Dear Colleagues,
In 1983, five lesbian feminist activists got together in Amsterdam and launched Mama Cash—a pioneering force for resourcing feminist movements worldwide. Over the span of 40 years, Mama Cash has witnessed a remarkable era of social transformation driven by the relentless efforts of women, girls, and trans and intersex activists that it has supported.
In 1983, intimate partner violence legislation was virtually absent globally, with only Ireland having specific laws addressing it. By 2023, this had shifted dramatically with 162 countries, comprising 80% of the 193 UN member states, implementing such laws. Similarly, the accessibility of elective abortion saw a notable surge, with only 35 countries allowing it in 1983, compared to 77 countries in 2023. Furthermore, the decriminalisation of consensual same-sex sexual behaviour experienced substantial progress, with the number of UN member states criminalising it reduced by half from 118 to 68 by 2023, alongside 36 nations legalising marriage equality.
Even as women, girls, trans and intersex people worldwide face violence and inequality; even as the world is plunged in atrocity from Palestine to Sudan to Ukraine; even as a far-right surge threatens to drag us all back to more regressive times, feminist movements just keep going. With each push forward, they carve out more space, every small victory illuminating the path ahead.
In celebration of our 40th anniversary, we commissioned an Impact Study: Change that Lasts: 40 Years of Impact, which reveals how our funding has driven key advancements by these movements over the past 40 years. Our journey began with a budget of 1.2 million euros from an inheritance, and with the support of thousands of donors, we have invested over 140 million euros in the rights of women, girls, trans, and intersex people. Change that Lasts: 40 Years of Impact is a testament to the power of collective action and the enduring strength of feminist values.
Sincerely,
Happy Mwende Kinyili & Saranel Benjamin
Mama Cash
Co-Executive Directors