Feminism

We exist to advance and protect the rights of diverse women and girls. Our vision is gender equality for all and we work towards this through our program partnerships. Build a movement across Asia Pacific. Research, policy and advocacy in Australia, the region and the world.

We are not the only international development organizations fighting for women's rights. But we're the only ones doing this, especially from a feminist perspective.

Feminism means a million things to a million people. We're not trying to define the exact terms of feminism for others, but we do want to clarify the basics.

What is feminism for us?

Feminism is simply about equal rights and opportunities for all genders.

It is about respecting the experiences, identities, skills and strengths of different women and striving to enable all women to exercise their full rights.

It is about creating a level playing field for men and women and ensuring that diverse women and girls have the same opportunities in life as boys and men. Where does intersectionality come into play?

Inclusivity is central to our feminism. You might hear the words “intersectionality” or “intersectional feminism” a lot these days. Intersectionality has become more prominent in public debates about feminism lately, but that's nothing new.

Transdisciplinary feminism may appear complex, but in reality it is based on gender and differences such as race, age, class, socioeconomic status, physical or mental capabilities, gender or sexual identity, religion or ethnicity. It's all about recognizing interactions with other forms of discrimination. The walls faced by middle-class women in Melbourne are not the same walls faced by queer women in rural Fiji. Women are not the only ones exposed to sexism. Racism, disability, ageism, homophobia, transphobia, and religious persecution are intrinsically linked to how women experience inequality.

Can everyone be a feminist?

yes! Being a feminist simply means believing in equal rights for all genders. I don't hate men. It's not that women are better than men. It's not about avoiding femininity.

Feminism does not mean that one person's experience is more important than another.

It's not about creating a scale of who is poorer. It is about learning and understanding how inequality affects women and men, and remembering that we are all in this together. True equality leaves no one behind. We do not claim to be feminist authorities on others, but for us, recognizing how different forms of discrimination intersect with and reinforce sexism is essential for all women. is an important way to ensure that women enjoy their rights.