It is known widely that more than any policy and program intervention, the one thing that moves the needle on transforming gendered power relations, is the presence of and the sustained work done by feminist civil society and movements on the ground. However, these groups are the ones to receive the least resources, especially flexible resources, to support the diverse communities they represent and serve. During the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the Generation Equality Forum, the Action Coalition on Building Feminist Movements and Leadership reported that less than 1% of all overseas development aid for gender equality is given to women’s rights organisations. According to an OECD report, only 16% of all philanthropic financial flows are earmarked for gender equality, which is too reaching predominantly multilateral and international organisations. Moreover, there have often been questions on whether the resources are spent on something transformational or merely transactional. 

Of late, there have been more concerted efforts by donors to shift the narrative and the resources to the feminist civil society and movements on the ground in response to the unrelenting advocacy by groups such as Association for Women in Development (AWID), the women’s funds especially Leading From the South (LFS), and all those that stand for rights of women, girls and gender non-binary persons from marginalised communities. Philanthropists like MacKenzie Scott have also led the new approaches by funding women’s groups ‘with no strings attached’. Terminologies such as ‘participatory grant-making, ‘trust-based philanthropy’ and ‘funding for resilience’ have entered our modern lexicon. Older concepts and practices around ‘unrestricted funding’ have started regaining currency, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is a powerful shift from delivering on pre-defined outcomes to more flexible funding as per the evolving needs of feminist civil society and movements.  

But in exercising this flexibility, donors must overcome their institutional biases and processes significantly. In my professional journey of working across civil society, UN and philanthropy, I have learnt that the following matters:     

• THE WHY – Donors must be explicit in the goal of funding gender equality and women’s rights. Many donors focus on health and livelihoods and consider gender equality a means to achieve goals in these other sectors. They rarely aim to shift unequal power structures or measure transformative outcomes, typically focusing on improving women’s lives rather than their societal position. I believe gender equality must be articulated as an explicit and standalone goal to challenge power structures as an end by itself.      

• THE HOW – Gender-responsive systems are a basic requirement for translating the vision into impact. Proposal writing, developing log-frames and reporting requirements to secure and sustain funding, are sometimes a burden and radical changes in these practices can help create a level playing field for feminist civil society and movements. Sharply defining criteria for partnerships is another powerful practice in establishing intent for working with feminist civil society and movements. For instance, a funder may use criteria such as this – at least half of the staff and two-thirds in management to be women, girls and gender non-binary persons – to demonstrate where it wants the power (and the resources!) to flow.   

• WHOM TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO – It is equally critical for funding organisations to create internal mechanisms and structures for ensuring that agenda-setting, decision-making and leadership for defining and approving funding priorities lie with the women, girls and gender non-binary people who they seek to partner with and support. This could be done through their meaningful representation and voice within boards, governing bodies, and other platforms.

While the donor community has come a long way already, one hopes to see greater humility, introspection and internal transformation before they can claim to be credible partners for gender equality and women’s rights.