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Summary
"Feminist responses to ‘norm-spoiling’ at the United Nations" explores the what, who and how of 'norm-spoiling', as well as the successful counter-strategies being employed by feminist organisations to resist these efforts.
Why read
This ODI Briefing note is useful to understand the concept of 'norm-spoiling' used by anti-rights actors and how feminist organisations can counter it effectively.
Description
The briefing outlines what is known about the well-coordinated tactics eroding rights-based norms at the international level, and what can be done protect women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, which have been hard-won through decades of feminist organising.
The key messages are:
- Norm-spoiling in multilateral arenas, such as the United Nations, aims to undermine the international consensus on women’s rights.
- Anti-gender actors are gaining ground through diverse and unusual alliances that are increasingly well-organised and well-funded. Together, they are creating a dangerous movement that opposes the rights of women and LGBTQI+ people.
- Despite this challenging environment, international feminist activists are working pro-actively in multilateral spaces to defend women’s rights, disrupt the expansion of anti-gender influence, and promote new and positive change.
- To support these efforts, recommendations include: communicating and raising awareness of norm-spoiling; increasing and improving funding to feminist organisations; bolstering evidence and data on anti-rights strategies and what works to counteract them; supporting coalition building and inclusive transnational alliances; strategically strengthening advocacy and coordination of lobbying efforts at the UN.