Hivos’ Post

Our Human Rights Conversation Series are back! And for this first edition, we are tackling a tough but crucial topic. On May 25th, join us for an in-depth discussion on how cultural traditions have historically been misused as excuses to discriminate against women and uphold patriarchal norms. From child marriage and female genital mutilation to denying education and inheritance rights - oppressive practices are all too often defended as "cultural." It's time to critically examine these regressive traditions through a human rights lens. Our very own Executive Director, Oreoluwa Ojo, will anchor this powerful conversation, drawing from her years of experience advocating for gender equality in Nigeria. Whether you are a long-time feminist activist or simply seeking to learn more, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. Let's collectively reject harmful customs masquerading as "culture"! Save the date: May 25th. Follow us to get more details and help spread the word by sharing this flyer! #HRConvos #HarmfulCulturalPractices #GendrEquality #WomensRights #herstoryng

Last week unprecedented and drastic budget cuts in development aid (no longer cooperation) were announced by the Dutch Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken For civil society, these cuts total 1 billion Euro for the period 2026-2030. In addition, gender equality is no longer a theme, although support for women human right defenders, women entrepreneurs, and LGBTI groups is mentioned as well as fighting Gender-based violence and harmful practices. Time to roll up our sleeves and show the importance of feminist funding! In this interview To Tjoelker, ex-diplomat and the brain behind Voice and Leading from the South -now retired- and Saranel Benjamin from Mama Cash discuss the importance of funding for gender equality, including the need for long-term core funding. "The journey to adopt an abortion law in Benin took over ten years of work and advocacy by women’s groups. How much more effective could they have been if they’d received long-term funding instead of losing time negotiating short-term funding?” #ifyoucannotgivemoregivecore

📉 The UK’s Decline in LGBTQI+ Rights As a LGBT individual living in the UK with my wife, I am honestly troubled by these news. ILGA-Europe's latest report is showing the UK has fallen from 1st place in 2015 to 16th in 2024 for LGBTQI+ rights. The decline is due to setbacks in gender equality and rising transphobic hate crimes. And this troubling trend isn't isolated: we're seeing similar issues in other countries like the US and Spain. Read more about it here 👇 https://lnkd.in/exAkrbTP #LGBTQIRights #EqualityMatters #LGBTQIA #UnitedKingdom

One of the most powerful and weaponized words in anti-rights discourses is ‘family.’ But who are the key players driving these narratives? What stories do they construct and amplify to push their agendas? And, more importantly, how can we identify these actors and craft effective strategies to counter their influence? As part of an incredible team of researchers, I’ve been exploring these questions through digital ethnography on an innovative tool called ‘Velma’ developed by Komons. This collaborative process has been incredibly insightful and rewarding, and I’m excited to share my latest article detailing our approach. Please take a look below and stay tuned for the release of our findings soon! Mumbi Kanyogo, Ngare Kariuki, Global Narrative Hive, Āryā Jeipea Karijo, Annette Atieno, Terry Gachie.

"Movements are the most effective leaders of social change—but only 1.9% of all donations go to organizations dedicated to women and girls. Black feminist social movements get even less—under 0.5%," says our US Coalition and Global Network partner, Global Fund for Women. We must elevate support to feminist movements w/ flexible, core, multi-year funding so they can do what they do best: lead. Learn more from movement builders in Malawi, Perú, Cameroon and beyond.

Informatief en overtuigend artikel van UN Women: [..] The groups promoting the human rights of women and LGBTIQ+ people share the same goals of achieving safe and fair societies. In doing so they are intrinsically connected to countering patriarchy, white supremacy, racism, colonialism, ableism, classism, and other systems of oppression.   Building coalitions among those experiencing anti-rights pushback is crucial for resisting it. This requires countering #disinformation that seeks to paint individuals as at odds with one another.[..]

6/8 of our VAWG in Conflict series: The true cost of militarism.    Increased military spending can take away essential resources from gender equality and other social justice initiatives. This disparity in funding is further exacerbated in conflict-affected countries.    Why is this important to talk about and what can we do instead? Swipe to learn, and join us in advocating for resource allocation where it is truly needed. Dr. Emma Fulu (she/her) #feminism #peace #justice #liberation #genderequality #socialjustice #funding #VAWG #violenceprevention

The press conference of HÁWAR.help and Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy regarding women's rights in Germany was really disturbing. Domestic violence increased by 6,5% in 2023 in Germany - which makes around 180.000 women to victims (Source: BKA) and 185 Femizides - women killed by her partner. Some more takeaways today: - First actions that right extremist governments do, is to restrict women/LGBTQ rights. - It does not happen with a big bang - but it is a process that starts slowly by closing a women's shelter here and an advice center there. We have to be alert to the small changes! - We need more male allies! Men often don't understand why this is their topic too! But apart from the physical and emotional destruction of the victims - this is a massive defining factor for our society. In which society do you want your daughters to grow up? How to support? Be aware and raise your voice when you see written, oral or physical violence against vulnerable people! Sign this petition on https://lnkd.in/gxQ3mjjm Thank you Kristina Lunz, Düzen Tekkal, Ursula Karven, Anastasia Barner, Profamilia, Shila Behjat, Jeannette Gusko, Annika Kreitlow, Mareile Höppner, Dr. Sigrid Evelyn Nikutta, Annalena Baerbock and many more for the initiative

Women in Widowhood: Reforming the African Space. In most countries such as Africa, women are seen as 2nd class citizens, becoming widowed, her status reduces further to 3rd class citizens. The conventional practice of “lumping” widows into women and children, and poverty agenda needs modification, as widows are seen to be lost in the ‘law of average’. In accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, widows should be captured, included, and defined considering their population that continues to increase. To address poverty and strengthen institutions and financing with gender, the widows' population must be captured. Sectionalisation is required to end omission, exclusion and disenfranchisement of widows. Join us on: Tues, 19 March, 2024 Time: 8:30 AM  Venue: SA Auditorium 221 East, 52nd street. NYC #csw68 #csw2024 #africanwidowsunion WFM 91.7 Global Fund for Widows NGO Committee on the Status of Women (NGO CSW/NY) UN Women

Webinar: Amplifying African Feminist Voices: Innovations in Combating GBV Oct 17, 2024 12:00 PM ET This conversation will center around African activists, leaders, and changemakers in the field of women's rights, focusing on their perspectives on gender equality and systematic approaches to addressing gender-based violence (GBV).