There is no alternative to organizing.

In March 2026, the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) took place in New York. The CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality, women’s rights, and women’s empowerment. The priority theme of CSW70 was ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls.

Aligned with this topic, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung hosted a parallel event together with the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) on global trends and strategic responses to anti-feminist and anti-rights backlash. 

At this event, Machris Cabreros, Co-Chair of the Feminist Foreign Policy Progressive Voices Collective, delivered a keynote speech. Machris Cabreros is also the Global Coordinator of the Progressive Alliance, a network of progressive, democratic, social democratic, socialist, and labor parties that stand for democracy, gender equality, justice, and solidarity. Here are Machris’ observations from CSW70.

We are currently witnessing major global shifts, with democratic norms increasingly under pressure. How do you assess the current status of democracy and gender justice?

Machris Cabreros: We are living through a difficult political moment. Populist and far-right forces once on the margins of politics are being normalized and democracy has fallen to its lowest level in modern history. Today, more than 70 percent of the world’s population lives under some form of autocratic rule. At the same time, 676 million women and girls live in conflict-affected settings, and at the current pace it will take 123 years to close the global gender gap. What we are seeing is a concerted political, religious, capitalist assault unleashing once again patriarchal instruments against civilizational progress measured by equality.

Why is feminism targeted by authoritarian or conservative movements, and how do political and economic forces drive this process?

The anti-gender backlash is not spontaneous, but organized and transnational. Across countries, we see the same playbook: delegitimization, defunding, and disinformation. Calls for inclusion are framed as threats to the family, advocacy for equality is dismissed as “woke,” and feminist movements are portrayed as enemies of tradition. At its core, the backlash is about power. It is supported by political elites and by economic interests that benefit from systems where power, wealth, and opportunity remain concentrated. The result is a system that produces more inequality, conflict and democratic erosion. This is why feminism which challenges concentrated power becomes a target.

Amid the strong anti-gender backlash, is there reason for optimism?

Gender equality is not losing. The majority of people still stand where feminist movements stand: for dignity, fairness, opportunity, and the right to determine our own futures. The backlash is loud, but it is not the majority. There is strong evidence that countries that advance women’s rights and political participation perform better in democratic governance, economic growth, and stability. People's collective aspirations and evidence pointing to the nexus of gender equality and progress are on our side. 

How is the Progressive Alliance turning feminist principles into concrete political strategies that strengthen democracies and advance equality? 

The Progressive Alliance brings together more than one hundred progressive political parties across the world, guided by feminist advocates. Every day, we see how global trends affect our democracies. But we also see the determination of progressive forces to respond. Through our Gender Equality Action Plan, members are committing to practical steps: increasing women’s representation in politics, strengthening feminist leadership pipelines, integrating gender impact assessments in policymaking, and making gender equality part of how democratic institutions measure progress. We advocate for feminist foreign policy, because diplomacy, development, trade, and security policies shape the world we live in. 

How can feminist public policies and foreign policy strengthen democracies and reinforce a rules-based international order?

Democracy without gender equality is incomplete. Today’s geopolitical tensions remind us how fragile the global order has become. Conflicts are expanding across regions, and major powers are again speaking the language of deterrence more than cooperation. Public budgets are increasingly diverted toward militarization, while social protection weakens. In this context, feminist foreign policy is a practical framework to strengthen democratic alliances and place human security at the center of international cooperation. When women participate in peace processes, agreements last longer, and when democratic governments treat equality as a pillar of foreign policy, they strengthen the foundations of a rules-based international order.

In the face of this backlash, what role should progressive actors take?

There is no alternative to organizing. As authoritarian forces coordinate across borders, progressive internationalism must do the same. The answer lies in building intersectional and intergenerational alliances across feminist movements, labour organizations, civil society, private sector, progressive parties, and reform-minded governments. This is how we turn the backlash into momentum.

What role should political parties play to ensure that equality is practiced and built into governance?

Political parties must practice the democratic values they promote. Democracy builds the immune system of a stable society, while authoritarian systems, built on concentrated power and wealth, are inherently fragile. Real security comes from participation, redistribution, cooperation, and care.  

Political empowerment remains the largest gap in global gender equality. More women in positions of power strengthens democratic legitimacy and stability. Parties have a responsibility here. Public financing systems should incentivize parties that recruit and support women candidates, gender impact assessments should become standard practice in lawmaking, and internationally, equality must become a benchmark in trade, development cooperation, and technology governance.

The timeline to close the global gender gap remains long. How can feminist movements turn opportunities into real impact?

The projected 123-year timeline is neither inevitable nor acceptable. Progress shows that change is possible. A 0.1 improvement in the Global Gender Gap Index translates into an eleven-year acceleration. 

I am a Filipina. During the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, thousands were killed in the so-called war on drugs. Among the most courageous voices challenging that violence were women: Leila de Lima, Maria Ressa and Risa Hontiveros. Today justice continues to move forward with Duterte facing trial for crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court and these women are demonstrating a different type of leadership based on accountability, truth, and participation.

The anti-gender backlash may be loud, coordinated and well-funded. But feminist movements are persistent, growing in communities, in parliaments, and in international alliances.