Feminist and women’s movements in the context of ending violence against women and girls – implications for funders and grant makers

There is some evidence that strong, autonomous feminist and/or women’s movements are key to ending violence against women and girls. Countries with the strongest feminist movements tend to have more comprehensive policies on violence against women than those with weaker or non-existent movements. Civil society, women’s rights organizations and feminist activists are key to movement building and initiatives to end violence against women and girls. Yet women’s rights organizations and movements are critically under resourced.  

This paper commissioned by the UN Trust Fund to End to Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund), presents an external literature review by an external consultant on feminist and women’s movements in the context of ending violence against women and girls, including documented literature on the role of funders and grant makers. It aims to document some key concepts, frameworks, and areas that the UN Trust Fund and partners can draw when making decisions on funding women’s and feminist movements and movement building organizations.  

Building on lessons learned from UN Trust Fund projects funded through the Spotlight Initiative, which focused on supporting women’s movements, it is part of learning journey to reflect on and better understand progress on and challenges relating to supporting women’s and feminist movements in the context of ending violence against women and girls.