We are thrilled to present AWDF’s 2021 Annual Report – Songs In The Future!

As 2021 waned, the DJs at AWDF belted out a playlist of beautiful compositions from all around the continent. Compositions that inspired us to journey together, recuperate and connect our steps throughout the year’s many layers. We invite you to join in reflecting on the futures sang by the many African feminist groups and activists we worked with in 2021.

African women’s rights and feminist movements were confronted with many manifestations of the patriarchy, and severe backlash. It was important to action our solidarity and utilise our position in various funder and policy spaces to articulate the morphing scope of the problem and what needed to be done.

With almost ten million dollars awarded in grants and donations in 2021, we were able to fund 64 new partners —a more than 11% increase from 2020.

We saw more bills passed into laws as women’s rights organisations shifted policy and practice to create enabling environments for women’s rights and the protection of activists. At the community level, partners celebrated individual behaviour changes as coalitions identified key influencers from groups originally opposed to the movement and negotiated meaningful partnerships with government structures. The campaigns we co-created rallied activist voices and sustained the visibility of major issues affecting African women’s rights on policy and resourcing agendas.
We recollect these experiences and more in a year where the songs of loss coloured the melodies of many places, yet together we rallied power to fuel each other.

Songs In The Future is a look back at the solidarity and strength of African women in their fight for freedom as they peered into an uncertain future with courage, dreams and hope.

You can access the full reports here

ENGLISH | FRENCH