Global Fund for Women

Our monthly "Meet a Globie" post introduces the staff who drive our work to fund bold gender justice movements. This month, we’re passing the mic to Siouar Douss, our Feminist Crisis Manager at Global Fund for Women. Swipe left to read Siouar’s reflections on how she works tirelessly to support frontline defenders and crisis responders, whose bravery and ingenuity inspire us daily. “My role is more than a job title; it's a profound journey of learning and collaboration. Every conversation with feminist leaders—whether they are facing repressive regimes, climate disasters, or conflict—is a lesson in resilience. These incredible individuals, often working with scarce resources, continue to innovate and protect the most marginalized in their communities. They are the true heroes, and I am deeply honored to stand with them and amplify their voices. As a feminist from the Global South, my perspective is continually evolving. My personal positionality as a Tunisian who has lived through and actively fought for the Tunisian revolution—a popular uprising in which women and gender non-conforming people played a significant and influential role—deeply informs who I am today. This experience has shaped my understanding of justice and fuels my commitment to ensuring that the voices of the most marginalized are heard and acted upon. At the heart of my work is a belief that crises, while devastating, can also be moments of profound transformation. Crises challenge us to reimagine a more equitable future, one where justice prevails, and the most vulnerable are protected. Activists on the frontlines are the beacons of hope in these dark times, and it's my privilege to give my time and attention to support them. Underpinning our Feminist Crisis Response Strategy is a commitment to intersectionality, community ownership, and trust-based partnerships. We don't just respond to crises; we challenge the systemic inequalities that exacerbate them. We ensure that those most affected by crises are not only heard but are active agents in their recovery. This approach is not just about immediate relief but about fostering long-term resilience and transformative change. To those on the frontline crisis responders: You are the heartbeat of our global fight for justice. Your courage and creativity inspire us all to imagine and work towards a better future. Continue to speak up, show up, and challenge the systems that perpetuate injustice. Know that your activism is vital for all of humanity and future generations.” ?

Our feminist response to crises centers women, girls, and gender non-conforming people as decision-makers so they can deliver immediate humanitarian aid—like food, shelter, and health care—while continuing their fight to transform the structures that perpetuate inequality.? In Gaza, as screeching bombs tore the region, our grantee partner The Cultural and Free Thought Association (CFTA) office was reduced to rubble. Amidst the debris, the CFTA team mourned the destruction of their space and comforted colleagues who’d lost loved ones in the strike. At this devastating moment, another blow came: key donors had cut their funding, threatening to halt CFTA’s vital services for women, children, and marginalized communities. It would have been easy to lose hope, but the team knew that giving up wasn’t an option; CFTA was founded over three decades ago by five Palestinian women activists to create a safe, nurturing environment for children—and that mission would persist.?? ? With extraordinary courage and resilience, the team rallied, establishing camps to shelter 600 displaced families who had nowhere else to turn. These families needed more than just a roof over their heads—they needed hope for the future. Supported by the Global Fund for Women, CFTA ensured that educational activities continued for the sheltering families. Colorful papers with crayon drawings now sprinkle the common areas, and the sound of children’s laughter can be heard once again. By keeping these children learning and dreaming, even as the world crumbled around them, CFTA keeps the hope for a better future alive.? ? From extreme weather to severe political unrest, new crises have the potential to spawn every day. Through our feminist crisis response, Global Fund for Women will continue to respond to the world’s most urgent crises, and we will help our partners rebuild a more equitable future. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g7dfqFac?

[EN] New report alert! Feminist organizations are often best placed to respond to crises because they provide responsive on-the-ground support to the most historically marginalized communities. And yet, they often receive the least support in crisis settings. "A Blueprint for Feminist Crisis Response" shares real stories, strategies, and models of what #FeministCrisisResponse looks like in practice! Download the report to learn how feminist crisis responses work to ensure that the basic needs of the most historically marginalized groups are met, weaving back social safety nets, and addressing the root causes of injustice. https://lnkd.in/d4ybNSDk [SP] Nueva alerta de informe! Las organizaciones feministas suelen estar en mejor posición para responder a las crisis porque brindan apoyo receptivo sobre el terreno a las comunidades más marginadas. Y, sin embargo, suelen recibir el menor apoyo en situaciones de crisis. "Un plan para la respuesta feminista a las crisis" comparte historias, estrategias y modelos reales de cómo se ve en la práctica la respuesta feminista a las crisis. Descargue el informe para conocer cómo funcionan las respuestas feministas a la crisis para garantizar que se satisfagan las necesidades básicas de los grupos históricamente más marginados, tejiendo redes de seguridad social y abordando las causas fundamentales de la injusticia. https://lnkd.in/d4ybNSDk [FR] Nouveau rapport disponible ! Les organisations féministes sont souvent les mieux placées pour répondre aux crises car elles apportent un soutien réactif sur le terrain aux communautés les plus marginalisées. Pourtant, elles sont souvent celles qui re?oivent le moins de soutien dans les situations de crise. "Un guide pour une réponse féministe aux crises" partage des histoires réelles, des stratégies et des modèles de ce à quoi ressemble une réponse féministe aux crises dans la pratique ! Téléchargez le rapport pour découvrir comment les réponses féministes aux crises s'efforcent de répondre aux besoins fondamentaux des groupes les plus marginalisés historiquement, de retisser les filets de sécurité sociale et de s'attaquer aux causes profondes de l'injustice. https://lnkd.in/d4ybNSDk

As the ongoing Israeli military attacks on Gaza intensify, grassroots organizations are responding with creativity, resilience, and courage. Among them is our longtime partner, SAWA Organization – All Together Today and Tomorrow, who in response to the compounding crisis, has shifted services to help displaced people urgently access food, medical care, shelter, and mental health support. By adapting their 24/7 Helpline, they’ve become a literal lifeline for those trapped in the genocide. Those like Nour*, a young mother who was separated from her husband and is navigating the horrors of war with her children. She found solace in the voices on the other end of SAWA’s helpline. After giving birth in the chaos of displacement, she noticed something was wrong with her newborn and described the symptoms to the helpline’s doctor. His response—"find the nearest field doctor immediately"—set off a race against time. A doctor in a nearby tent confirmed Nour’s worst fears: without immediate medical intervention, her baby would die. But through SAWA’s support, Nour navigated to a hospital where her baby was placed in intensive care. Against the odds, doctors stabilized his condition, saving his life. ? ? Nour is one of over 14,000 people who have depended on SAWA's support.?? ? Around the globe, acute crises are on the rise. When a crisis strikes, not everyone is affected equally; women, girls, and all historically marginalized people bear the brunt of the chaos. Our Crisis Fund directs resources to local feminist groups working on the frontlines and responding to urgent community needs in times of crisis. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g7dfqFac? ? *Name has been modified for safety and to respect their privacy.?

Three years after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021, women and girls in Afghanistan continue to face relentless attack on their human rights: they can’t work, go to school, or leave their house without a male guardian. What is happening in Afghanistan is one the biggest regressions of women’s rights in modern history.? Afghan women pleaded with the international community to “move from beautiful words and statements to practice,” yet many funders are pulling out of the region, citing logistical and other challenges related to the ongoing Taliban rule. ??? An Afghan activist for girls’ rights shared with us what life is like under the Taliban, how to support feminist activists there, and what’s at stake for women and girls in the region.??? https://lnkd.in/gm2A8kuu

We're thrilled to welcome Fadekemi Akinfaderin, Jenny Yip, and?Anu Menon to our Board of Directors! ?? Their leadership and expertise will help us continue advancing our mission to shift power and resources to gender justice movements around the world.? ? ?? Fadekemi (Kemi) Akinfaderin is a visionary leader as Chief Global Advocacy Officer leading Fós Feminista’s Global Advocacy for Change Unit. Kemi is a feminist thought leader and connector in women’s sexual and reproductive justice movements whose intersectional feminist voice and deep experience in movement building and trust-based grantmaking. She brings more than 20 years of experience working in partnership with women’s rights organizations, funds, and feminist and social justice movements in Africa and globally. Throughout her career, she has been an activist for sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. Read more about her: https://bit.ly/3ZfW3wr ?? Jenny Yip is currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Investment Officer of a soon-to-launch healthcare startup with the vision to merge the for-profit and non-profit worlds in funding science for all. Previously, she was a Managing Partner at Adjuvant Capital, a life sciences investment fund dedicated to mid- to late-stage research and development of products addressing significant global health challenges affecting lower- and middle-income countries. She has worked in finance for over 20 years, beginning as an investment banker advising corporate clients in mergers and acquisitions and debt and equity financings at Goldman Sachs’ Hong Kong, New York, and San Francisco offices. https://bit.ly/4ecqzvw ?? Anu Menon is passionate about promoting the rights of women and disadvantaged communities domestically in the U.S. and internationally. She is currently focusing on philanthropic and political giving through her family foundation. Formerly the Executive Director of Oasis for Girls, a San Francisco-based non-profit providing intensive after school programming to under-resourced BIPOC girls in high school, she brings a wealth of experience in a range of civil and human rights issues. Read more about her: https://bit.ly/4dTPYtY

Crises amplify gender injustice. They disrupt girls’ education, send gender-based violence skyrocketing, and shutter critical reproductive health services. From famine to war to devastating earthquakes, crises are not apolitical accidents—they are borne out of colonialism, greed, exploitation, and authoritarianism.?? Feminist leaders around the world have been responding to the immediate impacts and root causes of crises for decades—acting as frontline responders, unpaid caregivers, and community mobilizers. But grassroots and feminist groups seldom receive dedicated support to respond to their communities’ urgent crisis needs.? That's where we step in— our #CrisisFund puts flexible, core support funding directly in the hands of local women-led and feminist organizations in the aftermath of crises.? ?https://lnkd.in/gTBiCKQG?

[EN] New report alert! ?? Feminist organizations are often best placed to respond to crises because they provide responsive on-the-ground support to the most marginalized communities. And yet, they often receive the least support in crisis settings. "A Blueprint for Feminist Crisis Response" shares real stories, strategies, and models of what feminist crisis response looks like in practice! Download the report to learn how feminist crisis responses work to ensure that the basic needs of the most historically marginalized groups are met, weaving back social safety nets, and addressing the root causes of injustice. Read more & downlnoad it here: https://lnkd.in/d4ybNSDk ** [SP] Alerta de informe! ?? Las organizaciones feministas suelen estar en mejor posición para responder a las crisis porque brindan apoyo receptivo sobre el terreno a las comunidades más marginadas. Y, sin embargo, suelen recibir el menor apoyo en situaciones de crisis. "Un plan para la respuesta feminista a las crisis" comparte historias, estrategias y modelos reales de cómo se ve en la práctica la respuesta feminista a las crisis. Descargue el informe para conocer cómo funcionan las respuestas feministas a la crisis para garantizar que se satisfagan las necesidades básicas de los grupos históricamente más marginados, tejiendo redes de seguridad social y abordando las causas fundamentales de la injusticia. Lee más aquí: https://lnkd.in/d4ybNSDk

Latin America has some of the world’s highest rates of femicide: on average, more than nine women are killed a day. Between 2020 and 2021, over 8,549 women and girls had been listed as missing. Most of them are girls under the age of 20.? In Peru, young people face profound challenges related to state repression, political setbacks, and systemic violence. Lucera, an anti-racist youth collective, is making strides to change this. Their approach includes digital advocacy, creating and disseminating publications on racial and gender justice, and hosting educational and cultural events to understand youth experiences and discuss structural inequalities. Read more about them here: https://lnkd.in/dq99dfJP #MovementPartner

What does advancing racial justice through communications in Brazil look like? Since its founding in 2014, Revista Afirmativa has been at the forefront of challenging traditional media narratives that perpetuate racial and gender stereotypes in Brazil.? Their efforts have increased visibility and understanding of racial and gender issues in the country, highlighting how communication can serve as a tool for healing, empowerment, and transformation.? Read more about them here https://lnkd.in/dq99dfJP #MovementPartner? ?