It’s not only a “rich man’s world,” as in Abba’s epic song “Money, Money, Money.” There “never seems to be a single penny left […]” for feminist organizing either! That’s why funding gender equality became a core issue of the United Nations’ yearly conference on women’s rights last month in New York. With 360 billion USD needed yearly to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals’ gender equality targets by 2030, more and better financing for feminist movements is essential. So many conference sessions discussed the financing needs for gender equality in different areas l ..read more

The Young Gamechangers Fund is a new fund that shifts power to young people. It provides grants of up to £20k a year to transform communities into safer, more sustainable and more inclusive places to live. In this article, young Steering Group member Mariama shares her experiences of being a part of the youth-led process from the design of the fund to the application process and grant decisions. (Featured Image: Members of the Steering Group reviewing applications for the Young Gamechangers Fund) The coolest ideas come from young people with boundless curiosities. The Young Gamechangers Fund c ..read more

Young feminists are coming together, everywhere to champion gender equality and to call for the upholding of their Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights. They are mobilising, taking action,sharing skills and challenging the status quo to advocate for their rights, albeit facing multiple crises, like the war in Gaza, political civil unrest and repressive laws that attempt to silence their voices. As the global manager of our biggest sexual rights program, called We lead at Restless Development, working directly with young girls and women who are often forgotten and traditionally marginalised,in ..read more

Restless Development’s Influencing Director Rosanne Palmer-White argues that in the midst of one of the most politically challenging years the world has faced, the Summit of the Future offers hope of a historic moment for young people. Politicians owe it to them to move beyond empty promises of a ‘future’ that never materialises, and must start by asking what young people want, and truly listening.  “We are at a moment of acute peril […] Humanity faces a range of potentially catastrophic and existential risks. We are also at a moment of opportunity, where advances in knowledge and technol ..read more

In the vibrant arena of the Women Deliver Conference 2023, WeLead had a significant presence within this global feminist advocacy space. With over 6,300+ feminists from 170 countries, and 10,000 participants engaging online, Women Deliver served as a dynamic platform for activists worldwide. This environment catered to young people, encouraged interactions, supported knowledge sharing, and recognized the variety of global experiences and creative endeavours. We Lead: A Global Force at Women Deliver We Lead made its mark at the Women Deliver Conference 2023. Rights holders from Guatemala, Hondu ..read more

We Lead’s impactful side event at UN Nest Hub, organized by The UN Foundation, before the Women Deliver Conference 2023 was a testament to the program’s commitment to intersectionality and inclusive activism. The event, held at Norrsken House, featured speakers from the Lebanon and Honduras Communities of Actions (CoAs) who shared their experiences working towards sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in their countries. The event was moderated by Moufeeda Haidar Haidar, Senior Youth Collective Coordinator at Restless Development. The interactive session titled “Intersectionality in ..read more

It’s been a few weeks since COP28, and a lot has been discussed on the mix of promises, pledges and commitments emerging from this year’s climate change annual summit in Dubai. With a diverse contingent of young people from Restless Development’s Africa and Asia hubs actively participating across various platforms at COP, it’s time for us to reflect on our engagement, and how it’s going to further strengthen our commitment towards championing youth-led, youth-centric climate change initiatives.  But before we have a sneak peek into our key moments at COP and their significance ..read more

My name is Bhavan and I am a first-generation learner, the first in my family to pursue higher education. Growing up in an agricultural family in rural India and having to work in the fields, I often struggled to balance both work and studies. Today, I am not only the first to graduate from my village but also the first one to be travelling internationally to take part in COP28 as a youth representative of Restless Development. I was born in a small agricultural village, Kattugollahalli, a rural district around 40 km from the centre of Bengaluru in the southern state of Karnataka. My father al ..read more

The Young Gamechangers Fund is a new fund that shifts power to young people. It provides grants of up to £20k a year to transform communities into safer, more sustainable and more inclusive places to live. A Steering Group of young changemakers was formed to design the fund from the ground up, from the application process through to grant decisions and more!!  In this article, Steering Group member Megan discusses how their passions align with the Young Gamechangers Fund and which six steps can be followed to create change. Enjoy reading! Young People Are Ready For Change. I’ve often wond ..read more

Jimena Cascante Matamoros is Senior Youth Collective Coordinator at Restless Development, a global non-profit agency that supports young leaders to create a better world. In conversation with us, she talks about Restless Development’s upcoming session at Festival de Datos on digital rights and feminist technologies and highlights some of the barriers facing women and vulnerable populations around the world when it comes to tech access and use around the world. Can you tell us about Restless Development and your role within the organization? Restless Development is a global non-profit agency ..read more