https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2024/03/on-the-front-lines-womens-mobilization-for-democracy-in-an-era-of-backsliding?lang=en

Open-source materials:

• Article: “The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo: Argentina’s Voice for the Disappeared” (BBC)

• Video: Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo Documentary

• Podcast: Witness History – Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo (BBC)

It was in the 1980s, in a context of democratic struggle, that the feminist movement in Morocco was established as a movement. During this prolific period, the so-called historical pioneering feminists have accumulated victories, such as the reform of the Moudawana mentioned above (2004), considered to be a historic win for the feminist movement.

The year 2011 marked a turning point for the feminist movement in Morocco. It was the year of popular uprisings, like in most other Arab countries. In the Moroccan protests, a large participation of women was recorded, women from the working class, until then largely considered apolitical. For once, the plurality of feminism was emerging: a diverse feminism, less elitist and a feminism that takes into consideration the issues of the working class.

Born on 5 February 1875 in Prague, executed by the Nazis on 30 June 1942 in Prague.

Františka  Plamínková was involved in the activities of the women's movement from the 1890s: in 1897 she attended the first congress of Czechoslovak women and was one of the founders of the Women's Club of Bohemia, which was opened in 1904. It focused on the promotion of women's education and work, organised educational and cultural programmes such as music evenings, language courses and lectures, for which Plamínková managed to attract prominent personalities of her time, such as T. G. Masaryk, K. Kramář, T. Nováková, A. Honzáková, etc. In 1905, she was at the birth of the Committee for Women's Suffrage, whose activity led to the election of the first woman, the writer Božena Viková-Kunětická, to the Czech Provincial Assembly in 1912. Plamínková herself played a decisive role in her election, as she travelled all over the country throughout the campaign and managed to win over full auditoriums with her oratorical skills. Not only in her lectures, but also in her extensive journalistic activities (she contributed, for example, to the Teachers' Magazine, the Women's Council, Time, and the Women's Review), she devoted herself - in addition to her efforts to improve the status of women teachers - primarily to the unequal position of women in society and in marriage.

Františka Plamínková | Encyklopedie Prahy 2

https://medfeminiswiya.net/2021/04/19/feminism-in-morocco-a-brief-overview/?lang=en

The Feminist Platform brings together non-governmental organizations, grassroots organizations and community-based organizations, academic institutions, networks or coalitions of organizations, and gender and women rights activists, researchers, and academics, who work on and advocate for an equal representation, protection, and participation of women in all their diversity in all spheres of life.

Capitalizing on the collective experiences of its members and their broad range of expertise and focus areas and on the support of UN Women in Lebanon, the Feminist Platform seeks to contribute to a stronger voice for women and women’s rights groups, through a combination of approaches, such as advocacy and lobbying; cooperation and coordination; research, assessment, and data; and monitoring and accountability.

2. Mary McLeod Bethune (United States): An influential African American educator and civil rights leader, Bethune was instrumental in advocating for the rights of Black women and played a significant role in the formation of the National Council of Negro Women. Her legacy was honored with a statue in the U.S. Capitol, symbolizing the enduring impact of Black women on democracy.

3. Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez (United States): As president of NextGen America, Ramirez has been at the forefront of mobilizing young voters, particularly women, to engage in the democratic process. Her efforts include touring college campuses and utilizing innovative methods to encourage civic participation among the youth.

4. Clara Zetkin (Germany): A leading figure in the German socialist movement, Zetkin was a staunch advocate for women's rights and played a crucial role in organizing the first International Women's Day in 1911. Her activism laid the groundwork for future generations of women fighting for democratic rights.

5. The Women of the Turkish Resistance: In Turkey, women have been at the forefront of resisting authoritarian policies, particularly under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Despite facing significant challenges, including violence and imprisonment, Turkish women continue to organize and fight for their rights and democracy.

These examples underscore the critical role women have played and continue to play in the struggle for democracy worldwide.

https://www.comune.milano.it/en/-/intitolazioni.-la-passeggiata-in-viale-majno-dedicata-a-ersilia-bronzini-majno

Remembering resistance fighter, Lela Karagianni, who was murdered by the Nazis – The Greek Herald

Malala Yousafzai is an international symbol of the fight for girls' education after she was shot in 2012 for opposing the Taliban's restrictions on women's education in her native Pakistan. In 2009, Malala had begun writing a blog under a pseudonym about growing military activity in her hometown and fears that her school would be attacked. Once her identity was revealed, Malala and her father, Ziauddin, continued to speak out in favor of the right to education. The Taliban attack on Malala on October 9, 2012, as she returned home from school with her friends, received global condemnation. In 2013, Malala and her father co-founded the Malala Fund with the goal of raising awareness about the social and economic effects of girls' education and empowering them to demand change. She became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Malala as a United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2017 to help raise awareness about the importance of girls' education, a pillar of democracy.

Taliban fighters laugh over women politicians _ Afghanistan, Kabul.

https://youtube.com/shorts/rygkNMoilJU?si=8gFxeVnoVA5q1Sy2

Taliban attack women protestors in Kabul with whips

https://www.google.com/imgres?q=The%20Struggle%20for%20Freedom%20%26%20Democracy%20Betrayed%3A%20Memoirs%20of%20Miria%20Matembe%20as%20an%20Insider%20in%20Museveni%27s%20Government%20Miria%20K.%20Matembe&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61wrvDQ%2BvqL._AC_UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FStruggle-Freedom-Democracy-Betrayed-dictator%2Fdp%2F9970524003&docid=J6ap3RNZmVwFfM&tbnid=qQebrATmsJ2H0M&vet=12ahUKEwiNuNL6rN6JAxWv-gIHHV_-DUcQM3oECBMQAA..i&w=667&h=1000&hcb=2&ved=2ahUKEwiNuNL6rN6JAxWv-gIHHV_-DUcQM3oECBMQAA

The withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s seizure of Kabul, which led to the fall of the Afghan government, shocked the international community in August 2021 and left us with one of the largest humanitarian rescue operations in history. After six months, the social, humanitarian and political dimensions of the Afghan crisis, and its serious gender implications can be better understood. This year should be the year when we really support and fight for the rights and freedoms of Afghan women both outside and inside the country.

Women are undoubtedly the main victims of the Taliban regime’s seizure of power and the restoration of institutional violence against women. They have played a leading role in the progress in Afghanistan over the past 20 years. Hundreds of Afghan women activists, human rights defenders and professionals are now in exile, dispersed across Europe and other continents, following the Taliban takeover. Meanwhile, millions of women and girls remain in Afghan territory, forced to hide or maintain a low profile for fear of reprisals, suffering continuous violations of their fundamental rights and freedoms.

Khadija Amin, Massouda Kohistani and Rahela Sidiqi are three exceptional women, whose biographies attest to their enormous involvement and the sacrifices and risks they face for their work in defending women’s rights in Afghanistan. Although they are now in exile, they want to continue fighting for the future of their country from Europe.

https://mujeresalfrente.org/en/project

s/women-at-the-forefront-in-afghanistan/#:~:text=Khadija%20Amin%2C%20Massouda%20Kohistani%20and,defending%20women's%20rights%20in%20Afghanistan.

Wives, daughters, mothers and sisters of the victims of the regime made up a peaceful protest force that intervened in the public space and denounced the crimes with a high symbolic charge.

Silhouettes of their murdered and disappeared relatives, chains, marches and accusations of censorship marked the practices of organized women who managed to capture the attention of citizens and make abuses visible, raising a particular voice that united personal struggle with collective resistance.

In Kena Lorenzini's photographs, key women in the struggle for human rights can be identified, such as Ana González González, a member of the Association of Relatives of the Detained and Disappeared (AFDD) and wife of Manuel Recabarren Rojas, mother of Luis Recabarren González and Manuel Recabarren González, and mother-in-law of Nalvia Mena Alvarado, all of whom have disappeared.

María Maluenda and Estela Ortiz, mother and widow of José Manuel Parada, respectively, and Owana Guerrero, wife of Manuel Guerrero, communist professionals murdered by the dictatorship along with Santiago Nattino, in the event known as the Degollados Case; and the group Women for Life, which emerged in 1983 and hosted personalities from a wide political spectrum.

THE NIGRIA WOMEN TRUST FUND

The NIGRIA woman trust fund amplifies women's voices and promotes gender equality.

She worked for several years at CUF network of medical units, performing management functions. In the 1950s, she was President of the Catholic Women's University Youth (1952-1956) and Head of the Pax Romana - International Movement of Catholic Students (1956-1958).

Attorney to the Corporate Chamber (1969-1974), she held various government positions after the 25th of April (Secretary of State for Social Security of the I Provisional Government, in 1974, and Minister of Social Affairs of the II and III Provisional Governments, in 1974-1975.

She was a Permanent Delegate of Portugal to UNESCO (1975-1981), with a seat on the Executive Council since 1976.

Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo's mission to UNESCO was interrupted to head the V Constitutional Government (1 August 1979 - 3 January 1980). From 1983, he became a member of the Council of the United Nations University. 

In 1986, she was an independent candidate in the presidential elections, obtaining 7.4% of the votes. Between 1987 and 1989 she was an independent member of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament.

Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo was one of the most outstanding personalities in our social, cultural and political life in the second half of the 20th century. From a Catholic and humanist point of view, she has always fought for the realisation of human and civil rights throughout the world.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/05/lupita-powerful-voice-indigenous-woman-leading-movement

https://www.jstor.org/stable/26565656 an interesting article on Why Women Protest by Olena Nikolayenko and Maria DeCasper.

A short video about the protests organized by Ukrainian women: https://www.usip.org/events/women-ukraines-revolution-dignity

https://wmi.uonbi.ac.ke/basic-page/about-prof-wangari-maathai

Initially, early results indicated that Haddad had won a seat reserved for minorities in Beirut I. However, in a surprising turn, it was later announced that she had lost, sparking outrage among her supporters and the broader reformist community. Accusations of electoral manipulation and unfair practices began circulating, with many questioning the integrity and transparency of the electoral process.

This incident highlighted widespread concerns about the fairness of Lebanese elections, particularly regarding the influence of entrenched political elites and sectarian dynamics. Haddad’s loss became a symbol of the challenges faced by independents and reformists in Lebanon's political landscape, which remains dominated by traditional power structures.

History

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In 2001, she and other activists founded an organization called Las Libres (the Free Women) to advocate for women's rights to make decisions about their bodies, their reproductive choices and their sexuality.^[7] She has been active in promoting free and safe abortions to victims of rape^[8] and incest, though in many states of Mexico, incest is seen as a consensual, rather than a criminal, relationship.^[9]

Cruz was the first Mexican human rights activist to be awarded the Defender of Human Rights award from Human Rights Watch.^[4] In 2006, she was awarded the honor for her work with women's right to access legal and medical services.^[1][4]

To destigmatize abortion, Cruz developed a program where trained volunteers accompany women throughout their medical procedures lending them support. Counseling services are available, as well as physical support whether they have decided to terminate a pregnancy outside the formal health system or in a clinic in Mexico City. Mexico City is the only place in the nation where an abortion can be obtained for a pregnancy which was not the result of rape. In 2014, Cruz produced a short documentary film, Accompaniment, to demonstrate how the model they have developed is used to both support women and reduce stigma.^[10]

The Guanajuato Seven

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In 2008, she and other activists began interviewing women who were incarcerated and collected statistics on the reasons for their imprisonment. They discovered that women were being imprisoned for up to 30 years in some cases under a charge of "aggravated homicide of a family member." In reviewing the law code, Cruz discovered that this offense was not a crime which was defined in the legal statutes. Cruz and Las Libres assisted in funding and support for the 2010 legal proceedings that reduced the sentences of the women to 3 years, which all had already served, and reformed state legislation.^[11] The women were not exonerated, but their punishments were deemed to be excessively punitive.^[12]

Tanto monta, monta tanto, Isabel como Fernando:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanto_monta,_monta_tanto,_Isabel_como_Fernando

The folklore goes by that she fought against the British army and escaped along with carrying her baby with her.

https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-vasmaghi-release-health-issues-prison/32927628.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedigheh_Vasmaghi

Performance colectivo Las Tesis "Un violador en tu camino"

For her courage and for fulfilling the legal requirements, she acquired the right to vote that year, making headlines across Europe, where the first steps in the cause of women's suffrage were still being taken. It became a milestone in the history of women and their fight for the right to vote, social inclusion and the right to participate in political life.

Women's suffrage was introduced in Portugal in 1931. However, it wasn't until 25 April 1974 that universal suffrage was enshrined and restrictions on the right to vote based on citizens' gender were abolished.

She was referred by PIDE (Polícia Internacional e de Defesa do Estado), the political police at the time of the fascist regime in Portugal, as an opponent of the institutions. She joined the anti-fascist resistance and the MUD - Movement for Democratic Unity. After the revolution of 25 April 1974, she joined a political party and was elected as a member of parliament. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nat%C3%A1lia_Correia

Feminist Link:

Gatti de Gamond established the first non-religious secondary schools for girls in Belgium, challenging the dominance of Catholic education and its limitations on women's intellectual and professional opportunities. Her reforms aimed to equip women with the knowledge and skills necessary for civic participation, thus aligning education with democratic ideals.

"De optocht van de scholen in 1878" symbolizes the broader societal emphasis on education during this period, an area where Gatti de Gamond's feminist advocacy was transformative. The feminist link lies in how her reforms fought against systemic barriers, advancing gender equality by promoting the idea that education was a fundamental right for women, not just men.

This historical context connects the artwork to the feminist movements of the time, showcasing how the push for inclusive education underpinned broader democratic and societal shifts in Belgium.

My name is Ferester Elemiya, and I am from Group Village Mwase in the Mbwatalika area of Lilongwe, Malawi. As an activist, I have a deep commitment to alleviate the suffering of women in my community. I have witnessed the alarming rise of structural violence across various sectors, including churches, schools, families, workplaces, and the media. Through my experiences, I have seen firsthand the injustices faced by myself and other women. This passion for change fuels my work as a social worker, where I translate my dedication to activism into meaningful actions. I seek to build a just and equitable society for the women around me, recognising that the struggles we face are often interconnected. I work with other women in my community around the issues of gender-based violence land disputes, and economic injustices. 

What are you noticing about the work you do in your context and the broader Malawi?

Our economy is unstable, especially with the devaluation of kwacha which is making life difficult and expensive. As a result, many people are suffering to the extent of struggling to feed the family, not being able to afford buying farm inputs like seeds, fertilizers and even failing to pay school fees for their children. Malawi is approaching an election year next year in 2025, during election season, politicians visit communities with small parcels of food that are not enough to feed a family and their manifestos fail to address women’s needs. There is widespread confusion in the whole country on some subsidies that everyone is supposed to access, but only a few are benefiting.  

for more info, look into https://justassociates.org/ferester-elemiya-confronts-systemic-injustice/