On March 20, 2025, XR Rutshuru, a non-violent direct action youth movement from North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, organized a peaceful march in Kinshasa to protest the government’s decision to auction off 27 oil and three gas blocks in one of the world’s last intact forests—Virunga National Park and its vital peatlands.
Just months after the UN Climate Conference COP26 and the signing of a $500 million agreement to protect Congo’s rainforest, the DRC government announced plans to auction 27 oil blocks and three gas blocks. These extraction sites encroach on Virunga National Park, a biodiversity hotspot home to countless plant and animal species, as well as local communities and Indigenous peoples. This decision poses a devastating threat to local communities, biodiversity, and the global climate, as three of these blocks overlap one of the world’s largest carbon sinks.
In response, XR Rutshuru started to build awareness and mobilize local communities and Indigenous peoples living around Virunga National Park – people whose lives and livelihoods depend on these threatened ecosystems. As part of this effort, they organized a peaceful march in Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, demanding the cancellation of the oil and gas tenders, accountability from major polluters for the loss and damage caused by their industries, and increased investment in renewable energy.
During the demonstration, activists held signs with resonant messages: Climate Justice Now! Free Congo! Fossil-Free Virunga!
The Action Fund is proud to have supported this movement and remains committed to the fight for climate justice.
On March 8, 2025, Feministas en Rotterdam, together with other grassroots collectives, organized a powerful march against the systemic oppression of women, transgender people, migrants, and racialized communities. In their struggle, they demand equality, justice, and freedom for all.
The march began at 4 p.m. at Rotterdam City Hall, where attendees were welcomed with a speech and a performance by Rhythms of Resistance. Half an hour later, they set off towards Rotterdam Central Station, where prominent speakers from the local feminist and activist community gathered to meet them. Speakers included Feministas en Rotterdam, Erev Rav, Resistance to War (Veto), Miryam Mejhed, Diana Salaymah, and Transexual Flame Princess, who shed light on the struggles of asylum seekers in the Netherlands.
After the speeches, participants walked to Roodkapje for an aftercare space, where the event concluded with spoken word, reflection, and the collective breaking of the fast. This closing moment provided emotional support and reinforced solidarity in the fight for liberation.
The Action Fund proudly stands in solidarity with this movement and remains committed to supporting the struggle for justice.
On the 6th of April 2024, “Hnutí pro život” (Movement for Life), an ultra-conservative Czech lobby group, organized their annual march in support of anti-abortion policies. As their supporters marched through the streets of Prague, they encountered a determined counter-movement of the people: Koalice Neprojdou! (“Coalition: They won’t pass!”). By forming a mass blockade they forced the march to be diverted, managed to delay it for hours and have it end early.
The so-called Movement for Life is part of a broader international “anti-gender scene” that seeks to make access to abortion more difficult and to deny equal rights to LGBTQIA+ people. In the past, the Movement for Life has presented itself as a philanthropic organization in order to gain the support of politicians and institutions. They have not, however, refrained from public hate campaigns, as evidenced by the publication and distribution of books on the “treatment” of homosexuality, as well as their criticism of aid in the form of emergency contraception. The march on April 6th was yet another attempt to reinforce anti-abortion policies in the Czech Republic and further push conservative ideals.
In response to the Movement for Life march, several opposition groups joined forces and formed Koalice Neprojdou! (“Coalition: They will not pass!”). After months of mobilization, they gathered 500 people to occupy the Legií Bridge in Prague, forcing the march to be rerouted across the neighboring Jirásek Bridge. This led to a delay of several hours, causing people to leave the march early. Even the closing ceremony in Wenceslaus Square was shortened and disrupted, causing the march to lose much of its impact.
The success of this action was reflected in Czech media coverage, which referred to the Movement for Life as a “anti-abortion movement” , a label the organization has been trying to distance itself from by claiming they are, instead, “pro-family.”
The Action Fund stands in solidarity with Koalice Neprojdou! and is proud to continue supporting such actions towards the safety and dignity of women and LGBTQIA+ people.
The Action Fund is putting up 300 posters in the lion’s den – The Hague – to protest the divide and conquer tactics used by the current government.
The ruling coalition wants to restrict the right to protest. This goes against the European Convention on Human Rights and is a well-documented stage in the playbook of the far right to gradually gain absolute power. We must not let ourselves be divided and speak out against the frame of “anarchists” vs. “law-abiding citizens” used to justify the erosion of fundamental rights. Because we want to make clear that we will not just let this happen, we put up 300 posters in the center of The Hague with the texts “The right to protest is a human right!” and a line based on Niemöller’s famous sermon “When they came for the activists, I did not speak out— because I was not an activist”.
In the Netherlands, a conversation about the dangers of the extreme right quickly gets bogged down in the question of whether or not a right-wing extremist leader is the literal reincarnation of a National Socialist. In a context where the singularity of World War II is emphasized in education, this is understandable. In this case, however, we fear that it gets in the way of adequately responding to and preventing a multiplicity of repressive and colonial regimes as well as preventing us from really asking what the lesson of historical fascism could be. We live in the now, where repressive regimes founded in white-nationalist ideology are already active on the world stage. In an era of Big Tech, Trump and nauseating gestures by the richest man on Earth, curtailing the right to protest really is the last thing we need. “What we are witnessing now is the government trying to put all kinds of restrictions and that is extremely worrisome,” says attorney Willem Jebbink in De Nieuws BV on January 22nd, 2025.
The Action Fund is proud of the disruptive actions we have been privileged to support in recent years.
Also want to take action for the right to demonstrate? Order the posters and stickers here.
Since the 1990s, The Action Fund has expanded its range of activities and campaigns. On January 21, 1996, the ‘Heineken out of Burma’ campaign was launched against the complicit multinational beer brewing corporation. The goal of this campaign was to raise donations for activists and stop Heineken’s collaboration with the military’s dictatorial regime. After numerous successful actions and two Burma debates in the Dutch parliament, organized by The Action Fund and the Burma Centrum Nederland, Heineken withdrew from Burma (now referred to by the Netherlands as Myanmar).
In late 1995, The Action Fund became aware of Heineken’s plans to build a brewery in Burma in collaboration with the military junta. Leaders of the largest opposition party had called on the international business community to halt investments in the country, stating that they have strengthened the military’ position. In response, The Action Fund and ASEED Europe (Action for Solidarity, Equality, Environment, and Diversity) met with Heineken to announce the campaign and provide them with an opportunity to respond to the facts ahead of time. This conversation suggested that Heineken intended to continue investing, despite sharing The Action Fund’s analysis and not denying its involvement with the military dictatorship. The Action Fund then began its campaign on January 21, 1996. It staged multiple successful actions, including several in front of the Heineken brewery in Amsterdam. This campaign received widespread media coverage, both nationally and regionally.
It did not end there; on February 15, 1996,The Action Fund and the Burma Center Nederland hosted a Burma Debate in which politicians from the parties D66, GreenLeft and The Labour Party as well as Christian and liberal conservatives took part. They held discussions with the Netherlands Trade Union Confederation (FNV), Amnesty International, and the Netherlands Center for Trade Development. Heineken’s management was noticeably absent from the debate, having declined the invitation of The Action Fund. The debate ultimately led to the conclusion that most businesses do not comment on the social and political conditions in the countries in which they operate.
A second Burma debate was held six months later, in September 1996, after the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for additional trade measures. This time, The Action Fund and the Burma Center Nederland were successful in gaining additional support. Although Heineken believed they could continue to invest in Burma based on their own standards and values, public pressure forced them to reconsider. Eventually, Heineken folded its arms in June 1996, and The Action Fund saw a significant increase in new donors. The ‘Heineken out of Burma’ campaign was a success.
This case prompted The Action Fund to further investigate the role of international business in perpetuating dictatorial regimes. Following the Heineken appeal, it was critical to keep the Netherlands and Europe focused on Burma. At the end of 1996, The Action Fund and the Burma Center Nederland launched a campaign in support of Burma’s democratization movement, focusing on all European companies seeking to establish and/or maintain trade relations with the country.
This is a movement that we continue to stand in solidarity with. Back in March 2021, The Action Fund supported protesters who took to the streets against the violent military coup that resulted in the arrest of those that led the opposition back in the 90s.
Do you want to join us in writing history? The Action Fund is still looking for new donors in 2025. All donations are welcome!
On October 11, 2024, Donderberg Sauvage occupied the Donderberg forest in Laeken, Brussels. With tents and tree houses, the group is fighting against the further “concretization” of the city and for the preservation of 4 hectares of high ecological value forest.
In the middle of a densely populated neighborhood lies the Donderberg forest, a shady hiding place, a link in the ecological corridor of Brussels, with some trees so old they are classified. It is precisely this piece of relief for humans, plants and animals that the Laeken city council wants to concrete. A school is to be built on the site of the forest. This plan dates back 10 years and has become a prestige issue for some politicians. They want to push ahead with the construction project despite the fact that there is no longer a demand for new school buildings and there are plenty of vacant buildings that could be renovated as alternatives. A group of local residents have been resisting the plan for years including through legal proceedings. But without success.
When in the summer of 2024, despite the discontent, all building permits were granted and the felling of Donderberg seemed inevitable, Donderberg Sauvage decided to take matters into their own hands. They started a long-term occupation of the forest, built tree houses and a tent camp. They plan to stay there until the Brussels city council calls off plans for the construction project.
The forest occupiers are getting a lot of media attention and support from the neighborhood and the rest of the country – every day someone brings soup! They celebrated the first month of the occupation with hundreds of visitors and more soup, activities and workshops.
The Action Fund is proud of the tree climbers, and will continue to support them until construction plans are off the table. For a livable city, for people, animals and plants!
Surveys by I&O Research show that a majority of people in the Netherlands support a more extensive climate policy, affordable rental housing, a higher minimum wage and more permanent contracts. Yet the Netherlands is becoming more right-wing with each election and fascists are gaining ground at home and abroad. ‘Leftist Soup’ (a pun in Dutch, as ‘Linke Soep’ refers to something dangerous) hosts accessible monthly gatherings for a growing group of progressive people in the Netherlands who are very concerned about the current far-right government, but just don’t know where to start to take action.
As the most right-wing administration ever has taken office in the Netherlands, many progressives and radicals feel lonely, scared and displaced. On our phones, we see what is going wrong in the world, share messages and take action, but at the end of the day it often feels fleeting and insuffient.
“We need to get to know each other – look each other in the eye, know that the people you work with can be trusted, understand what you can do for each other. And that doesn’t just happen on a Signal chat,” said the initiator of Leftist Soup. After all, getting together offline, in community centers and other public places, proved to be a very effective method in all kinds of protest movements in the 1970s. And now, this connection is crucial again.
We are not alone. And to realize that, small gestures can make all the difference. Hence the new initiative for a “leftist food club,” supported by Het Actiefonds. Every month, people of different ages, backgrounds and political leanings get together to eat soup while talking about the state of the country and what can be done about it.
The gatherings are low-key and accessible: people with a lot of activist experience come together with those who have never been to an action in their life, just to be among people who are equally concerned and willing to do something. Each time, everyone brings one other person who might also need some community. The idea is that the soup dinners will eventually grow into a large decentralized network of activists who together will be able to face the government in the coming years.
At the very first meeting in september, 25 people attended and inspired each other. They, in turn, created groups to stay in touch with each other and slowly but surely build a solid progressive community.
Het Actiefonds is proud to support Leftist Soup. It is precisely these kinds of small initiatives that are essential to building a movement and gaining political power. This soup leaves us wanting more.
On Sept. 28, 2024, the Glorieta de las mujeres que Luchan (Roundabout of the Fighting Women) in Mexico City celebrated their 3rd anniversary! Mexican women from all corners of the country, united by their womanhood and political struggle, occupied the plaza and changed the nameplates and road signs. With their continued gatherings, the women want to officially change the name of the square, which is an important square for Mexico City and is now called the Monument of Columbus, to the Glorieta de las mujeres que Luchan!
For more than 100 years, a statue of Christof Columbus has marred the plaza, but in 2021, Las Mujeres que Luchan occupied and renamed the roundabout to focus on the struggles of Mexican women. Since then, the square has been home to rallies and protests. Various political struggles are honored and commemorated in this square. The Mujeres que Luchan is a network of very diverse movements and struggles: from searchers for disappeared persons, groups working against feminicides, for political prisoners to the defense of territory of original admirers.
On the anniversary itself, the organization placed a commemorative stone and changed signage. With the celebration of the square’s 3rd year of regular occupation, the women hope to increase the pressure to make the square’s name change official. Although those new name signs were taken down by the authorities after a few days, the actions in the square continue! These included an action against the state’s nalatisgheid to guarantee a non-violent life for women and an action for the right to abortion and for the release of women incarcerated because of abortion. On World Breast Cancer Day, a garland of 2,000 bras adorned the plaza to raise awareness of the extent and impact of this disease and to address failing medical policies.
The Mujeres que Luchan are taking over public spaces for their re-signification and decolonise the site occupied by Christopher Columbus to create a site of living memory, representative of the struggles of women in Mexico!
Het Actiefonds is proud to support this ongoing occupation and celebration. For all women’s rights and a decolonization of public space!
On 1 June 2024, more than 12 000 people filled the streets of Berlin to demand the right to affordable housing. Over the past decades, Berlin’s average rent has doubled, while wages have remained the same. Many Berliners are spending an increasing share of their income on rent, and some are even forced to leave the city. Deutsche Wohnen & Co enteignen, together with an alliance of other Berlin housing rights organisations, teamed up to tackle the structural housing crisis.
Deutsche Wohnen & Co enteignen is fighting to democratise Berlin’s housing market. They advocate the expropriation of real estate companies that own more than 3,000 flats in Berlin. The expropriated flats would be managed through a public institution, which would be governed with democratic participation from the city council, the tenants and the Berlin Senate.
In 2021, Deutsche Wohnen & Co submitted a proposal for this expropriation law to the Berlin Senate by referendum. 59.1% of Berlin voters expressed their preference for this proposal. The referendum should be binding, but the Senate continues to delay and obstruct the writing of an applicable law.
Therefore, Deutsche Wohnen & Co enteignen is now writing its own bill, which they want to get approved again by a binding referendum. This will require a major mobilisation. The demonstration on 1 June 2024 was a good start to show Berlin’s politicians the broad dissatisfaction with the current housing market, and to motivate tenants to vote for the upcoming second referendum. Berlin residents are fed up with paying more and more for the profit of a few real estate companies! They are taking to the streets for a liveable city, and against all real estate companies that are only after profit.
In addition, Deutsche Wohnen & Co enteignen is active in all Berlin neighbourhoods to assist tenants and organise themselves in their struggle for the long-term democratisation of the Berlin housing market. Het Actiefonds is proud to support this large-scale and successful initiative, and stands in solidarity with every struggle for liveable and affordable cities. Because housing is a right!
Over the past two decades, 159 women have been murdered by (ex-)parners in Albania. This is only the amount established with certainty. The real number is much likely higher. The organization Young Volunteers took action against the misogynistic murder culture that makes these killings possible.
The root cause of femicides is a general culture of silence when it comes to violence against women. More than half of all women between the ages of 15 and 72 reported having experienced some form of violence in their lives in a 2018 INSTAT survey, most often intimate violence from a partner or husband. Not only does women’s economic position make them vulnerable to mistreatment (the husband is often the only one with an income); at the societal level, intimate violence is completely normalized.
The latest OECD domestic violence survey from 2018 supports this conclusion. It states that 47 percent of Albanian women surveyed indicated that a good wife obeys her husband even when she disagrees with him. In addition, 19 percent of the women surveyed agreed that it is a wife’s duty to sleep with her husband even if she does not feel like it. Among men, that percentage is most likely a lot higher.
As long as intimate violence remains a private matter, society cannot effectively intervene to combat it. Take, for example, the case of Albana Dedaj. Even though her husband already had to go to prison once for abuse, she was not offered any help from the authorities to protect her from him. After he was released again, he ran into her one day, grabbed her, poured gasoline over her and himself, and then tried to set them on fire with a lighter. Dedaj narrowly escaped and went to work. Her co-workers wondered where the gasoline smell was coming from, but she couldn’t bring herself to tell them what had just happened. She fled to the restroom and put on her work clothes, but the smell didn’t dissipate. In desperation, she went to the outhouse and called the emergency number, but the police refused to pick her up. ‘We are not a cab service, we are the police,’ the man on the other end of the line replied. ‘If you get a chance, take a cab or a bus to the police station.’
Things worked out for Dedaj, but her story is indicative of the lack of help and support for women who are victims of intimate violence. Hence why Young Volunteers, with support from The Action Fund, campaigned against intimate violence last spring. Campaigners held demonstrations against femicide and distributed information in both urban and rural areas about where women can actually go for support if they are experiencing intimate violence.
The Action Fund is proud to support Young Volunteers. Femicide is a large-scale problem that is far from limited to Albania. In the Netherlands, a woman is murdered every eight days, according to the NGO WOMEN Inc. More than half of the perpetrators are the presumed (ex-)partner. This has to change, and now!
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