site.btaBulgarian Fund for Women Celebrates 20th Anniversary

A diverse and extensive feminist movement has been built in Bulgaria, albeit fragile, striving to improve the environment, and the opportunity to contribute to this has been a source of pride, said Nadezhda Dermendzhieva, co-director of the Bulgarian Fund for Women (BFW), marking the 20th anniversary of the organization's founding on Thursday.

"We are a feminist fund providing financial support and capacity building for smaller organizations in Bulgaria, with a focus on advancing women’s rights, empowering girls, and achieving gender equality," Dermendzhieva said. "Since our founding, our mission and vision have remained steadfast," she added. "Our vision is a world where all women and girls live justly and equally, with their choices respected and their voices heard," she continued. Despite progress, she emphasized, "Our voices still aren't heard enough, and our choices aren't fully respected. There’s more work ahead in securing women’s rights."

Dermendzhieva highlighted challenges women face both domestically and professionally, noting domestic violence as a pressing issue. "In the workplace, obstacles like the gender pay gap for equal work and instances of sexual harassment persist," she explained. The message, Feminism is for Everyone, underlines that our movement aims to create a better society for all – men, women, and non-binary people alike," she added.

The BFW's 20th anniversary featured a discussion centred around the Feminism is for Everyone message in downtown Sofia. Established in 2004, BFW continues its commitment to supporting women and vulnerable groups, co-director Gergana Kutseva said, speaking at the event.

"Feminism is for everyone because it's fundamentally about human rights," noted writer Maria Kassimova-Moisset.

Sociology lecturer Lea Vajsova from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski explained that most organizations supporting women and girls are concentrated in Sofia and operate with limited funding, heavily reliant on project-based financing. Presenting a report on BFW’s two-decade impact, Vajsova emphasized BFW’s efforts to decentralize its initiatives and build networks across the country.

The event also spotlighted the rights of refugee women, members of the LGBTI+ community, and other groups facing societal stereotypes and challenges.