How We Work

Structure and Working Methodology

IFC is built on the foundation of grassroots activism. We operate without hierarchy, ensuring that every voice is heard and every vote is equally valued.

Our work is manifested through local projects facilitated by IFC members and implemented across different countries, leveraging the local languages and cultures of our members to maximize impact.

Biannual meetings are key moments for our network, offering time to strengthen connections, strategize, and plan future actions. These gatherings include workshops and online sessions, with the goal of brining the members together in person twice a year in different countries.

Action

The IFC’s local projects began during the pandemic to ensure continuous support for women human rights defenders within their own contexts. These initiatives focus on key areas such as gender-based violence, women’s participation, and digital and physical security. Between 2022 and 2024, IFC reached approximately 1,600 women directly through these community-based activities.

In addition to local projects, IFC advances women’s rights through national and international advocacy. The network has participated in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), organizing civil society events and meeting with country delegations. Through engagement in New York, Geneva, and relevant country offices, IFC contributes to ensuring that the perspectives and needs of women human rights defenders are represented in policy discussions and decision-making processes.

Areas of Work

Protection, Promoting and Advocacy is our main areas of work, each area is crucial to the collective’s mission. Through these three interconnected areas of work, IFC strives to embody the principles of intersectional feminism, standing in solidarity with those we aim to support, promote and protect.

Protection

Protection stands as a cornerstone of IFC’s efforts, emphasising urgent action and support both before and after targeted incidents. Acknowledging that prevention alone is not enough, IFC strives to build a comprehensive system and safe space for those at risk. Our approach includes referral mechanisms, survival mapping and training in digital and physical security.

Guided by the principles of UNSCR 1325, IFC provides legal and psychological support, case management, and ensures the confidentiality and safety of its members. At the core of our protection efforts is a commitment to transforming systems, policies, and social norms, to prevent individuals from reaching a point where urgent protection becomes necessary, while recognizing our current limitations in capacity, resources, and security.

Promotion

As a network of grassroots activist, IFC serves as a bridge between local initiatives and larger organizations and decision-makers. In our work, promotion and protection go hand in hand; by safeguarding human rights, we also strengthen their visibility and value. Empowerment lies at the core of what we do, enabling our members and the communities we serve to claim the rights and take an active role in driving change. Rooted in our grassroots foundation, IFC amplifies marginalized voices and connects them to platforms where their concerns can be heard, recognize, and addressed.

Advocacy

Advocacy is central to IFC’s mission, raising awareness and ensuring legal safety, which our members see as a vital form of protection. For IFC, creating a safe space means respecting one another’s time, responding promptly and thoughtfully, and fostering an environment free from racism, sexism, discrimination, and ageism. Our code of conduct and ethics reflect these values and guide our collective identity.

Countries we Work in