Read our statement from Caroline Harper, Director of ODI Global's Gender Equality & Social Inclusion programme to mark International Women's Day 2025.
On this International Women's Day, we must confront a stark reality: political polarisation along gendered lines is intensifying, driven by rising misogyny and backlash against women’s rights. Around the world, young women are increasingly voting for progressive policies, while young men are turning toward hard-right and anti-feminist leaders. These trends are not isolated—they reflect broader political shifts that threaten democracy and social cohesion.
The political divide between young men and women is particularly striking. Across recent elections, we have seen young women overwhelmingly vote for progressive, feminist policies while young men are increasingly drawn to hard-right and anti-feminist leaders.
In South Korea’s 2022 presidential election, there was a 25-point gender gap in voting preferences. In the UK’s 2024 elections among 18–29-year-olds, twice as many young women voted Green, while young men turned to the far-right Reform Party in similar proportions. In Poland, support for the far right was strongest among young men, and in the US, the gender divides among young voters has been seismic—Vice President Harris secured an 18-point advantage among young women, while Trump saw overwhelming support among young men.
These political shifts are not simply about ideology; they reflect contestations about gender equality reflecting the significantly lessor freedoms afforded to women in a context where men with apparent freedoms nevertheless feel challenges to their place in society. These differences are then weaponised by political leaders to consolidate support.
However, gender is not an isolated identity. Women, like men, are diverse in their political affiliations, shaped by race, class, and economic realities. Some women, particularly those from more conservative or economically precarious backgrounds, align with misogynist leaders in the hope of protection or stability. Meanwhile, female populist leaders such as Marine Le Pen co-opt feminist language to disguise deeply exclusionary and patriarchal politics.
As these divisions deepen, feminist movements must navigate this complex landscape. Economic precarity, digital misogyny, and the erosion of civic space all contribute to an environment where gender backlash thrives. If we are to safeguard progress, we must push for sustained, long-term investment in gender justice—ensuring that women and men’s rights are not treated as a peripheral issue but as a fundamental pillar of democracy and social cohesion.
Effective leadership in this moment requires clarity, commitment, and political will. Policymakers must not only confront institutional misogyny but also invest in the movements that challenge it. As we mark this day, we must remain steadfast in our efforts to ensure that gender justice is not a casualty of rising populism but a central force in shaping a more just and equitable future.