Welcome to the September 2025 newsletter of the Australian Feminist Foreign Policy Coalition!
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Thank you for being involved in this growing community advancing feminist foreign policy in Australia.
In this bi-monthly newsletter, we share updates from the Australian Feminist Foreign Policy Coalition (AFFPC) and the global Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP) space. Please direct all enquiries, suggestions and feedback to research@iwda.org.au. |
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This quarter has seen two major multilateral moments shaping global debates on sustainable development and financing: the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York and the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Spain. Both spaces highlight the tension between urgent global challenges and the available resources, political will, and civic space to address them.
The formal FFD negotiations were dominated by debate over a global debt convention, which was blocked by the EU and other Minority World governments, and ultimately not secured. However, this was overshadowed when the US threatened to scuttle the agreement at the last minute – despite having secured significant watering down of commitments on SRHR, gender equality and rights language. The US delegation chose to walk out, rather than call for a vote, allowing the Compromiso de Sevilla to pass “by consensus”, and remaining governments to agree that in so doing they had “saved multilateralism”, despite the lack of progress – even some regression – on many fronts.
By contrast, at the FFD4 Feminist Forum and CSO Forum, discussions centred on the need for structural reform of the global financial architecture, raising concerns about the redirection of public funds towards militarisation, and the increasing influence of private finance in shaping global priorities. These dynamics risk sidelining gender equality and the rights of marginalised communities. Feminist movements called for redistributive economic measures, strengthened accountability for international financial institutions, and financing strategies that put people and planet at the centre.
At the HLPF, discussions centred on the final five years of the 2030 Agenda with progress on gender equality remaining off-track. Feminist organisations emphasised the need for structural reforms, stronger data collection, and meaningful participation of women’s rights groups in monitoring implementation. However, negotiations on the Ministerial Declaration were again characterised by efforts to oppose agreed language on gender equality and SRHR, and willingness by some member states to consider trading off such language to secure consensus. While the US call for a vote on the gender and SRHR paras (Agenda 2030 language) was unsuccessful and the Ministerial Declaration was overwhelmingly approved, the process highlighted the constraints of the political context and the need for strengthened collaboration between like-minded governments, and between governments and feminist civil society, to hold the line.
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A feminist lens on Financing for Development |
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IWDA’s Senior Research, Policy and Advocacy Advisor Alice Ridge shares key takeaways from discussions with feminist partners in Spain for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4). This UN meeting agreed how governments will work together to finance sustainable development over the next decade and adopted the Compromiso de Sevilla (Seville Commitment). The Feminist Forum, held ahead of the conference, highlighted both urgent challenges and feminist solutions for transforming global finance.
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Civil society persistence pays off at FFD4 |
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AFFPC Core Group members Melissa Conley Tyler (AP4D) and Alice Ridge (IWDA) reflect on the Fourth UN International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Seville, which began with civil society facing unprecedented barriers to participation. Just days before the once-in-a-decade meeting, it was unclear if civil society would even have a formal role in discussions—while the International Business Forum was prominently placed alongside the official program.
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Michelle O’Byrne appointed Australia’s new Gender Equality Ambassador
In August, the Australian Government appointed Michelle O’Byrne as the new Ambassador for Gender Equality, succeeding Stephanie Copus Campbell. A former Labor MP, O’Byrne has served both in the Federal Parliament and in the Tasmanian Parliament, where she was the Member for Bass for nearly two decades. She has also held ministerial roles in health, community development and women’s affairs, bringing long-standing experience in advancing gender equality and social justice. As Ambassador, O’Byrne will represent Australia’s commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s rights in foreign policy and international engagement.
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| Australia–Spain MoU on Gender Equality
In July, Minister for International Development the Hon Anne Aly signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Spain to collaborate on Gender Equality at the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain. The MoU deepens collaboration between the two countries to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women’ and girls in all their diversity. Areas for collaboration include the Women, Peace and Security agenda, prevention of and response to sexual and gender-based violence,) climate action, and international trade.
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| New members join the Global Partner Network Steering Committee
The Global Partner Network on Feminist Foreign Policy has announced the appointment of new members to its Steering Committee: Ana María Alonso Giganto, Ambassador-at-Large for Feminist Foreign Policy, Government of Spain; Arlene Tickner, Ambassador-at-Large for Gender Affairs and Global Feminist Policy, Government of Colombia; and Alice Ridge, Senior Research, Policy & Advocacy Advisor, International Women's Development Agency. The Steering Committee brings together representatives from governments, civil society, and feminist organisations worldwide to advance the development and implementation of feminist foreign policy.
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| Upcoming Conferences in October
October will see two key gatherings for feminist advocates and governments. The Financing for Feminist Futures Conference, now rescheduled for 8–10 October 2025, will provide a space for movement actors and allies to strategize on building sustainable, feminist approaches to financing. Later in the month, the French Government will host the IV Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy on 27–28 October, just ahead of the Paris Peace Forum. The conference aims to strengthen cross-regional cooperation and build synergies with broader peace and development agendas.
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Financing for Development and Feminist Foreign Policies: Exploring the Synergies |
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In this recap from the Feminist Foreign Policy Collaborative, partners share highlights from the side event “Financing for Development and Feminist Foreign Policies: Exploring the Synergies” held at FFD4 in Seville. The discussion brought together governments including Mexico, Colombia, Slovenia and Spain alongside UN Women and civil society advocates. It explores how feminist foreign policy can strengthen financing for development, with commitments ranging from investing in the care economy to advancing gender-responsive humanitarian financing. The piece also captures the critical role of civil society voices, who pressed governments to reverse aid cuts, sustain resourcing for feminist movements, and ensure debt relief is central to a feminist economic agenda.
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The Financing for Feminist Futures coalition (F4FF) sets out 12 Calls to Action for governments, donors and institutions to create financing systems that truly advance gender equality and justice. The agenda highlights the urgent need to close resource gaps for women’s rights organisations, prioritise investment in the care economy, reform global debt and tax structures, and ensure that financing is aligned with feminist and human rights principles. Together, the calls offer a roadmap for building a global financial architecture that centres people and planet rather than profit.
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UK may scrap pledge to spend 80% of foreign aid on Gender Equality Projects |
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Rebuilding trust in Australian aid through transparency |
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In this article from The Guardian, reporters examine concerns that the UK may fail to deliver on its commitment to direct 80% of foreign aid towards projects that advance gender equality. The piece explores how shifting political priorities, aid cuts, and limited transparency are putting this target at risk, and highlights the consequences for women’s rights organisations that depend on sustained resourcing. It also reflects broader debates on accountability in feminist foreign policy and development spending.
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In this piece from the Devpolicy Blog, new Minister for International Development Anne Aly argues that rebuilding trust in Australian aid requires greater transparency and accountability. The article outlines how opaque reporting and shifting political priorities have weakened confidence in Australia’s aid program and commits to reforms to ensure funding decisions are clear, consistent, and aligned with development effectiveness. For feminist advocates, it raises important questions about how transparency can support stronger accountability for gender equality outcomes.
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Honouring our sister, Agnes Titus |
| A Collective Feminist Agenda for People and Planet |
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In this tribute on the Devpolicy Blog, colleagues and friends honour the life and legacy of Agnes Titus, a pioneering feminist and women’s rights leader from Papua New Guinea. Agnes was a tireless advocate for gender equality, peace and community empowerment, remembered for her courage, vision and commitment to advancing women’s voices in the Pacific. The article reflects on her decades of activism and the inspiration she leaves for the next generation of feminist leaders.
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The Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) and MenaFem Movement share outcomes from a global convening held in Rabat on feminist approaches to economic and climate justice. The session, joined by AFFPC partners including Spogmay Ahmed, built momentum for structural feminist analysis and decolonial alternatives that centre care for people and the planet. The discussions informed advocacy at FFD4 and will feed into the forthcoming Rabat Roadmap, a collective agenda for advancing feminist economic and climate justice worldwide.
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Australia signals commitments to justice with move to recognise Palestine |
| Pacific Islands Forum backs Australia–Pacific bid to host COP31 |
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In this article from France24, analysts explore Australia’s recent decision to move toward recognising the State of Palestine, a shift that could place strain on its alliance with the United States. The piece examines the domestic and international drivers behind the move, including Australia’s positioning in multilateral forums, regional dynamics, and the growing global momentum for Palestinian statehood. For feminist foreign policy advocates, it raises important questions about how principles of justice, human rights and self-determination intersect with geopolitical alliances. Meanwhile, IWDA has also issued an update statement on Gaza and Israel, reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to peace, justice, and the protection of human rights.
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Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting, leaders express strong support for the joint Australia–Pacific bid to host the 31st UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP31). The statement underscores the urgency of climate action for Pacific nations, highlighting the existential threat that rising seas and intensifying climate impacts pose to communities across the region. It also emphasises the importance of Pacific leadership in shaping global climate negotiations and ensuring that responses are rooted in justice, resilience, and the lived realities of frontline states.
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Politics of gender and sexuality at HRC59: Beyond backlash and posturing |
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In this article from AWID, feminist advocate Umyrah Ahmad reflect on the debates at the 59th UN Human Rights Council (HRC59) around gender and sexuality. The piece explores how anti-rights actors are increasingly coordinated and vocal in these spaces, but also how feminist movements are pushing back with intersectional, rights-based alternatives. It highlights the strategies needed to move beyond rhetoric and backlash, and to secure meaningful commitments to gender justice within the multilateral system.
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The Australian Feminist Foreign Policy Coalition acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, and the Aboriginal Elders of other communities.
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