Who we are and what we stand for
What is the Feminist Humanitarian Network?
The Feminist Humanitarian Network (FHN) is an international collective of local and national organisations, international organisations, academic institutions, and individuals committed to transforming the humanitarian system in a way that promotes a feminist humanitarian agenda.
Our goal is to strengthen the agency and amplify the voices of all women most affected by, and least supported in, humanitarian emergencies.
We recognise that the existing humanitarian system does not adequately respond to the specific and disproportionate needs of women in crises or recognise their leadership.
Together, we are committed to redressing the power inequalities in the humanitarian system by ensuring those who identify as women are at the centre of leading and delivering humanitarian action.
Our vision is to transform the humanitarian sector, at all levels, into a sector that is led by feminist principles, that listens to, is accountable to, and is accessible to women and their organisations, in all of their diversity, and that challenges and doesn’t reinforce structural inequalities.
Who belongs to the Network?
Our members are a diverse range of local and national women’s rights organisations, international NGOs, and individuals, all of whom are committed to a feminist approach, and have a focus on gender equality in their work. Our members are based all over the world: from Liberia to Nepal, Lebanon to the Pacific. We draw strength from the diversity of our members, who have different and intersectional experiences of race, class, ethnicity, ability, age, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
We are striving towards a membership of at least 70% representation by local and national organisations and no more than 30% representation of international organisations and institutions. This is a reflection of our vision and ambition to transform power dynamics in the humanitarian system and our commitment to acknowledging and addressing unequal power structures within the Network itself.
At present, the Network is comprised of close to 30 members, with more joining all the time. If you are interested in joining the Network, get in touch! contact@feministhumanitariannetwork.org
What are the Network’s priorities?
Collectively, the Network is working to achieve four objectives:
To proactively encourage and support women’s rights actors and movements to contribute their expertise in humanitarian spaces and responses
To convene women to collectively build feminist leadership and share evidence and learning, which transforms and acknowledges the roles of women in humanitarian spaces and responses
To influence governments and other stakeholders to increase resources to women’s rights actors and movements for work in their areas of expertise
To work with women’s rights actors and movements to promote humanitarian advocacy based on feminist principles
How does the Network work?
The Network is led by a Steering Committee, which is comprised of members who represent the 70:30 local:international ratio that we are committed to. Four additional committees drive key elements of our work: Membership, Fundraising, Communications, and Advocacy.
The Network’s Secretariat currently sits with ActionAid.
