Stories of hope and resistance from the CIDSE network
Each year, International Women’s Rights Day (IWD) is a moment to give extra visibility and support to the daily struggles of women to fight for their rights, to call for bold action to address gender injustices worldwide, to spotlight the work of women, women’s rights movements and gender justice organisations that inspire us, and to reflect on the sacrifices and achievements made by women all around the world.
In this blog, we highlight some of the many stories of hope and resistance that our members and their partners shared on IWD 2026, whose theme this year was ‘Give to Gain‘.
Broederlijk Delen, Belgium
Women around the world are standing up for their rights. So are the women of the Kukama community in Peru who successfully appealed to the Supreme Court and were recognised as guardians of the Marañón River.
👉8 Maart internationale Vrouwendag.
👉 Read the story of women of the Kukama community.
CAFOD, England and Wales
CAFOD works for gender justice in many ways with many diverse partners. They share examples of the areas they target, such as women’s economic empowerment, women’s leadership, agency and voice, gender-based violence prevention and response, and gender and social norms change.
👉 Find out more on how CAFOD contributes to gender justice around the world.
CCFD-Terre Solidaire, France
Climate, social justice, the fight against patriarchy… Around the world, many women are committed to advancing rights. Too often, this commitment leads to them being threatened, harassed, criminalised and, in some cases, murdered. This year, CCFD-Terre Solidaire gives a voice to women human rights defenders and raises awareness about the risks they face.
👉 Read the stories of Laura (Romania), Cristina (Colombia), Milena (Serbia), Aya (Israel) and Judy (Philippines).
Cordaid, the Netherlands
Through its gender-transformative approach, Cordaid supports the right of women and girls to safety, healthcare, education, livelihoods and leadership in the world’s most fragile contexts. It calls on its supporters to stand with them and their local partners to amplify women’s voices, increase their leadership and build equitable systems where everyone can flourish.
👉 Vrouwen versterken, Gelijkheid bevoderen. (Empowering women, promoting equality)
Development and Peace-Caritas Canada, Canada
To celebrate International Women’s Rights Day, Development and Peace-Caritas Canada is proud to share a video produced by their partner, the Association malienne pour la sécurité et la souveraineté alimentaires (AMASSA), as part of the Food and nutritional security and climate change in the Sahel project. Listen to the inspiring testimonies of three women, and discover how the project has strengthened their organisations, supported their income-generating activities and enhanced their autonomy.
👉 Women of the Sahel: cultivating autonomy, transforming the future
👉 Femmes du Sahel : cultiver l’autonomie, transformer l’avenir
Entraide et Fraternité, Belgium
Entraide et Fraternité celebrates the work of SOFA –Solidarite Fanm Ayisyèn, one of Haiti’s most powerful feminist voices for decades. SOFA is a movement that fights on all fronts: against the feminisation of poverty and violence against women, and for women to take their rightful place in decision-making processes. But it does not just make demands. Their farm school has become a true model of agroecology and is a space where women learn, produce and transform not only the land, but also mindsets, within their homes and Haitian society as a whole. These women define themselves as symbols of hope in struggle.
👉 Depuis des décennies, la SOFA est l’une des voix féministes les plus puissantes d’Haïti.
👉 Read the article: SOFA : semer l’autonomie, récolter la dignité
Fastenaktion, Switzerland
The empowerment of women is an integral part of Fastenaktion’s work. To celebrate International Women’s Rights Day, they share the story of Sarda Nepali. Despite being only 23 years old, this smallholder farmer is already a respected member of her community in western Nepal. This is despite the fact that, as a Dalit, she was recently the victim of discrimination. However, the young mother did not let this get her down.
👉 The rise of a woman outside the caste system (DE – FR – IT).
FEC, Portugal
On International Women’s Rights Day, FEC renews its commitment to gender equality: an essential foundation for human development, social cohesion and economic well-being.
👉 Dia internacional da Mulher
FOCSIV, Italy
In many communities around the world, women protect the land, food and livelihoods of their families. They are often the ones who raise their children, care for the elderly and hold communities together. When a woman has access to land, employment and an income, her life changes, as do the opportunities available to her children and the wider community. This is why, Focsiv works tirelessly to empower women and promote their autonomy.
👉 Dalle mani delle donne nasce il futuro delle communita. (Women’s hands build the future of communities)
KOO/Katholische Frauenbewegung Österreichs
On the occasion of International Women’s Rights Day, the Catholic Women’s Movement of Austria emphasises that achieving gender equality is not a historically completed project, but is once again under pressure both nationally and internationally. Anti-democratic and anti-feminist movements are gaining influence; violence against women remains high; and social and economic crises are exacerbating existing inequalities.
👉 Frauenrechte verteidigen: Demokratie und Gerechtigkeit stärken. (Defending women’s rights: strengthening democracy and justice)
Manos Unidas, Spain
Manos Unidas highlights the important role of women in peacebuilding. Conflicts quadruple the number of murders of women and girls, and increase sexual violence against them by 87%. But, only one in ten peace negotiations included women in 2024.
👉 Las mujeres, claves para construir la paz pese a su exclusión de las negociaciones. (Despite being excluded from negotiations, women are key to building peace)
Misereor, Germany
Misereor draws attention to female genital mutilation (FGM), an ancient custom and a gross violation of human rights. Around 140 million girls and women worldwide are living with the physical and psychological consequences of this brutal ritual. In Mali, it supports local organisations that take a stand against female genital mutilation, educating their communities, protecting girls, and fighting for a life of dignity and self-determination.
👉 Mali: Weibliche Genitalverstümmelung stoppen. (Mali: Stop female genital mutilation)
👉 Read the full article.
SCIAF, Scotland
On International Women’s Rights Day, SCIAF Chief Executive, Lorraine Currie, called on everyone to celebrate women’s compassion, strength and achievements, big and small, and to stand up against any form of sexism that perpetuates dangerous attitudes.
👉 Message from SCIAF Chief Executive, Lorraine Currie.
Trócaire, Ireland
Across communities in Gedo, Somalia, Female Community Influencers (FCIs) are playing a vital role in advancing the rights, safety, and leadership of women and girls. As trusted grassroots leaders, they disseminate gender-based violence (GBV) prevention messages, advocate for justice for survivors, and create safe spaces for dialogue on issues that have long been considered taboo.
👉 Celebrating the Leadership of Female Community Influencers in Gedo, Somalia.
Cover photo: Sacadiyo & Sahara, both Female Community Influencers addressing a crowd in a camp during the international zero tolerance of FGM event in Gedo region, Somalia. Photo credit: Zamzam Ahmed Maalim.