Summary
Highlights
Leila H. introduces the panel on centering gender justice in philanthropy, highlighting that gender justice goes beyond equality or equity by addressing systemic root causes of discrimination. She points out the severe underfunding of women's and gender justice organizations, especially those focusing on Black women and girls, despite their crucial role in driving development and social change.
Nosa, a Moroccan gender justice advocate and politician, discusses how women's organizations in Morocco have organized around gender justice, focusing on achieving equality in rights and practice, with government and civil society playing vital roles.
Françoise, head of the African Women's Development Fund, emphasizes that the conversation around gender justice is not new. She provides an example from The Gambia where feminist movements, supported by flexible funding, successfully prevented the decriminalization of female genital mutilation. She highlights the importance of trust-based, responsive, and collaborative funding for transformational change.
Cammy from the Women at Risk International Foundation shares how her organization, working in Nigeria, addressed gender-based violence, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. By training traditional birth attendants in rural areas, they were able to reach 150,000 homes, demonstrating the profound impact of women-led organizations in transforming communities.
Rebecca speaks about mothers2mothers, a South African-headquartered organization that trains and pays women to deliver community healthcare services, preventing vertical transmission of HIV. This model not only saves lives but also economically empowers women, giving them agency and control over household income.
The panelists discuss strategies for keeping gender justice central to philanthropy. Françoise advocates for funding organizations already doing this work (women's rights and feminist movements) with larger, unrestricted, and long-term funds, allowing them to define impact and build resilience. Cammy emphasizes integrating gender into all projects and involving implementers and community members in funding decisions. Rebecca highlights the need for new funding sources, greater education on gender justice's impact, and collaborative spaces for difficult conversations.
The panelists envision a future where African philanthropy drives gender justice. Cammy calls for 'Africa funding Africa,' leveraging diverse, untapped resources and applying an intersectional lens to philanthropy. Rebecca suggests involving the diaspora and increasing education on gender justice, fostering collaboration among funders. Nosa reiterates the importance of collective action from the grassroots, involving women in all areas, and highlighting the economic benefits of gender equality, such as a 4% increase in GDP.
Audience members raise crucial points about including men in the conversation, addressing subconscious biases, ensuring inclusion for marginalized communities like LGBTQI+ individuals and widowed women, and shifting philanthropy from micro-funding to large-scale investments in African feminist movements. The panelists respond by emphasizing inclusion, intersectionality, broadening the base of actors, and the urgency of action, stressing that philanthropy has the means and power to create transformative change.