Shrinking Resources and Public Space
The restrictions on public and civic space are manifestations of the root causes – patriarchy, colonialism, and neoliberalism. Globally, the state and non-state actors are combining their might to crush dissent, restrict rights, limit funding, and spur violence against feminist organizations and activists.
The key voices of dissent – trade unions, women’s rights organizations, queer movements, peasant bodies, and indigenous groups are reporting crackdown on their capacities to organize, protest and voice their concerns in both virtual and physical public and civic spaces.
Our Campaign
‘#HandsOffOurSpaces’ aims to challenge public space restrictions and promote truly feminist spaces, seeking a public sphere where feminists, queer activists, women human rights defenders (WHRDs), and marginalized groups hold power to challenge patriarchy, colonialism, and capitalism.
As a result of severe restrictions on public spaces, killings of WHRDs, online and offline gender-based violence (GBV), and financial hardships due to funding restrictions are getting more and more common.
The repressive state apparatuses, anti-rights groups, far right, complicit private sector, big tech, and billionaire-funded media are uniting globally to crackdown public spaces and therefore becoming biggest hurdles in advancing gender justice.
The assaults on the public space affect us all, but particularly WHRDs, LGBTQIA+ activists, feminist organizations, environment defenders, land rights activists, and marginalized groups.
Our Key Demands
To expand public space as a whole at the national, regional, and global level, we must:
- Ensure that WHRDs are protected from violence, harassment, and state repression.
- Increased funding for feminist movements.
- Protect rights in digital space.
