The Resources of Open Minds (R.O.O.M.) program, which Hivos started in 2017, is a great example of how creativity can challenge the status quo. Ending this year, R.O.O.M. empowered creators across Africa and the Middle East to amplify diverse, alternative ethical and social narratives in societies where public space continues to shrink. As we close […]

The Climate Observatory is a coalition of Brazilian civil society organizations and an ally of Hivos. At the Observatory, Mariana Lyrio follows national and international debates on the environment and climate change. She also advocates for a new kind of politics, one that prioritizes protecting the environment, the climate, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. […]

Casa Preta literally means “black house” in Portuguese. It is a cultural center in Belém of Pará, the capital city of Pará state in the north of Brazil. People come to the center to learn about Brazil’s African culture. Casa Preta plants African baobab trees, makes African drums and gives music lessons at schools. Paula […]

The internet promised connection, empowerment, and opportunity. But for millions of women, it has also become a minefield where harassment, threats, and abuse lurk behind every screen. In Nigeria, where one of Africa’s largest youth populations is increasingly online, a darker side of the digital world is taking hold: online gender-based violence (OGBV). Chioma Agwuegbo, […]

Indigenous communities in the Amazon live in remote areas with little access to news. The types of media that do reach them are often financed by companies that put profit above nature. But the independent media platform Tapajós de Fato speaks with a different voice.

The Hixikanwe Association in Maputo is a non-governmental community-based organization founded in 2006 by women living with HIV. It is now at the forefront of empowering women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Mozambique. With a vision of enabling people living with HIV to lead full, healthy lives free from discrimination, Hixikanwe has grown into […]

The Guardiões do Bem Viver (Guardians of Living Well) organization is working to legally establish the rights of the Arapiuns River in the Brazilian Amazon. This will protect the river and its important role in food supply, health, accessibility and nature conservation. Rights of the river The inhabitants of the Amazon depend on rivers for […]

In Ecuador, the fight against gender-based violence isn’t just happening in the streets—it’s happening online. Sitting behind their screens, women and LGBTIQ+ individuals are facing an onslaught of digital harassment, exploitation, and threats.

In the city of Maputo, Mozambique, a powerful movement is taking root – driven by the vision of young women and girls who are ready to defend their rights and lead inclusive feminist movements to combat gender-based violence (GBV). Behind this transformation is the Mais Junt@s (We’re More Together) project, an initiative implemented by AESMO […]

In the Philippines, a bill that protects the rights of LGBTIQ+ people has been held up in congress for 24 years. But legal fine points and well-intentioned municipalities have helped people still find a way to embed diversity in local policy.

In the vibrant city of Tunis, a transformative initiative is unfolding at Belvédère Park: a new community vegetable garden designed to nourish not only the local residents, but the soil as well. It’s part of the AfriFOODlinks program, coordinated by Hivos in collaboration with local partners and implemented by the Observatory of Food Sovereignty and […]

In the late ‘90s, an agricultural resettlement scheme was established in Zambia’s Chongwe District as a response to the country’s economic crisis. Kanakantapa Ward in Chongwe has since become home to many small-scale farmers who sell their produce to consumers in the capital city Lusaka, some 55 kilometers away. Kanakantapa has been a focus area […]