Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
Backlash Unfiltered: Pushing Forward Equality in Times of Change
Episode 3. Following the Money: The Funding and Motivations Behind Europe’s Anti-Gender Movements, with Neil Datta
Who is funding the backlash against women’s and LGBTQIA+ rights in Europe, and why? In this episode, we sit down with Neil Datta, Executive Director of the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, to unpack the financial networks fueling anti-gender movements. Drawing from his groundbreaking report Tip of the Iceberg, Neil reveals the key players, funding mechanisms, and ideological motivations behind these well-coordinated efforts. We also discuss his forthcoming publication The Next Wave and explore strategies for mobilizing progressive change to push back against the rise of anti-gender and illiberal movements across Europe.
Backlash Unfiltered: Pushing Forward for Equality in Times of Change is a podcast series by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), launched as part of our ongoing commitment to gender justice and inclusive development. Through in-depth conversations with leading scholars, activists, and policymakers, this series explores the rise of anti-gender movements, their impact on social development, and the historical and geopolitical forces that sustain them. It sheds light on how these movements are influencing institutions, reshaping policies, and altering public discourse—with significant global repercussions. Listen to the other episodes: unrisd.org/backlash-unfiltered
Backlash Unfiltered: Pushing Forward Equality in Times of Change
Episode 3. Following the Money: The Funding and Motivations Behind Europe’s Anti-Gender Movements, with Neil Datta
Who is funding the backlash against women’s and LGBTQIA+ rights in Europe, and why? In this episode, we sit down with Neil Datta, Executive Director of the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, to unpack the financial networks fueling anti-gender movements. Drawing from his groundbreaking report Tip of the Iceberg, Neil reveals the key players, funding mechanisms, and ideological motivations behind these well-coordinated efforts. We also discuss his forthcoming publication The Next Wave and explore strategies for mobilizing progressive change to push back against the rise of anti-gender and illiberal movements across Europe.
Backlash Unfiltered: Pushing Forward for Equality in Times of Change is a podcast series by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), launched as part of our ongoing commitment to gender justice and inclusive development. Through in-depth conversations with leading scholars, activists, and policymakers, this series explores the rise of anti-gender movements, their impact on social development, and the historical and geopolitical forces that sustain them. It sheds light on how these movements are influencing institutions, reshaping policies, and altering public discourse—with significant global repercussions. Listen to the other episodes: unrisd.org/backlash-unfiltered
