posted on 9/14/2023
The Story Behind Our New Name
With great pride and enthusiasm, we are excited to announce that Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights has changed our name: we are now Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism!
Why "feminist activism" instead of "women’s human rights"?
Above all, we wanted a more inclusive name that aligns with our values and the current context and scope of our work. The frontline feminist movements we have long funded – —and of which we are also a part – —are led by visionary women, trans, and non-binary activists who take and face extraordinary risks to imagine and realize a just world. Trans and non-binary activists are essential members of feminist movements and are leading some of the most transformative organizing worldwide.
While today’s frontline feminist movements do often – and at times crucially – use the language and framework of human rights, their activism is inclusive of but not limited to this approach. From digital organizing and public protests to legal advocacy and mental health support, movement activists draw on a range of ever-creative strategies to demand equity and center care in the face of systemic injustice and overlapping crises – from armed conflict and climate disaster to the erosion of democracy and human rights.
We are for feminist activism led by women, trans, and non-binary activists – especially Black, Indigenous, LGBTQI+, disabled, and others who live at the intersections of multiple identities and injustices and, as a result, are most likely to face dangerous threats for speaking out.
We are for feminist activists who are challenging oppressive systems, resisting repressive regimes, and innovating intersectional solutions to intersecting crises, from disability and climate injustice to gender-based violence and land rights.
We are for feminist activists leading movements with extraordinary ingenuity, creativity, and care who know best how to keep each other and their communities safe, to navigate risk and opportunity in ever-shifting political landscapes, and to bring about a world of justice, equity, and liberation for all.
Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism will continue to provide rapid response grants to feminist activists and movements across our regions, ensuring that those on the frontlines of change have the resources they need to make a lasting impact. Our dedication to partnering with feminist activists to foster a just world for all is now emboldened by a name that resonates with the powerful force of collective action and gender justice.
Join us in celebrating our new identity by engaging with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Threads!
NEWSLETTER
Our work happens in real time. Sign up to receive our emails and stay up to date.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Should Center Care, Trust, and Flexibility
The Count Me In! (CMI!) consortium, which supports structurally excluded women’s rights activists and groups worldwide, must challenge conventional MEL systems. As part of that journey, we talked to two of our members – Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism and Urgent Action Fund-Africa and explored how we can MEL better and in a feminist way.
The Feminist Response to Protect Reproductive Rights: One Year After the Overturn of Roe V. Wade
June 24th, 2023, marked the one-year anniversary of the unfortunate overturn of Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision that guaranteed the right to safe and legal abortions in the United States. This decision has had far-reaching consequences, impacting the lives and autonomy of individuals of all genders. Reproductive rights are not just a women’s issue- these rights are about bodily autonomy, freedom, and justice for all.