Despite oppression, far-right gains and lack of funds, feminists still dare to dream | Faye Macheke

There are many challenges facing feminism, but a recent global gathering was a sanctuary and a rallying cry

Last month, 3,500 feminists from every corner of the world came together in Bangkok for a conference hosted by the Association for Women's Rights in Development (Awid). Eight years of planning went into the event, years that coincided with some of the most challenging and transformative global moments. The Covid pandemic, for example, ensured that an in-person 14th forum could not be held in 2020.

This December's theme, Rising Together, spoke not just to the collective resilience of feminist movements but to the journey I have witnessed over decades of activism: one defined by courage, solidarity and a refusal to give up, no matter the odds.