At the VUMC (A-UMC) gender team in Amsterdam, patients are facing long waiting lists, outdated and humiliating diagnosing procedures, ignorance, and abuse of power. Transgenders are taken less seriously when they don’t fit within the standard healthcare policy, because they identify as non-binary, or are struggling with autism or depression. Who wants to transition is forced to comply with the outdated image that doctors have from transgenders.

Trans Zorg Nu! demands improvement and organizes a protest march on Saturday the 26th of June, from the George Gershwinplein to the Olympic Stadium, past the gender clinic of the VUMC. There will be speeches and the following demands will be communicated:

1. No waiting lists
2. No diagnoses, no gatekeeping; complete self-determination.
3. Decentralize transgender health care, break the monopoly.
4. Transgender health care in transgender hands.

Het Actiefonds supports Trans Zorg Nu! with the organization of the protest. Come to the protest on the 26th of June, share the Facebook-event, and follow Trans Zorg Nu! on Facebook and Instagram.

Festival Resistencia in Tunja, Colombia, mobilizes the youth in the fight against these structural, social issues that Colombia is facing. They do this by organizing cultural and social activities, like concerts, workshops, and sports, after which they can join the protests by throwing up blockades and organizing protest rallies. Festival Resistencia is ultimately a solidarity network around all sorts of local, cultural initiatives, that together create a network of mobilization for the youth, to join the protest movement.

Het Actiefonds supports Festival Resistencia and the protestmovement in Colombia.

The still-to-be-formed cabinet will be the last cabinet that can execute the necessary policy that will keep us below 1,5ºC temperature change, and nuclear power is back on the table as one of the ‘solutions’ offered by political parties. According to WISE, an organization that has been fighting against new nuclear power plants since 1978, promoting nuclear energy is a pitfall on the road of the energy transition that is really necessary. Nuclear power has too many problems with the storage of radioactive waste and potential safety issues to be really green, clean or sustainable.

This is why WISE is organizing a cycling protest through Zeeland and Brabant, the two provinces that offered themselves as potential hosts for a new nuclear power plant. The three-day cycling tour starts with a manifestation in Middelburg, and goes past the already existing power plant in Borsele, to Moerdijk, a potential location for a new nuclear plant, and will finally arrive in Den Bosch. Along the route, multiple manifestations will be held to make clear to politicians and policymakers that the fight against nuclear power is alive and well.

Het Actiefonds supports the cycling protest and the fight against nuclear power. Keep an eye on the Facebook page of WISE for updates and news around the cycling protest.

The worldwide aviation industry plays a significant role in the climate crisis we’re in. While the sector almost came to a standstill during COVID-19, the next few months, where tourism will most likely get started again, will be crucial. Are we going back the ‘the old normal’, with thousands of flights every day and an infinitely growing aviation industry, or are we gradually reducing this polluting industry, and do we invest in more sustainable alternatives?

Climaximo takes matters into their own hands and organized a protest march and two major blockades on important access roads to the airport of Lisbon. They demand degrowth of the aviation industry and a quick transition to more sustainable ways of travel, like the train. Het Actiefonds supported Climaximo with the organization of their blockades.

Watch the video report of the action on the 22nd of May below.

Because of this, sexual intimidation, human trafficking, forced marriages, and other forms of sexual exploitation and violence roam freely during this pandemic, which puts women and children in the domestic environment in danger. This happens in a country where violence against women is a nationwide, cultural issue. Many cases of domestic violence and murder are never prosecuted or even reported.

The Awakening is launching a special campaign aimed at domestic violence during the pandemic. Het Actiefonds supports The Awakening with the launch of this campaign. Through flyers, radio commercials, podcasts, and social media they want to inform and raise awareness within local communities by communicating true stories and scientific information.

Photo by AFP

During 20.000 names, MiGreat will organize multiple memorial services throughout the country. Activists will name the 20.000 migrants that died on the European borders within the past 6 years and on the 26th and 27th of June, there will be a big memorial service on the beach of Scheveningen, where a pop-up monument will arise with thousands of memorial crosses. You can apply for this action through this form and organize a memorial in your own town or city.

The MiGreat foundation has been fighting for a humane migration policy since 2018 and pleads for a stop to the European discouragement campaign. Violent border police, unlawful deportations, and appalling conditions in refugee camps and detention centers have contributed to the rising percentage of migrants who don’t survive their journey to Europe. By actively campaigning, organizing protests, and mobilizing activists, MiGreat has brought the deadly consequences of the European migration policy under international attention. For example, during their action ‘Lopend Vuur’, where they mobilized 5000 activists who joined a total of 60 wakes and 4 marches through the country to The Hague, or the refugee camps that got built for 24 hours in different European cities to bring attention to the devastating fire in camp Moria.

Het Actiefonds supports MiGreat, you as well? Apply through the form, let your friends know you are coming to the pop-up monument on 26 and the 27th of June, or make a donation through our website.

Languages are part of international power structures and because of that, can lead to oppression and privilege based on class, race, age, or culture. Also activist movements, organizations, and actions are heavily dependent on language and usually make use of the primary language used in the country or part of the world where they are active. This means that people who don’t speak the primary language or are part of a different linguistic community are less able to join actions or speak up against injustice. Especially within multilingual, marginalized communities that have to deal with racism, sexism, exclusion, or oppression, it is of great importance that actions can be interpreted or multilingual.

[bla] and InterpRISE fight for multilingualism within activism and are organizing the Transnational Interpreting Camp. During this multiday camp, different international groups, activists, and interpreters come together to take part in workshops about organizing transnational actions. Participants are made aware of the political effect of language barriers, practical knowledge about interpreting and translation, and technical knowledge about making and using interpreting equipment is shared.

As an international organization, Het Actiefonds finds great importance within transnational solidarity and inclusivity within grassroots activism and because of that fully supports the mission of these organizations and the Transnational Interpreting Camp.

Illustration by Freaky Panda

Because of the renovation and construction of railway tracks around the city of Kisumu, the Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) has evicted the community, without prior notice, with teargas and bulldozers. On the piece of land they inhabited for over 83 years, about 500 homes and a mosque were destroyed, leaving one child dead under the debris. Since the eviction, the community has been living in makeshift tents, having to deal with inhumane living conditions on a daily basis, without protection against diseases like cholera and COVID-19, and without food, drugs, electricity, or adequate sanitary facilities.

Evicting communities that reside on public land to make way for developments is a common issue in Kenya. After an appeal from Amnesty International in May 2020, Kenya issued a presidential moratorium to prevent evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The eviction of the Nubian community in Kibos is a direct violation of this act. Next to that, the KRC executed the eviction in disregard to the Environment and Land Court of Kisumu to refrain from conducting evictions until the matter is heard in court.

The Kibos Cooperation and Development Society (KCDS) fights against these violations of human rights and mobilizes the evicted community to raise their voices. They demand landownership with guaranteed security of tenure, an immediate solution to the inhumane living conditions in the camps, and compensation for the suffered damages. The right to housing is an international human right and, especially during a pandemic, can mean the difference between life and death.

Image: Amnesty International. Kenya: Residents of Kibos in Kisumu County salvage their properties after their houses were demolished by the Kenya Railways.

The country’s ongoing lockdown hinders access to sexual and reproductive health care, which is essential for Colombian girls and women. Only in 2006 did the absolute abortion ban in Colombia come to an end. However, an abortion may only be performed in case of rape, incest or when the life of the mother or fetus is in danger. In addition, there is very poor access to information. Societal, social and economic barriers make it impossible for many women and girls to safely terminate their pregnancies – especially in poorer and remote areas.

Yukasa Feminista collects testimonials and stories about abortion, thus broadening the debate on the importance of decriminalizing abortion. By entering into the conversation they want to break the silence around the subject and inform women. The collection of stories of women from different regions in Quindío is brought out through various radio broadcasts and via social media. In this way, they effectively disseminate information about abortion rights and make the subject accessible.

We will continue to follow and support them in their fight for women’s rights: a fight that is now harder and more important than ever.

The countrywide campaign is an initiative of various organizations, including Milieudefensie, Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace and Amnesty International. Het Actiefonds supported the large demonstration in Amsterdam. Hundreds of people gathered [on 1.5 meter distance] in the Westerpark to make a lot of noise with pots, pans, bells and whistles to draw attention to the growing climate problem and failing climate policy.

The programme consisted of a large variety of speakers: artists, activists, students and writers shared their visions, sorrow and demands for the future of climate action in the political and personal realm. Just before 3 am, those present at all demonstrations listened to a powerful spoken word speech, after which the sound protest erupted loudly throughout the country. Thousands of activists also participated from home — via Zoom, social media and their own backyards and balconies.

Especially with the recent election results, the need for climate activism is greater than ever. This demonstration brought renewed energy to rise together to bring about change.

Photo: Ireen de Vries