In Brazil, the self-organisation of Black women stands as a beacon of hope and resilience against the backdrop of systemic inequalities. These women, often marginalised and overlooked, are leading the charge to address the pressing challenges of economic violence, social exclusion, and food insecurity in their communities. Yet, despite their vital contributions, they remain largely sidelined from the resources and opportunities necessary for true change.

Much of this population is concentrated on the outskirts of cities, in favelas and quilombola, and in riverside and indigenous communities. A recently released report from the Penssan Network highlights the grim reality: over 33 million Brazilians face food insecurity, with Black households disproportionately affected. One in five homes led by Black individuals struggles to put food on the table. This intersection of race and gender amplifies the impact of discrimination, leaving many Black women fighting not just for survival, but for dignity and access to basic rights.

In these territories, civil society is building social organisations, collectives, and networks – and its aim is to fight for more dignity and access for Black people. Despite the critical community work undertaken by these groups, they experience a lack of assistance from the state and are also overlooked by philanthropy. Yet for these communities, the grassroots organisations that these Black women lead are essential.

The aid and support they provide can reach anywhere between 250 to 1,000 individuals. Oftentimes, the women rely heavily on personal funds to sustain their work – nearly 60 percent of their financing comes from their own pockets. This translates to less than 5,000BRL ($900) annually, with many raising even less. It’s disheartening to consider that 89 percent of those on the front lines of these organisations are women, and a significant portion of them are mothers, but less than a fifth receive any form of payment for their tireless work while also juggling multiple jobs and responsibilities, striving to democratise rights in their communities.

The Agbara’s Fund, the first Black women fund in Brazil is working hard to change this. But it needs more resources to have a greater impact, which includes producing data in its research centre and directly serving these women, financing their projects, ensuring their autonomy and emancipation.

Who takes care of those who care for others? We must consider this as we examine the sustainability of social justice efforts led by these women. The third sector may generate millions of jobs, but we must ask: who is being employed and compensated for their contributions? Nearly all Black women in volunteer roles endure workloads four to five times greater than average, all while managing their households and supporting their children.

Who finances the maintenance of democracy? Looking at the example in Brazil, can we earnestly say that it is possible to achieve any form of social justice without a policy for race and gender equity? Social justice is only achievable with resources directly allocated at the grassroots level with equity.

To achieve any form of social justice, we must prioritise policies that promote race and gender equity. This means reallocating resources directly to grassroots initiatives that empower these women and their communities. Their voices must be heard, and their solutions must be supported.

Luana Braga Batista is the Research Manager at Fundo Agbara, the first philanthropic fund for Black women in Brazil.