It has almost become a donor mantra: invest in women and girls. But the vast majority of international aid is allocated without a feminist analysis, and that’s a problem.

Feminist analysis is about more than gender equality. A truly feminist approach uses a power analysis, works to address the root causes of inequalities, acts in solidarity with other marginalised identities, speaks out against all forms of oppression, and challenges one’s own use of power in daily practice.

The Fund for Global Human Rights and Inter Pares recently conducted a series of gender and feminist audits with ten civil society organisations working in Burma to learn more about building feminist movements and supporting systemic change. This process revealed a number of critical insights and key lessons – outlined in a new report, Lessons Learned in the Pursuit of Gender Justice and Feminist Practice in Burma. Although the initiative focused specifically on Burma, the documented power dynamics are global – and the report’s recommendations are broadly applicable for donors, funders, and activists around the world.

A feminist approach to funding must consider the specific historical context of a country. Too often, when a crisis unfolds, new actors rush in – donors and civil society alike – without grasping the roots of the problems. There is a critical need to understand the power dynamics and systems of oppression that can be exacerbated by ill-informed resourcing.

Based on our experience, if you want to see tangible impact on structural change, look to the feminists in the movements at the grassroots level.

Globally, widespread attacks on civic space present a particularly grievous threat to feminist activism. Donors must be conscious of this reality and make efforts to ensure security in tandem with international commitments to aid transparency. Organisations working to address structural changes face specific risks, and often need to adapt their modalities.

Read the full article about feminist funding by Lisa Houston, Ginger Norwood, Patrick Pierce and Rebecca Wolsak at Alliance Magazine.