We must fund grassroot feminist groups to withstand Trump setback

Jess Tomlin is CEO of the Equality Fund, a global fund supporting feminist movements in over 100 countries around the world.

The election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States offers a bleak picture for gender equality – in the U.S. and across the world at large. 

Like many, I am sitting with a profound sense of loss for what could have been and am standing in solidarity with those feeling grief and fear for what is to come.

When the new administration takes office in January, we'll likely see a new assault on reproductive rights and LGBTQI+ communities that will ripple far beyond U.S borders. 

Under Trump’s previous administration, we saw wide-ranging restrictions and rollbacks on rights for women and marginalised groups across the country.

The administration’s foreign policy had similarly devastating impacts with the reinstatement of the global gag rule.

This prohibited global health assistance for any organisation outside the U.S. that provided abortion care or referrals, resulting in rising rates of unsafe abortions and an increase in maternal mortality in numerous countries.

Yet in the face of opposition and recognising the limits of political systems, social movements rise. In my work with movements across the world I have seen this time and again.

During Trump’s first term, movements for gender equality in the U.S. did not disappear but redoubled their efforts to protect people’s fundamental rights and drive change.

In 2017, the historic Women’s March in Washington D.C - held the day after Trump’s inauguration and considered the largest-ever single day demonstration in the U.S. - ignited grassroots action across the country.

In the same year, the #MeToo movement catalysed global action and awareness that continues to reverberate. 

Powering change

Beyond the U.S., in a year where more than half the world’s population has headed to the polls, we are seeing the erosion of democracies new and old in every corner of the globe.

Yet within this reality, there are many groups mobilising in the face of oppressive political regimes. Grassroots movements have continued to power change from the ground up, despite facing huge threats to personal safety and security.

Back in 2018 in Brazil, organisations like AzMINA came together as a coalition for safe and democratic elections that helped to expose misinformation leading up to the general vote.

Their viral advocacy campaign to get more women in politics helped boost the number of women elected by 50%.

In Sri Lanka, Equal Ground was one of the first organisations to raise awareness of anti-LGBTQ clauses in 2022 emergency government regulations, working alongside allied organisations to have these sections successfully repealed.

Efforts like these shine a light on what’s possible even in deeply challenging political contexts, and the importance of long-game grassroots efforts that extend beyond election cycles.

After taking proper space and time to process the election outcome, the focus for the months and years ahead needs to be on recentring the ground game.

This means making sure grassroots movements have the support they need to thrive in their work protecting and defending women’s rights.

At the Equality Fund - alongside many other partners like the Africa Women’s Development Fund - we’re focused on funding as an essential part of realising this.

It is funding that provides the connective tissue to enable the leaders of feminist movements to do what they know best for communities.

The new political reality in the U.S. requires other governments to step up as funders and advocates, alongside more philanthropic dollars, bringing in the innovation of the private sector and critically harnessing our power as individuals in supporting movements every day. 

A political setback of this magnitude shakes the world, but it does not mean that all hope is lost. While the work may get harder, it doesn’t stop. This is an opportunity to come together more united and double-down on resourcing those fighting for the human rights of everyone.