From November 4 to 7 2024, WIDE+ members Silvia Dumitrache and Magda Saginashvili participated in the FIERCE Transnational Lab week held in Venice, Italy. FIERCE is a collaboration between universities and civil society to research anti-gender movements and foster feminist leadership.
Over the course of four days, FIERCE partners and WIDE+ representatives addressed critical topics around mobilizing and advocating for feminist movements resisting the rise of anti-gender backlash in Europe and beyond.
On November 6, Magda Saginashvili, representing WIDE+, delivered a presentation to highlight the interaction between transnational feminist movements/networks and national movements. In her talk, she provided an overview of the current challenges Georgia faces in light of rising anti-gender movements. She emphasized the critical role of Georgian feminists as the primary force driving resistance within civil society and highlighted the urgent need for their empowerment.
Magda’s presentation underscored the importance of solidarity and international support in strengthening the feminist movement’s capacity to address these challenges effectively. Silvia Dumitrache added that a more decisive support of women, including of migrant women, involved in politics in the broad term of the word would be necessary, inviting them to debates and exchange of good practices.
Discussions centered on the necessity of rapid mobilization and strategic actions to address the pressing challenges faced by feminist networks. Participants collaboratively mapped out preliminary ideas for connecting feminist networks and devising collective strategies to counteract anti-gender movements. Additionally, the event fostered opportunities to deepen contacts and collaborations among scholars, networks, organizations, and individual activists.
The FIERCE Week provided a vital platform for fostering dialogue, sharing experiences, and advancing collaboration toward building a united feminist response to anti-gender backlash.