely impact the Global South, especially the SWANA/MENA region. Our region is paying unbearable costs as it has become a battleground for competing global regimes seeking to assert their influence. For decades, SWANA/MENA has been directly affected by international policy shifts, which have either created crises or worsened the existing ones.
Over the past two decades, many countries in SWANA/MENA have suffered from wars, conflicts, authoritarianism, militarization, and severe political and economic instability. These conditions have fueled the rise of conservative, fundamentalist, and anti-women’s rights groups, endangering women’s safety and security and raising serious concerns about the future of gender justice and feminist movements in the region.
As a result, women in the SWANA/MENA face escalating violence, discriminatory practices, and increasing backlash against their rights. For many, survival itself is no longer guaranteed. It has rather become a daily struggle. In Sudan and Palestine, women face daily risks of death, injury, violence, and displacement, among other tragedies. In Syria, Yemen, and Libya, women’s lives and basic needs are at risk, as conflict and post-conflict instability, along with the increasing influence of ultra-conservative and militarized groups that threaten their safety and security. Meanwhile, in Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, and Iraq, women are struggling with the consequences of militarization and authoritarianism, as well as the rise of fundamentalist and conservative discourses, all of which undermine their rights and systematically target WHRDs and feminist activists.
As women and minorities often bear the heaviest burden of authoritarianism, wars, and conflicts; today, women across the region are experiencing escalating violence and increasing backlash against their rights. At these times, feminist activists and WHRDs in SWANA/MENA face even greater risks because of their activism. They function under severe pressure, facing systematic targeting and restrictions. They are forced to fight not only to ensure women’s survival among these crises but also to resist the rough backlash of women’s rights.
It is a delicate time that requires all feminist movements, regionally and globally, to pay immediate attention to the crises we are currently confronting. We must come together to discuss and find solutions that ensure the sustainability and resilience of our feminist movements, as they remain the only guarantee to protect the hard-won gains and hopefully shape the better future we have always envisioned.
This event, “Beyond Survival: Sustainability and Resilience of Feminist Movements in MENA,” aims to address crucial questions: How can we support feminist movements in MENA to ensure their continuity and resilience? What do these movements need in a regional and international context that is witnessing increasing hostility to women’s rights? How can we uphold and strengthen international frameworks to empower feminist movements and work toward a future that protects the rights and well-being of women in SWANA/MENA?. The event aims to open a space for meaningful discussions, identify actionable pathways for collaboration, and advocate for long-lasting change. It’s time to re-think and reclaim the future we have always envisioned, a future where feminist solidarity and collective action empower our movements to thrive, grow, and maintain their achievements.
The event also aims to discuss:
1. Collective Care and Mental Health: Prioritizing mental health and well-being as essential aspects of feminist activism, especially in these hard contexts.
2. Feminist Solidarity in Challenging Contexts: Building and sustaining solidarity amid harsh and restrictive environments.
3. Funding Policies: Exploring our position within the feminist funding landscape and identifying strategies to strengthen our movements.
4. New Tools and Strategies: Adapting to complex contexts by developing our strategies to sustain our influence and protect our gains.The event also aims to discuss:
1. Collective Care and Mental Health: Prioritizing mental health and well-being as essential aspects of feminist activism, especially in these hard contexts.
2, Feminist Solidarity in Challenging Contexts: Building and sustaining solidarity amid harsh and restrictive environments.
3. Funding Policies: Exploring our position within the feminist funding landscape and identifying strategies to strengthen our movements.
3. New Tools and Strategies: Adapting to complex contexts by developing our strategies to sustain our influence and protect our gains.
Host Organisations:
1- Ganoubia Hora Foundation
2- Gohoud to Support Human Rights Defenders
3- TOBE Foundation for Rights & Freedoms (Akun)
Speakers:
1- Lina Alhsny
An inspiring and dedicated Yemeni feminist activist and WHRD, Chairperson of the TOBE Foundation for Rights and Freedoms. She is an expert in gender, peace, and security and a member of the Executive Committee of the Regional Coalition of WHRDs in MENA. Through her foundation, and in collaboration with a great team, she has led many transformative feminist programs in Yemen, aiming to raise awareness, build capacity, and amplify women’s voices and roles to promote peace and security. Lina is a founding member of We Network for WHRDs and the Feminist Network for Peace and Democracy.
2- Ayat Osman
An Egyptian Black feminist from Aswan, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Ganoubia Hora Foundation, the first feminist NGO in Southern Egypt. She is a Pan-African activist and a dedicated defender of Nubian rights, leading several protesting actions and advocacy efforts demanding recognition of Nubian rights. Ayat is deeply engaged in the intersections of gender, ethnicity, color, and migration in Southern Egypt. She is also a member of the advocacy group in the Regional Coalition for WHRDs in MENA, representing Ganoubia Hora in the International Coalition of WHRDs, and plays an active role in several regional and international feminist networks.
3- Gehad Rawy
An Egyptian feminist activist, researcher, and WHRD. Co-Founder and Co-Director of Gohoud to Support Human Rights Defenders, the first Egyptian NGO dedicated to empowering and supporting W/HRDs across various fields. For almost a decade, Gehad has worked with national and international feminist NGOs, leading programs focused on sexual violence, WHRDs, and young women’s leadership empowerment. She is deeply committed to strengthening and sustaining feminist movements in Egypt and MENA. With an MA in Public Policy and Sustainable Development, Gehad works to strengthen feminist efforts in public policy analysis and gender mainstreaming, especially in policies related to eliminating GBV.
4- Mahasin Ahmed Dahab
A dedicated Sudanese feminist activist and WHRD with a profound commitment to transformative justice and the rights of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) survivors. With an MA in Mass Communication and Public Relations, she has leveraged her expertise to lead initiatives that empower women and youth in Sudan and beyond. Mahasin has played significant roles as Program Coordinator at the Sudan Ministry of Social Development- Unit of combating CVAW where she pioneered referral systems under UNSC Resolution 1325. She also co-founded Midanik, an Independent Revolutionary Feminist Movement, and has championed projects with a focus on civic education, community mobilization, and policy advocacy. Currently residing in Kigali due to conflict, and continues her impactful work, focusing on protecting vulnerable groups and promoting feminist peace agendas through her involvement in the Sudanese Feminist Groups Coalition.
5- Farah Kanbi
A Tunisian intersectional feminist activist, WHRD, and Co-director at Politics4Her. She is dedicated to advancing gender justice, youth-led advocacy, and policy reform in Tunisia and across the SWANA region. With a background in research, advocacy, and grassroots organizing, she has worked extensively on amplifying the voices of young women and marginalized communities. As the Director of Politics4Her, she has led global advocacy campaigns, strategic partnerships, and capacity-building initiatives to empower young feminist activists. A passionate champion of gender equality, dedicated to empowering youth and women, nurturing female entrepreneurship, and advocating for a just and sustainable transition in all sectors of society. Her work is driven by a vision of inclusivity, empowerment, and systemic transformation, with a focus on creating equitable opportunities for those who are too often left behind
We would love to have you with us! Please confirm your attendance by registering here: https://lnkd.in/dk34ECQS
Looking forward to seeing you!