There is a dangerous illusion at the heart of global politics: that the exclusion of women is unfortunate, but tolerable. Besides, so the argument goes, there are more pressing concerns. That, in my view, is a profound strategic error – one the world can no longer afford.
Violent conflict is increasing. Authoritarianism is reshaping governance. And perhaps most concerning, we are witnessing coordinated and sustained attacks on women’s rights worldwide. These are organised efforts to dilute and erase gender equality from international development, diplomacy, and security frameworks. Digital authoritarianism and online abuse are amplifying this repression, silencing women’s voices in the very spaces where public discourse is now shaped. In countries like Afghanistan and Sudan, and across parts of the Sahel, women’s rights are being systematically dismantled through formal restrictions on their mobility, autonomy, and status. There has never been a more urgent moment for collective action.
And yet, just as these threats intensify, women continue to be excluded from the decisions that shape their lives and shape peace and security. In 2024, the world recorded 61 active conflicts – double the number in 2001 – while nearly 87% of peace processes excluded women entirely. Less than 1% of peacebuilding funding reached women-led organisations.
These are not marginal gaps. They are systemic failures.
Twenty five years after the adoption of the Women, Peace and Security agenda by the UN, the global context has shifted dramatically, and alarmingly. And yet it is not that the agenda has not failed. Political will has.
That is why moments of global solidarity matter more than ever. Platforms like the Women Deliver Conference 2026 in Melbourne are not just gatherings; they are critical spaces for resistance and renewal for us. As women leaders, activists, and organisations come together, we are doing more than just lamenting the current moment. We are sharing solutions; we are pushing back against the erosion of rights and demanding accountability from global power structures that have too often sidelined women.
For organisations like Women for Women International, this is also a moment of reaffirmation. Our mission – to support women in conflict-affected settings to rebuild their lives and drive change – has never been more relevant. Nor has it been more challenged. Standing firm in that mission means resisting pressure to dilute our focus, and instead doubling down on the evidence: when women are supported as leaders, peace is more durable, communities are more resilient, and economies are stronger.
In conflict zones, women are often the first to respond – managing scarce resources and mediating tensions before they escalate. Yet they remain locked out of formal power. This disconnect is not just unjust, it is irrational. Peace agreements are significantly more likely to last when women are meaningfully involved. Gender equality is one of the strongest predictors of long-term stability. These are not ideological arguments; they are strategic facts.
There is also a growing risk of desensitisation. When gender-based violence becomes routine, when displacement and exploitation are reduced to something we scroll through, urgency fades. That complacency is dangerous. Indifference is not neutral – it enables the very systems that perpetuate harm.
This moment demands more than concern. It demands coordination, resources, presence, and resolve. The backlash against women’s rights is not accidental; it is organised, well-funded, and persistent. Our response must meet it on equal terms. That means governments and donors investing seriously in women-led organisations – not as an afterthought, but as a frontline strategy. It means embedding the Women, Peace and Security agenda across climate, digital, and economic policy, recognising that today’s conflicts – and today’s power – cut across all three. And it means showing up: in rooms, at negotiating tables, and in global convenings where alliances are built and defended.
This is how momentum is sustained: not in isolation, but together. The backlash against gender equality is strategic, resourced, and relentless. We must be too.
Thelma Ekiyor is an award-winning global leader in women’s economic empowerment, philanthropy, impact investing, and international development, with over 27 years of experience across Africa, Europe, and the UK. She is currently the Global/International CEO of Women for Women International, the first Black woman and African to hold the position. Thelma has pioneered and led multiple institutions, including founding CEO SME.NG, Afrigrants, TY Danjuma Foundation and the West African Civil Society Institute (WACSI). She is a co-Founder of Women in Philanthropy & Impact Africa (WIPIA).