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Gender Equality Was Promised. So Why Are We Still Fighting for It?
Thirty years ago, the Beijing Declaration was hailed as a landmark moment for gender justice. It was a declaration of intent, a commitment by governments around the world to fight for women’s rights, economic equality, and an end to systemic oppression.
Fast forward to today, and the picture is not what it should be.
252 men own more wealth than every woman and girl in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean combined.
Women contribute 12.5 billion hours of unpaid labor every single day, holding up economies without recognition or compensation.
The rise of right-wing, ultra-conservative movements is actively rolling back rights that were hard-fought and never fully secured.
This isn’t just a statistic or a policy debate. This is real life. And billions of lives are directly affected. It’s access to education, healthcare, financial independence, and safety- things that should be basic human rights, not privileges for a select few.
So where do we go from here?
Amina Hersi on the Fight for Gender Justice
For International Women’s Day, we sat down with Amina Hersi, Head of Gender Rights and Justice at Oxfam International, for a conversation that pulls no punches.
Amina is on the front lines of gender advocacy, working to expose the systems that keep inequality alive and fighting for real, lasting change. In this conversation, she breaks down:
Why economic inequality is at the root of gender injustice
How right-wing agendas are systematically dismantling human rights
Why feminist movements in the Global South are leading the charge for progress
What governments and institutions need to do—right now—to make a difference
And she doesn’t just talk about the challenges. She talks about resistance, resilience, and the movements refusing to back down.
“Fascism is Here, And We Have Met It Before.”
One of the most powerful moments of the conversation comes when Amina reads from a letter written by Feminists in Kenya—a message of solidarity, defiance, and strength:
"Fascism is here, and we have met it before. We know its patterns, its tactics, its violence. It weaponizes despair. It banks on our exhaustion. It divides and attempts to rule. It feeds on isolation, hoping that we stand alone. But we have never fought alone. The people who value humanity are more than the people who don’t. We will fight across borders, across histories, across struggles, from the occupied territories to the refugee camps, to the streets, to our very homes. We have always known what it means to collectively resist, and so we move, not in fear, but in feminist boldness."
This is why global feminist solidarity matters more than ever.
Watch the Full Conversation
This isn’t just another discussion on gender rights. This is a wake-up call. Amina’s insights cut through the noise, showing the real stakes and what needs to happen next.
For more things Igniting Change, check out our podcast page, or shout us a holla to get in touch with us. We would love to hear from you 💚
Watch the full episode here 🎥
Published on 6 March 2025, last updated on 6 March 2025
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