Hakima Abbas

Hakima Abbas is a political scientist, feminist activist, writer, and researcher. In 2016, she became co-executive director of Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID), an international feminist organization focused on promoting gender equality and women's rights globally.^[1][2]

Abbas has been an advocate for intersectional feminism and the importance of centering marginalized voices in global development and political discussions. She has emphasized the importance of collective action in achieving social justice goals.^[3]

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Abbas co-developed the "Just Recovery" plan, emphasizing the need to prioritize women and girls, who were disproportionately affected by the economic and social fallout of the pandemic.^[4][3]

In 2021, Abbas co-founded the Black Feminist Fund with Tynesha McHarris and Amina Doherty, a philanthropic initiative aimed at supporting Black feminist movements worldwide. The fund, supported by organizations like the Ford Foundation, aims to address the systemic underfunding of Black feminist initiatives globally.^[5]

Previously, she served as the executive director of Fahamu, an organization dedicated to social justice in Africa.^[6]

Abbas has also contributed to academic and activist discourse as the co-editor of the Queer African Reader (2013), alongside Sokari Ekine. The book is recognized as a critical contribution to feminist and LGBTQ+ scholarship in Africa.^[7][8]

• Feminist Africa, Issue 20: Feminism and Pan-Africanism. *Hakima Abbas; Sokari Ekine (2013). Queer African reader. Dakar, Senegal. ISBN 978-0-85749-099-5. OCLC 806013085.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) *Hakima Abbas (2007). Africa's long road to rights: reflections on the 20th anniversary of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights = Long trajet de l'Afrique vers les droits : réflexions lors du 20ème anniversaire de la Commission Africaine des Droits de l'Homme et des Peuples. Nairobi: Fahamu. ISBN 978-1-906387-27-3. OCLC 759159865. *Abbas, Hakima (2009). Aid to Africa: redeemer or coloniser?. Pambazuka Press. ISBN 978-1-906387-48-8. OCLC 759159841.

1. "World Bank's women entrepreneur initiatives just "smoke and mirrors"". Bretton Woods Project. 2019-07-30. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
2. "At a global gathering of feminists, one thing is clear: it's where you live that counts". The Guardian. 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
3. "Social Justice Leaders on What Matters: Hilary Pennington with Hakima Abbas". Ford Foundation. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
4. McCollum, Niamh (2020-11-19). "What is a 'she-cession' and how will we recover?". Marie Claire. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
5. Roohi, Elika (2021-04-01). "Ford Foundation commits $15 million to Black Feminist Fund". Alliance Magazine. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
6. "Are women occupying new movements?". openDemocracy. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
7. "LGBTIQ Africa: we are here and we are many!". New Internationalist. 2013-12-17. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
8. Mupotsa, Danai S. "Queer African Reader. Edited by Sokari Ekine and Hakima Abbas. Dakar, Nairobi & Oxford: Pambazuka Press, 2013" (PDF). Feminist Africa. 19: 113–120.

• Interview by Deutsche Afrik Stiftung (de)

Profile on Association for Women's Rights in Development: AWID Website