December 2019 - Alliance magazine

Feminist philanthropy

More funding for ‘women and girls’ is necessary but not sufficient. What philanthropy really needs is a feminist consciousness – a vision which places women’s rights front and centre, challenges political norms and economic orders, shifts power to the most marginalised and interrogates the social construction of gender. This revolutionary spirit runs through the contributions which inform the issue, guest edited by Dreilnden’s Ise Bosch and Urgent Action Fund’s, Ndana Bofu-Tawamba.

The issue highlights and celebrates practical ways that feminist philanthropy has created a more equal world. Women’s Funds, ‘gender wise’ funding toolkits, impact investing with a gender lens and united action by green and gender activists are just a few examples featured on these pages.

The issue also provides encouragement to male colleagues to engage with these questions with humility and depth.

Elsewhere we talk to Sandra Breka who has led a process of modernising one of Europe’s most iconic Foundations, the Robert Bosch Stiftung.

Special feature

Philanthropy is a feminist issue

3 December 2019
Ise Bosch and Ndana Bofu-Tawamba

If humanity is to progress philanthropic resources need to support women’s voices, choices, participation, education, livelihoods and more In May 1983, the New York Times published an article entitled, ‘Feminist Philanthropy Comes Into Its Own’, highlighting the growing number of foundations and giving circles established to redress years of philanthropic neglect of women’s issues. This movement of feminist philanthropists had their passions and motivations rooted in deep-seated anger over retrogressive realities and experiences of systemic …

Charles Keidan

Editorial

Philanthropy needs a feminist consciousness

As someone who went to an all-boys, mostly white, and quite elite private school until 16, gender issues were not at the forefront of my consciousness. Despite seeing myself as liberal, I was still a product of my school, family and religious environment. That environment was overwhelmingly patriarchal and I failed to find the right role models when it came to gender issues. While much has changed in the intervening period, it was still with trepidation when, over 25 years later, I began working on this issue with our guest editors Ise Bosch and Ndana Bofu-Tawamba. One thing was clear from our initial conversations: more funding for ‘women and girls’ is welcome but hardly sufficient. What philanthropy really needs is a feminist consciousness – a vision which places women’s rights front and centre, challenges political norms and economic orders, shifts power to the most marginalised and interrogates the social construction of gender. This revolutionary …