Back to: How to tackle the rise of the anti-gender movement

This course introduces gender justice and the global backlash against it.

For years, feminist and LGBTI+ advocates have championed the rights of women and gender minorities. While significant progress has been made in legislation protecting against gender based violence and discrimination, we now face mounting opposition.

From Turkey to the UK, anti-gender groups have mobilised against gender justice, portraying it as a threat to justice gender and the family values. These movements have become increasingly coordinated, networked and prominent.

We must view these anti-gender movements as direct challenges to established human rights standards and hard-won progress made by groups like Gender Links and the gender justice network.

This course aims to build learner confidence in key gender justice concepts, examining what drives anti-gender movements through case studies of attacks on human rights.

You’ll discover how activists across southern Africa and globally are collaborating to protect women, LGBTI+ and gender diverse people, with inspiring examples and practical guidance for advancing gender justice citizenship and development in schools, workplaces and advocacy spaces.

By the end of this course, you will:

• Grasp fundamental gender justice principles, terminology and its importance as a human rights issue
• Understand various anti-gender groups, their targets, motivations and consequences
• Learn gender justice approaches and ways to work towards a more equitable future.