By Beth Woroniuk, Senior Fellow at the Feminist Foreign Policy Collaborative and Advisor to Walking the Talk
Two global events took place in early December. In Bangkok, at the AWID forum, 4,000+ feminists from around the world gathered to strategize, form alliances, learn from one another, and laugh, dance, and rage in the spirit of transnational movement-building. Half a world away – in a very different room in New York – United Nations member states (and a smattering of civil society organizations) met for the second session of the Preparatory Committee (PrepComm) of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4). This was a space with gavels, microphones that cut off when the time limit was reached, and formal statements outlining national positions.
What do these two very different meetings have in common?
They both addressed resources, money, global financial structures, and many of the biggest threats facing our world.
While many feminist activists are familiar with the AWID Forum, fewer follow Financing for Development. Formally, this UN process is designed to “address new and emerging issues, and the urgent need to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals, and support reform of the international financial architecture.” It sets the stage for global financing for the next decade.
This December meeting leads toward a conference that will be held in Seville, Spain, from 30 June to 3 July 2025. Its objective was to provide a preparatory space for member states to respond to an initial Elements Paper, which sets the stage for the zero draft of the final outcome document to be shared in Seville.
The previous FfD conference (FfD3), held in 2015, produced the Addis Ababa Agenda for Action (AAAA). This document provided a framework for discussions on how to finance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There were clear commitments to advancing gender equality, mainstreaming gender equality language throughout the document, naming gender equality as an enabler of economic development, and supporting social inclusion, women entrepreneurs, improved labor standards (including equal pay for work of equal value), and increased investments to support gender equality.
We recommit to adopting and strengthening sound policies and enforceable legislation and transformative actions for the promotion of gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment at all levels, to ensure women’s equal rights, access, and opportunities for participation and leadership in the economy and to eliminate gender-based violence and discrimination in all its forms.
– Addis Abada Agenda for Action, para 6
Gender equality champions and feminist activists hoped to build on the AAAA and include stronger commitments in FfD4. Unfortunately, there was little attention to gender analysis and gender equality issues in the December PrepComm meeting. The formal statements and discussions were marked by conflicts over gender analysis and language relating to gender equality and the rights of women and girls. A block of countries appeared determined to not only oppose advances but also roll back previously agreed language on gender equality. They voiced opposition to including references to SDG 5 (Gender Equality), gender-responsive budgeting, and other related points.
While there were brief mentions of support for addressing gender equality issues, these were often general and fleeting. One exception was the Canadian delegation. They dedicated a full statement to the importance of gender equality in FfD discussions, highlighting that “the renewed global financing framework must contribute to the advancement of gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, in all their diversity.”
The Walking the Talk consortium crowd-sourced ideas, suggestions, and priorities for FfD initial discussions and submitted a document of gender equality inputs to the Elements Paper. This offered a menu of feminist priorities on global financing issues and resourcing gender equality.
What gets demanded, gets funded. It is time to place gender equality firmly at the center of financing for development and build economies that prioritize care and the well-being of women and girls, their families, and their communities.
– Walking the Talk Elements Paper inputs
In the midst of these discussions, one side event – Centering Gender Equality, Catalyzing Change: A Gender-Transformative Financing for Development Agenda – provided an energetic discussion on what might be possible.

Co-sponsored by the Governments of Spain and Mexico, Walking the Talk, and the Feminist Foreign Policy Collaborative, a full room discussed issues and strategies, challenges, and opportunities. The speakers were HE Ambassador Mónica Colomar, Ambassador-at-Large for Financing for Development (Spain); Karen de Brouwer Vásquez, Director of Financing for Development and Emerging Technologies (Mexico); Micaela Fernández Erlauer, FUNDAR (Argentina); Jim Monkel, Walking the Talk (the Netherlands); and Spogmay Ahmed, Feminist Foreign Policy Collaborative (USA). I had the pleasure of moderating.
Jim Monkel kicked off the discussion, noting the gap between global commitments to gender equality and existing financing (estimated at 360 billion USD/year) and the need for stronger commitments and accountability. He introduced Walking the Talk’s Common Ask Framework as a key tool and explained that the Financing for Feminist Futures Conference, to be held in Madrid on May 21-23, 2025, will be an important step in generating momentum and support.
In her remarks, Ambassador Colomar outlined Spain’s gender equality priorities for FfD4, emphasizing Spain’s commitment to a gender-transformative agenda: “Spain is committed to prioritizing an agenda that maximizes impact while ensuring gender-transformative objectives. You can count on Spain.” She highlighted the importance of mainstreaming gender equality across all areas of the FfD4 agenda, with specific attention to the rights of women and girls (including sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as property and inheritance rights), gender-responsive budgeting, gender parity, taxation, and gender-disaggregated data. The Ambassador also stressed the importance of addressing gender equality issues in debt relief initiatives given their disproportionate impact on women and girls.
Micaela Fernández Erlauer explored a feminist approach to fiscal policy and why this is relevant for FfD. She argued that a feminist approach to fiscal policy challenges the idea of fiscal neutrality because it recognizes that tax policies, public spending, and debt management reflect and reinforce existing power structures and inequalities—including those based on gender, class, and race. “Austerity measures are not gender-neutral. They reinforce existing inequalities and worsen the social situation.” She asked how we can think about feminist transformations when many governments say they lack resources and have other priorities. She concluded: “It’s not about whether resources exist. It’s about priorities. To advance gender equality, we must challenge these priorities and advocate for fiscal policies that are fair, progressive, and feminist.”
Karen de Brouwer Vásquez made clear that Mexico is “unwavering in our gender commitment.” She made links between Mexico’s feminist foreign policy and its FfD priorities. Among the issues she emphasized were feminist fiscal policies, intersectional analysis in climate financing, and investments in care infrastructure. She stressed the importance of coherence between domestic and international spaces. The establishment of a national care system and infrastructure is included in the 100 commitments put forth by the new Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum. Ms. de Brouwer Vásquez noted the importance of working together with civil society and ended with a call to action for all stakeholders to stay engaged throughout the FfD4 processes. She noted that “as co-facilitators, our doors will always be open.”
Following the remarks, there was a lively exchange with the audience on the opportunities for and challenges to strengthening gender equality language in the FfD4 process, the role of the private sector (as an ally or an obstacle), structural inequalities in the current system, the possibilities for feminist solidarity, framing gender equality narratives and objectives to be more palatable to a wider range of member states, addressing resistance, and more.
Spogmay Ahmed wrapped up the discussion. She provided insights into how feminist foreign policies can provide structural analyses of power, politics, and policymaking, as well as the influence of racism, colonialism, and patriarchy in impeding progress. Applying feminist principles across all areas of foreign policy – macroeconomics, trade, development assistance, immigration, peace and security, humanitarian efforts, etc. – can yield catalytic opportunities. She closed with a call to action: “We need to see a strong global financing framework, with clear resourcing commitments and gender and structural analysis throughout.”
The plenary discussions at the Second FfD4 PrepComm made it clear that there are challenges to maintaining the momentum from FfD3 on the inclusion of gender equality outcomes. However, the lively exchange during the side event demonstrates that there are UN member states, advocates, and organizations with energy, determination, and evidence all supporting strategic approaches to not only protect the gains made in the AAAA but also to advance measures toward gender equality and sustainable development. Whether they gather in New York or Bangkok, in feminist spaces and those that are not so feminist, there are alliances and opportunities to advance more just, equitable, sustainable, and peaceful economies, communities, and societies.