The Backlash Is Organised – Feminists Must Be Too
Friday, 24 April
15:00-16:30
Room: Magritte
Across Europe and beyond, attacks on women’s rights are no longer isolated – they are coordinated, strategic, and deeply embedded across political and digital ecosystems. From restrictions on reproductive rights to online harassment, femicide, and anti-gender narratives, a “new war on women” is unfolding at scale. At the same time, rising polarisation risks fragmenting feminist movements – dynamics often amplified and manufactured by the far-right, weakening collective power.
This session takes a deliberately political and provocative approach to unpack how the backlash operates and what it demands of feminist organising today. It will focus on reclaiming agency: how to rebuild mobilisation, strengthen alliances, and shape a more inclusive, intersectional feminism that is fit for this new landscape and capable of meeting the scale and urgency of the challenge.
Speakers
Justyna Wydrzyńska, Abortion Dream Team
Justyna is the co-funder of Kobiety w Sieci and Abortion Dream Team, two organisations which support in abortion in Poland. She was the first abortion activist to be convicted for helping abortions in Poland and a member of the Abortion Without Borders network.
Natalija Simović, Local Councilor, Zeleno Levi Front
Natalija Simović is a feminist activist and politician from Serbia with over 15 years of experience in the civil sector, driving grassroots change for women’s rights, gender equality, and social justice. She is also one of the founding members of Ne davimo Beograd movement that later became a Green Left Front party. Natalija serves in city politics as an elected local councilor in her second mandate, and is co-chair of party’s Grant Council and Autonomous Women’s Front, feminist wing of the party. She has been active in leading campaigns, organizing grassroots actions in collaboration with feminist organisations and policy making with feminist perspective.
Kristina Wilfore, Co-Founder, #ShePersisted & Director of Innovation and Global Projects at Reset Tech
Kristina Wilfore is a seasoned international elections and communications specialist with deep expertise in designing and leading programs that build democratic resilience. She has trained more than 2000 women politicians, journalists, and activists across 25+ countries, equipping them with the skills to counter digital threats, strengthen digital security, and engage in inclusive political leadership. From Western and Eastern Europe to the Americas, East Africa, and Middle East, Kristina has developed curricula, led high-level workshops, and facilitated strategy sessions with governments, philanthropies, and civil society organizations. As Director of Innovation and Global Projects at Reset Tech, she spearheads initiatives at the intersection of election integrity, masculinity, political violence, and information resilience, ensuring that capacity-building remains at the core of these efforts. In 2021, she co-founded #ShePersisted, an initiative that supports women leaders to confront digital harms—recognizing these attacks as threats to both democracy and human rights.
Moderator: Meyrem Almaci, GEF Co-President
Meyrem Almaci, 1976, Belgian with Turkish roots, mother of two; lifelong fan of fantasy, anime, books and good music. Party Leader of Groen (‘14-‘22) , member of Parliament since 2007. Believes in saving the planet and being a good ancestor for the future generations, whilst also having fun and enjoying life as much as possible. So: Don’t curse the darkness, light a candle.
