Financing for Feminist Futures Conference
Feminist practices should guide foreign policies and funding
The global landscape is experiencing a significant pushback against gender equality and women’s rights: increased rates of sexual and gender-based violence, and further criminalization of LGBTIQ+ rights, fueled by the rise of anti-rights movements. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these challenges, disproportionately impacting women and LGBTIQ+ people, particularly in the Majority World. This crisis intersects with environmental issues, as the climate emergency continues to threaten the livelihoods of women and girls more severely.
To counter these challenges, it is vital to champion feminist practices and secure robust and sustainable funding for gender equality. These efforts ensure that the voices of women and LGBTIQ+ individuals are not only heard but are integral in shaping decisions that affect global security, peace, climate action, and trade. By advocating for inclusive foreign policies and amplifying diverse voices, we aim to create a more equitable world where all can participate fully in political and social life.
Putting gender equality at the center of Financing for Development 2025
Faced with the scarcity of resources available to address cross-cutting gender inequalities and promote women’s and girls’ full enjoyment of their rights, Walking the Talk is organizing Financing for Feminist Futures to galvanize decision-makers attention and bring feminist funding to the top of the international development finance agenda at the United Nations’ fourth International Financing for Development Conference happening in Seville in June 2025.
When decisions about financing are made gender equality must be at the center and women and LGBTIQ+ people at the table.
That is why Financing for Feminist Futures is conceived as a key platform to mobilize and put the demands of feminist movements for more flexible and long-term funding on the menu of Financing for Development.
Our goals for Financing for Feminist Futures
Our goals for the conference
Facilitate dialogue
Enable the engagement of decision-makers, researchers, activists, donors, and civil society organizations to put funding for feminist movements at the center of the Financing for Development agenda.
Launch a Common Ask Framework
Introduce a Common Ask Framework, which outlines the resources needed to achieve gender equality goals.
Weave feminist movements together
Connect and amplify the demands of civil society organizations, think tanks, women’s funds, academia, and grassroots groups ahead of Financing for Development.
Share and amplify research results
Exchange experiences, tools, and opportunities to improve gender-transformative financing with leaders and decision-makers in the field.
Introducing Walking the Talk
Walking the Talk wants to boost the adoption of inclusive foreign policies, practices, and funding that champion gender equality in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the European Union. In other words, foreign policies that reflect the voices of women and LGBTIQ+ people from the Majority World. To achieve this, we advocate for an increase in Official Development Assistance (ODA) and other funding streams dedicated to gender equality and women’s rights, especially funding for intersectional feminist organizations in the Majority World.
Our Approach
Walking the Talk is led by a consortium of organizations from four European countries, including Equipop (France), Restless Development (United Kingdom), the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy (Germany), and Hivos (Netherlands). At the European level, ODI Europe enhances the program by amplifying its reach and influence within EU policy circles. This collective effort is designed to foster more feminist, inclusive, and equitable foreign policies, leveraging both regional and international networks.
Our strategy is deeply rooted in challenging binary notions of gender, embracing diversity, and adopting an anti-racist, intersectional framework. Our work focuses on advocating for foreign policies that promote gender equality at the European level and in key international processes like the United Nation’s Financing for Development Conference. It is driven by the insights and leadership of rights holders from the Majority World, ensuring their perspectives are central to our advocacy.