Holding the Line – Key Insights from our International Women’s Day Webinar

To mark International Women’s Day 2025, Equality Now held a virtual event to discuss global trends, including threats to democracy and a resurgence of anti-rights movements, and how we can organize and hope for a more equal future.⁣

As we mark 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, the global landscape for gender equality continues to evolve. Our discussion examined the current and continued rollback on women’s rights, legal and systemic barriers that persist, the progress made, and how we move forward in this new reality.

Our thanks to the panelists:

• Mona Sinha: Global Executive Director, Equality Now (Moderator)
• Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta: Former United States Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues and leader on gender and women’s issues
• Professor Rosie Campbell: Professor of Politics for King’s College London and former leader of the King’s Global Institute for Women’s Leadership
• Bárbara Jiménez-Santiago: Human Rights Lawyer and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, Equality Now

Key Themes from the Discussion:

The Current Landscape of Gender Equality

• 30 Years of Progress, but Persistent Challenges: 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, which set a global framework for gender equality. While significant progress has been made—including the repeal of over 100 discriminatory laws—many of these gains are now under threat.
• Rising Authoritarianism and Gender Backlash: Around the world, we are witnessing the rise of conservative and authoritarian governments rolling back gender equality initiatives, closing civil society spaces, and cutting funding for women’s rights programs.
• Political and Social Regression: Countries such as the U.S., U.K., Sweden, and the Netherlands have seen rollbacks in policies supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as cuts to foreign aid supporting gender-focused initiatives globally.

Understanding the Backlash

• The Weaponization of Gender Issues: Political actors and influencers have successfully mobilized opposition to gender equality by leveraging misinformation and fear, particularly among young men, leading to greater polarization on gender-related issues.
• Systematic, Coordinated Pushback: The rollback of gender rights is not random but part of a well-resourced, transnational movement involving various actors, including politicians, religious institutions, and digital influencers.
• Economic and Security Consequences: The reduction of funding for gender equality is not just a human rights issue—it has economic and security implications, affecting labor markets, national security, and democratic institutions worldwide.

Strategies for Moving Forward

• Legal reform remains one of the most powerful tools in dismantling gender inequality. The discussion explored recent case studies where legislative changes—often achieved through persistent advocacy and strategic litigation—have led to meaningful progress. However, panelists also underscored that legal change alone is insufficient. Without enforcement mechanisms (which are currently being undermined), public awareness, and political will, laws remain symbolic rather than transformative.
• Building Coalitions and Unifying Movements: Now more than ever, the women’s rights movement must work together, united across sectors and ideologies to drive change.
• Harnessing Youth Leadership and Digital Innovation: Young women and men must be engaged in advocacy, and digital platforms and mechanisms must be leveraged to counteract disinformation and spread positive narratives.
• Rethinking Philanthropy and Funding Models: Instead of solely funding programs, we must invest in leaders, organizations, and long-term systemic change, similar to how opposition movements have been resourced.
• Engaging Unlikely Allies: Partnerships with groups outside traditional feminist spaces—could help advance shared goals on key issues such as child protection and gender-based violence.

Bright Spots & Hope for the Future

• Recent Legal and Policy Wins:

  • Kenya’s repeal of discriminatory inheritance and citizenship laws.
  • Jordan’s abolition of laws allowing rapists to escape punishment by marrying their victims.
  • Colombia’s ban on child marriage.
  • The successful pushback against an attempt to roll back the ban on FGM in The Gambia.

• Increased Women’s Leadership: Despite setbacks, more women are entering political office and decision-making roles globally.
• Resilient and Growing Activism: Grassroots movements, particularly in Latin America and Africa, continue to push for progress, and younger generations are engaging more actively in gender justice movements.

What You Can Do Next

• Stay Engaged: Follow Equality Now and our partners on social media to keep up with developments and action items.
• Advocate & Educate: Share the knowledge from this webinar in your communities and use your voice to counter disinformation.
• Support Women-Led Organizations: Women’s movements are more important than ever,  but key funding sources are being targeted and dismantled. Your contributions to Equality Now support global collaboration amongst our vast network of partners and can help sustain the sector.

This conversation reaffirmed that legal equality is achievable, but only through sustained commitment, vigilance, and collaboration.