Local feminist organizations are front-line players in promoting women’s rights. They are grassroots players who work closely with local communities to change the social and cultural norms and practices that hinder women’s rights. In most cases, they address several issues (gender-based violence, healthcare access, economic empowerment, etc.). These organizations are flexible and versatile.
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ESSENTIAL FRONT-LINE PLAYERS…
In 2020, Mamacash, an international feminist fund, published a study revealing the effectiveness of funding feminist organizations in advancing women’s rights. The analysis carried out in over 70 countries between 1975 and 2005 demonstrates the direct correlation between the presence of feminist organizations and favorable progress for women’s rights. Feminist activism was found to be the most influential factor, in comparison with other factors like political parties in power, the relationship between State and religion, and the number of female leaders (in parliament, government, or as head of State).
… WITH VERY LIMITED ACCESS TO FUNDING
In 2021, a mere 0.55% of international aid went to women’s rights organizations, with only 0.2% to women’s rights civil society organizations (CSOs). These figures reflect a chronic under-investment of international aid in gender equality: today, only 40% of aid takes gender equality into account, and only 4% targets women’s rights specifically (source: OECD CRS).
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| As part of the Feminists in Action initiative, out of all organizations funded in 2022: 40% of CSOs have an annual budget of less than €25,000, and 58% have less than €50,000. Half of funded CSOs have less than three employees. 88% of subsidies went to underfunded organizations. 14% of funded CSOs have no legal status. Women exclusively or predominantly run 98% of CSOs. |
These figures reflect the recent survey by AWID, an international organization that supports feminist organizations, showing that among the 4,000 feminist organizations in countries of the global South that had been registered under the Global Fund for Women between 2015 and 2019, almost half (48%) reported a budget of less than €30,000, while only 2% had a budget of over €1 million. According to the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, the median budget for LGBT groups in 2017 was a mere €11,7133. More than half (55.8%) of associations for the rights of transgender people had annual budgets of less than €10,000.
COMPLEX INTERNATIONAL FUNDING PROCEDURES
For the most part, processes required by international donors are beyond the reach of small, emerging organizations in the South. The accountability requirements are complex and time-consuming for organizations with few or no staff for administrative management. They have very limited resources for their activities and only survive thanks to volunteers’ commitment. They need long-term funding to avoid the downsides of project-based financing, which often does not cover the organization’s operating costs and personnel.
These are just some reasons why the Feminists in Action initiative is a relevant and encouraging response at its own level. The Project’s partners work hand in hand to help feminist and women’s rights organizations gain greater autonomy.