Archives: Blogs
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From Rome to Milan: young people leading urban food system change
Young people are not waiting for opportunities; they’re leading the transformation of urban food systems. During the week of World Food Day 2025, two global events in Italy made one thing clear: if we want better food and a better future, we must put youth and cities at the center of food system change. By…
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Safety as a foundation for advocacy
Safety and security of human rights activists and people who work in civil society organizations has always been a key consideration in programming. Yet, it is one of the most misunderstood and neglected when it comes to budgeting and availing resources for activists to support themselves. Having worked with activists and frontrunners of social change…
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Financing for Feminist Futures: rethinking how we resource change
As a lifelong feminist and now communication professional, I was delighted when I was asked at the last minute to join Hivos in Madrid this month for the Financing for Feminist Futures conference. Before leaving, my colleagues gave me a crash course in the current state of “feminist financing.” They explained that time and again,…
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¡Guardianas de la Vida: Mujeres Rurales en Acción!
15 de octubre de 2025, Día Internacional de la Mujer Rural Por Diego Mora, Hivos Ecuador Imagina despertar al amanecer con el canto del Jocotoco, el aroma húmedo de la tierra fértil y el murmullo del río Numbala que da vida a tu hogar. Esa es la rutina de miles de mujeres en la Amazonía…
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Manabí: where culinary heritage becomes a path to the future
Manabí, on Ecuador’s Pacific coast, has been designated World Region of Gastronomy 2026 by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT). This prestigious title is a first in the Americas. But the recognition is more than a title – it honors the knowledge and dedication of women cooks, farmers, and fishers who…
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Democracy, women’s equality, and the men who support both
The International Day of Democracy is celebrated around the world on 15 September each year. While discussions on democracy and gender equality are common, Hivos in Southern Africa and Gender and Media Connect (GMC) decided to mark the occasion unconventionally by putting an all-male panel in the hot seat. By Winston Chaniwa and Rumbidzayi C.…
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RightsCon 2025: the intersection of care, cybersecurity and Connect, Defend, Act!
In 2025, digital rights advocates, technologists, journalists, and civic leaders from around the world came together for RightsCon in Taipei, Taiwan. As one of the world’s leading forums on human rights and technology, RightsCon offered a critical space for reflection and strategy, especially for organizations navigating the closing civic space in Southeast Asia. For the…
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International Day of Democracy: moving beyond rhetoric!
Every year on September 15, the world observes the International Day of Democracy, a reminder that democracy thrives when all voices are heard and citizens are empowered to participate. Today, I join the global community in celebrating this day, which also serves as a call to action for the government of Zimbabwe, and others in…
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Celebrating the achievements of the Women and Youth Leadership and Participation project
In Zimbabwe, women and youth are systematically excluded from places of power. The Women and Youth Leadership and Participation (WYLP) project organized them to advocate for change and take part in decision-making processes. As WYLP came to an end in August, Tambudzai Madzimure had the privilege of harvesting the fruitful results of the project. She…
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“This is just the start of it” – How the We Lead program is ending on a high note
After five years of implementation, the We Lead program is coming to an end. To celebrate the shared achievements and acknowledge the increasingly challenging contexts, the global team came together in Nairobi to host the close out event. We Lead began with a bold and urgent vision: to shift power to young rightsholders, and to…
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Reflecting on Abrelatam/Condatos 2025: The transformative power of communities and data
The twelfth edition of Abrelatam/ConDatos was held in La Paz, Bolivia, with the participation of civil society organizations, activists, researchers, journalists, academics, government officials, the private sector, and individuals who believe in the transformative power of data to highlight inequalities, defend civic spaces, and advocate for evidence-based human rights. By Gabriela Melgar, Regional Communications Officer,…
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Reflexiones sobre Abrelatam/ConDatos 2025: El poder transformador de las comunidades y los datos
La duodécima edición de Abrelatam/ConDatos se llevó a cabo en La Paz, Bolivia, con la participación de organizaciones de la sociedad civil, activistas, personas investigadoras, periodistas, académicas, funcionarias de gobierno, representantes del sector privado y personas comprometidas con el poder transformador de los datos para visibilizar desigualdades, defender los espacios cívicos e incidir por los…