AWID invited Forum participants to submit applications for small grants that would transform ideas and perspectives from the Forum into actual and realized change. It was important that recipient groups proposed a new and original idea that was directly related to its content and has the ability to lead to policy, institutional or systemic change. The response was very positive with over 115 applications received. Fourteen organizations were chosen as recipients from a variety of locations across the world, and their projects range from the development of an ‘Empower Dictionary’ by Thai sex workers to advocating for women’s rights through the arts in young Bolivian women.

Edited by Shamillah Wilson, Anasuya Sengupta and Kristy Evans

This pioneering collection presents the original experiences, perspectives and visions of young feminists seeking to understand the current world order and shape a better future. Engaged as advocates, organisers, protesters, researchers and strategists, their energies, creativity and passion help to define social movements globally. The book brings together analyses by feminists of diverse identities on themes including women's rights and economic change, new technologies, sexuality, feminist organisations and movements. It presents key issues arising out of the experiences of young women living in both North and South, the challenges confronting young feminists, and the agenda for a new era of feminist leadership and activism.

We are pleased to announce that the AWID team working from Mexico City moved to a new office!!! Please take note of our new address and telephone numbers:

AWID
Zamora 169, Casa 2
Col. Condesa, CP 06140
Mexico DF, Mexico
Tel: (5255) 5212 0696
Tel/Fax: (5255) 5212 0626

For email inquiries about the Mexico City office please contact lalpizar@awid.org or arusso@awid.org

AWID was present at the Global Consultation meeting on Women Human Rights Defenders that took place in Colombo, Sri Lanka from November 30 to December 2, 2005. The consultation was attended by two hundred women’s rights and human rights activists from approximately seventy countries worldwide. The gathering is linked to an international campaign launched in 2004 entitled “Defending Women Defending Rights: the International Campaign on Women Human Rights Defenders (ICWHRD). ICWHRD is an international initiative for the recognition and protection of women activists who advocate the realization of human rights for all people. Formed as a coalition of women’s rights and human rights organizations, the Campaign is rooted in overwhelming evidence that many women who are active in different aspects of human rights work routinely face harassment, abuse, violence, discrimination and marginalization because of their gender, sexual identity and their advocacy.

It seems that there are too few interested funders, with too little money, to support existing women's rights organizations and initiatives. Is it that women's rights groups are not bold enough in their fundraising strategies? Is it that donors simply don't understand the urgency and importance of this work? What has really been happening in terms of funding for women's rights organizations in the last ten years and what have been the driving forces behind those trends? This report is the result of an action research initiative launched by AWID to explore precisely those questions and to give insights into possible strategies for changing the existing funding landscape so that more resources are made available to women's rights organizations.