Innovation and Empowerment in the Face of the Pandemic

Semester Newsletter: 1st semester 2020 (January-June)

For the Global Movement of Indigenous Women and the International Indigenous Women’s Forum (IIWF), the year 2020 invites us to reflect on and discuss where we are and where we are headed regarding the exercise of our individual and collective rights. We have organized oursel- ves as an increasingly strong community driven by a common dream: a world free from discrimina- tion and violence against indigenous girls, you- th and women.

At the beginning of 2020, indigenous women had developed a clear proposal to analyze the priorities, progress, challenges and future proces- ses for the achievement of the full exercise of our rights. This proposal was part of the framework of an international agenda that included the review and evaluation of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the IIWF’s 20th anniversary celebrations.

However, the spread of COVID-19 across the world made us rethink our annual advocacy and organizational strategy, so as not to undermine the programs underway across the different terri- tories. In this review, Innovation and Empower- ment in the Face of the Pandemic, we report on the implementation of our advocacy programs, of the Global Leadership School of Indigenous Wo- men, of our research programs and of the AYNI Indigenous Women’s Fund.

Over the first half of 2020, through our interconnected programming including the projected pro- grams and new activities for the year, we responded to a global crisis that deepened the hardships experienced by indigenous communities. We wish to use these few lines to extend our gratitude for the solidarity shown by our regional networks, allies and donor community, the international cooperation community, and friends and supporters of the Indigenous Women’s Movement.