footnotes.¹

At a time when the humanitarian sector is being stretched to its limits, Footage was grateful to participate and share with a global community of advocates, activists and academics at the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). This year, 2025, commemorating 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, saw the Footage team taking part in multiple transformative events and connecting with those who share our vision for social justice, human rights, and equity.  In an increasingly fractured world, we remain anchored in the belief that compassion is not a luxury — but a necessity. For more than 15 years, compassion, including self-compassion has been central to Footage’s theory of change—rooted in how we listen, connect, and respond to the lived realities of women and gender-diverse people. That commitment feels more essential now than ever. In the spirit of compassionate advocacy, our main event, “Compassion in Action: Feminist and Narrat...

From Mexico City in 1975 to Beijing in 1995 to the celebration of Beijing +30 at the United Nations Commission of the Status of Women (CSW69) this March, an evolution of ideas and strategies leading to the formulation of Feminist Foreign Policies (FFPs) have emerged as transformative approach rooted in principles of gender equality, human rights, and social justice. In a world where these principles face increasing erosion and threat feminist activists can harness FFPs as a tool to support fragmented gender equality efforts on a global scale, ensuring that they serve the interests of marginalized communities whose voices are often ignored and silenced. by Dr. Kristen Ali Eglinton Feminist Foreign Policy did not emerge in a vacuum. It stands on the foundation of decades of feminist activism—on the voices, struggles, and strategies of those who came before us. In this brief article, I focus on a particular kind of Feminist Foreign Policy—one that is deeply rooted in praxis; that is, on ...

Footage's FemSMS is an informational project, specifically for Ukrainian women, launched shortly after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. It focuses on those living in conflict zones, survivors of gender-based violence, or those forced to relocate because of war. FemSMS aims to provide emotional and psychological support, help women overcome trauma, and inform them about ways to maintain their mental and physical health and safety through compassionate SMS messages.  "The feeling that I am not alone, that someone cares about me," says one of the Ukrainian women who, like many others, faces the challenges of living in a war zone. Thanks to the FemSMS initiative, she feels supported in navigating this difficult experience. The initiative was implemented by Footage in partnership with non-profit organizations, Project Kesher and Project Kesher Ukraine . Since the project's launch, Ukrainian women who subscribe to the FemSMS service have recei...

By Dr. Kristen Ali Eglinton As I am still integrating the significant gathering that was the III Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policies— FFP—in Mexico City, I’ll start with a description of one moment—not necessarily of the event itself, but rather of a moment or space bursting at the seams with the undertow—perhaps riptide—of change, resistance, co-creation, evolution. Every one of us interested in making policies more feminist might consider holding the spirit of this moment or space as the force of change needed in imagining a future landscape of inclusive policy creation, compassionate actions, and diplomacy as dialogue—a landscape aligned, reflexive, and polyvocal—capable of deeply undermining and transmuting the growing dangerous energy of anti-rights movements. On my final day in Mexico City, with a few hours left, I decided to feel the energy around Frida Kahlo’s home. While I asked a taxi to take me to Frida Kahlo's house, I was dropped off in Mexico City'...

footnotes.¹ is a new space to share important, inspiring stories. Just a little of our background to refresh your memory:  At Footage our vision is a world where every person feels seen, heard, and worthy. We are a feminist organization raising voices to elevate lives through creative research, wellbeing interventions, and advocacy—all advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda. Footage has received ten Public Diplomacy awards from the U.S. Department of State to design and implement programs focusing on gender-based violence. A nonprofit organization founded by five women PhD colleagues at Cambridge University, Footage uses narrative and expressive approaches empowering women, LGBTQIA+, and marginalized groups around the world to connect as agents of social change. Our programs provide connection — a community for those on the frontlines of gender inequality where their ideas matter and their voices count. We have a particular focus ...