Dear Colleagues,
Last week WFN board member, Rashmi Yadav Marya, and I joined about 750 people representing 40 countries at the Shaping Feminist Foreign Policy Conference convened by the Government of the Netherlands at the Hague.
It was poignant to gather in the spirit of feminist collaboration during a time of increased conflict and entrenchment. I encourage you to watch and learn from some of the conference highlights here. You’ll especially enjoy hearing the sessions from our movement partners Lyric Thompson, Mama Cash, Women’s Fund Asia, Ukrainian Women’s Fund and Urgent Action Fund – leaders who are working in some of the most challenging environments around the world.
It is encouraging that more and more governments are remaking their foreign policy as feminist, with the movement expanding across the world. According to the Defining Feminist Foreign Policy report, nations with feminist foreign policies include: the Americas (Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, with Brazil having appointed an official to explore the concept), Europe (France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain, with Belgium exploring a FFP commitment), Africa (Liberia and Libya), and Asia (Mongolia).
We are grateful for the leadership of feminists around the globe pushing to make FFP a reality. We are also mindful that progress is not predictable or permanent without ongoing support, as Lyric wrote recently in The New York Times.
Thank you to all our partners who shared their knowledge, inspiration and who helped us make new connections for our global network. We know that these relationships along with practical guidance will help strengthen our work now, and in the years to come.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Barajas-Román
Women’s Funding Network
President & CEO