Day 5 of 16 Days of Activism: With Governments Funding, Feminist Futures Rise

Today is Day 5 of the 16 Days of Activism, and we return to the heart of this year’s theme, Reimagining Feminist Futures: Rising in Solidarity, Thriving Out of Crisis; with a clear message: when governments fund us with intention, feminist futures take root.

At a time when global funding is shifting away from the Global South, and many feminist organizations face shrinking budgets, short-term project grants, and increasing donor conditionalities, the need for flexible, core funding has never been more urgent. Feminist movements cannot thrive on fragmented, restrictive funding. We need resources that honor feminist principles—trust, flexibility, equity, and power-balanced partnerships.

When governments and donors invest intentionally, boldly, consistently, and without imposing agendas, we gain more than funding. We gain the ability to rise, organize, heal, and protect our communities. We gain the space to imagine and build liberation on our own terms.

Flexible core funding means we can sustain safe spaces for survivors. It means we can nurture activists and safeguard their wellbeing. It means we can challenge harmful norms, mobilize communities, and build generational change.

In a moment where violence intensifies, civic space narrows, and digital threats grow, governments and donors must choose to resource feminist work as a long-term commitment; not a temporary project.

Today, we call on governments and global partners:

Fund feminist organizing with courage, flexibility, and trust.

Invest in movements—not just activities.

Because when you do, we rise, and feminist futures rise with us.

Together, we can build the world we imagine.