Transformative co-leadership is key to realising our feminist future

Two years into our Feminist Future strategy, Womankind Worldwide is in a season of new beginnings, marked by our commitments to sharing power and decolonising our practice. We are embracing feminist co-leadership with confidence and anticipation for the possibilities ahead. For us, co-leadership represents a paradigm shift in leadership and decision-making. It’s not just about sharing responsibilities; it’s about modeling a feminist collaboration based on mutual respect, equity, trust, intersectionality, and a shared feminist vision. 

Our commitment to feminist principles and values is central to our vision. By championing these values, we will realise our feminist future and our vision: “A world where all women, girls, and people of all genders enjoy equal rights and freedoms, living with joy, choice, and dignity.” Leading by example, we commit to champion gender equality and equity in every decision and strategy and accepting when we have not and readapting. We hope that our leadership will reflect the diversity we support, proving that diverse leadership is not only possible but beneficial. 

The world will continue to change, but our pursuit of equality and freedom  remains unwavering. We boldly commit to: 

• Collaborating with movements and partners to dismantle traditional power dynamics between funders and grantee-partners; 

• Pushing boundaries in conversations around decolonisation and anti-racism approaches to shift our organisational mindset and systems; 

• Being truthful and transparent, dismantling and rebuilding aspects of our organisation that don’t align with our feminist values and principles to promote equality;

• Continuously influencing the feminist agenda with our partners, promoting collective and joint advocacy; 

• Fostering a culture that celebrates diversity and inclusion, where every voice matters and every perspective is heard; 

• Supporting and serving our team by prioritising feminist values, ensuring autonomy,  and prioritising self and collective wellbeing. 

In practice, co-leadership for us means engaging in continuous dialogue, challenging assumptions, being vulnerable and honest, harnessing our strengths and experiences, and making decisions informed by diverse viewpoints. This collaborative approach will enable us to navigate complex challenges and seize new opportunities with agility and confidence. We are champions of the co-leadership model. 

Co-leadership is more than a structural change; it’s a symbolic and practical commitment to feminist values. By sharing the role of CEO, we embody equity and mutual respect in our daily operations. This model leverages our complementary skills, experiences, and perspectives, ensuring well-rounded leadership deeply rooted in our values. 

“I want to make this co-leadership a real success and learning opportunity for Womankind and my counterpart Co-CEO, Diana. I look forward to harnessing my leadership style of working collaboratively, striving for change, and acting with humility to ensure that Womankind lives its values by being more partner-centered and valuing our diverse staff and trustees. I see the organisation staying relevant by using its position to influence funders and grow an aligned supporter base through our ambitious 2030 strategy,” – Disha. 

Disha’s vision is to create an environment where collaboration is the norm, and every team member feels valued and empowered to contribute to our mission. By embracing diverse perspectives, we can drive meaningful change and build a just and equal world. 

“I am excited to drive conversations around feminist trust-based philanthropy, the power in co-leadership, the power of lived experiences from an intersectional lens, and dismantling power dynamics that prevent community-based organisations from taking their rightful place in the movements,” – Diana. 

Diana’s aspiration is to amplify the voices of those often marginalized and ensure our strategies and actions are informed by the lived experiences of women and girls from diverse backgrounds. She is passionate about dismantling power dynamics and fostering a culture of trust and strengthening systems within the organisation and beyond. 

Together, we are committed to ensuring that Womankind Worldwide remains a beacon of feminist values and a leader in the movement for gender equality and equity. Our shared vision is one of learning, collaboration, and transformative change. We are excited about the journey ahead and the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of women, girls, and people of all genders. 

Diana and Disha are Womankind’s Co-CEOs at the helm of steering the organisation to the next level of contributing to a promising future for women, girls and people of all genders. This can only happen through working in partnership with community-based women’s rights organisations, movement strengthening and resourcing the movement by providing flexible funding.