On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the achievements of women across the world, but we must also recognise the ongoing struggles for gender equality. In an era where economic crises, authoritarianism, and environmental destruction know no borders, feminist movements must also transcend national boundaries. Women’s liberation cannot be achieved in isolation – our struggle must be transnational, intersectional, and deeply political.

The global face of patriarchy and capitalism

Patriarchy is not an isolated phenomenon but one that operates globally, reinforced by economic systems designed to exploit and oppress. The neoliberal economic model, which prioritises profit over people, has hit women the hardest. From precarious labour conditions to the unpaid and undervalued care work that sustains economies, women bear the brunt of structural inequalities. Migrant women, in particular, experience extreme precarity, often working in exploitative conditions with little to no legal protections.

The European Union, despite its rhetoric on gender equality, has failed to shield women from these inequalities. Austerity policies in countries like Greece and Spain have disproportionately affected women, cutting essential social services and forcing many into unstable work. Meanwhile, the rise of reactionary politics across the continent threatens hard-won feminist victories, from abortion rights in Poland to LGBTQ+ protections in Hungary.

Feminist solidarity beyond borders

A truly emancipatory feminism must reject nationalist frameworks that divide women. The struggles of garment workers in Bangladesh are connected to those of domestic workers in France, just as the fight for reproductive rights in Latin America echoes in the streets of Warsaw. Recognising these connections strengthens our collective power.

This is why feminist movements across Europe and beyond must unite in opposition to capitalist exploitation, climate destruction, and xenophobic policies. The feminist fight for economic justice must include demands for universal basic income, labour protections for migrant workers, and an end to exploitative global supply chains. The fight for reproductive justice must support asylum seekers fleeing gender-based violence, and the demand for climate action must recognise that environmental destruction disproportionately impacts women in the Global South.

DiEM25 and the feminist struggle

DiEM25 understands that the fight for democracy and justice is inseparable from the fight for gender liberation. A Europe that works for its people must prioritise dismantling patriarchal structures, securing economic rights for women, and standing against the far-right forces that seek to strip away freedoms. This means pushing for progressive policies that recognise gender inequality as a systemic issue requiring systemic solutions.

On this International Women’s Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to feminism without borders. Let us build a Europe where solidarity replaces competition, where justice is not reserved for the privileged few, and where the liberation of one is tied to the liberation of all. Only by fighting together – across nations

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