I spoke with Bernd Riegert at Deutsche Welle about the work of @open-society.bsky.social and the values behind it.
Our approach is simple: support those working to defend human rights, strengthen democracy, and keep societies open.
But I believe this backlash is not evidence that human rights have failed. In fact, it reflects the gains that human rights have made. Democracy is an action. Rights are not simply given. They are fought for, defended, and expanded. And this is a moment when we are being called to do exactly that.
At a time marked by the rolling back of rights and government-led assaults on fundamental freedoms, it’s easy to fall into a narrow, pessimistic view of where the fight for equality stands.
On this International Women’s Day, I feel it's important to recognize that the anti-gender and anti-rights movement should, in some ways, be understood as a reaction to progress:
The Open Society Foundations condemn the arbitrary detention and denial of entry of our managing director of Programs, Brian Kagoro, by authorities in Kenya. No formal charges were presented, and no written reasons were provided to him.
Rights are not just given. They are always fought for. In this moment, we’re being called on to fight for them.
We must remember that as power shifts and as more people raise their voices, our power and our voices are stronger than the forces working against universal human rights. Watch “Girls Just Want to Have Fundamental Rights: Fighting the Global Pushback”: securityconference.org/en/msc-2026/...
The anti-women and anti-gender rights movements have come about as a backlash to the gains of the larger human rights movement and are tied to the rising authoritarianism we’re seeing worldwide, which embraces masculinity and traditional social roles that hurt everyone.
More women now are graduating from university than men, and ever more women are taking up leadership roles in many spaces. As the role of women in society, we’ve seen attempts to push women back into “traditional” roles, as I said in at a @munsecconf.bsky.social event.
And today, I watch solemnly as that same contagion has taken hold in the United States.
Read my latest here:
As a teenager in Kenya, I witnessed firsthand the consequences of a government whose authority thrived on brute force and fear.
Over my career, I’ve been a student of the mechanics of repression: vulnerable populations demonized, allied communities targeted, and unpunished abuse normalized.
As the current administration transforms immigration enforcement into a tool of cruelty that undermines the rule of law, and as migrants are blamed for problems they didn’t create, communities are banding together to defend their neighbors.
.@open-society.bsky.social supports the right of free speech and organizations’ constitutional rights to organize themselves, including through peaceful protest.
We’ll fight to ensure those rights are upheld, including going to court if needed.
My @theguardian.com interview https://bit.ly/48C9laH
I am deeply honored to receive this award. It is a recognition of a shared commitment to something larger than ourselves—that the rule of law must also mean the defense of human rights, the advancement of justice, and the importance of accountability.
Read more about how @open-society.bsky.social is protecting these defenders and more in my speech: www.opensocietyfoundations.org/newsroom/hum...
We owe our fundamental freedoms to human rights defenders.
I recently spoke @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social about the important work of protecting them, and standing by them as they don’t just defend rights but also advance them.
We are committed to climate action that is rooted in justice, inclusivity, and human rights. This is an opportunity for global cooperation, with leadership from the Global South. We need shared purpose and collaboration to reimagine development so it benefits people and planet.
Next week I am headed to #COP30, where @open-society.bsky.social will continue conversations from UNGA and NY Climate Week. Ten years since the historic Paris Climate Agreement, the world is on track to exceed the 1.5°C limit. Just when multilateral cooperation is needed most, it is fraying.
We are witnessing what we are calling a youthquake all around the world—young people who haven't even grown up in democracies beginning to articulate and ask for societies that uphold human rights, equity, and justice. This is what democracy with dignity could look like.
I’m deeply grateful to The Africa Report for taking the time to tell my story—and highlight what’s ahead for the Open Society Foundations in a moment that’s both volatile but full of possibility. www.theafricareport.com/394776/binai...
My upbringing shaped my belief that philanthropy must always center those closest to the challenges we aim to solve, and that pursuing justice isn’t always the easy path. But it’s always the right one.
From our origins as a philanthropy during the Cold War to confronting today’s multiple crises, our Senior Vice President Leonard Benardo explores our history, present, and future with Peter Slezkine of the Stimson Center: https://www.stimson.org/2025/leonard-benardo-reexamining-the-open-society/
Attacks against @open-society.bsky.social are not about us, but about the United States slowly losing its democracy, as we have seen in different parts of the world.
We remain true to our values to promote rights, equity, and justice.
My interview with NPR: n.pr/3VE54wr
The Open Society Foundations unequivocally condemn terrorism and do not fund terrorism. Our activities are peaceful and lawful, and our grantees are expected to abide by human rights principles and comply with the law. These accusations are politically motivated attacks on civil society, meant to silence speech the administration disagrees with and undermine the First Amendment right to free speech. When power is abused to take away the rights of some people, it puts the rights of all people at risk. Our work in the United States is dedicated to strengthening democracy and upholding constitutional freedoms. We stand by the work we do to improve lives in the United States and across the world.
Our statement in response to reporting that the Trump Administration is directing investigations without evidence into our operations.
We have to learn from these successes, to interrogate the obstacles, and to push forward with models that work for people, not just for markets or narrow interests, explains @open-society.bsky.social President @nowrojeeosf.bsky.social in her opening remarks at Climate Week NYC. bit.ly/4p94eoV
The convergence of #UN80, #Ezulwini at 20, & the AU’s Year of Justice makes 2025 a decisive moment for solidarity & partnership to advance equitable, inclusive, and representative multilateral order that delivers power, peace, prosperity, & reparations for Africa and for people of African descent.
The Ezulwini Consensus (2005) sets out Africa’s united demand: 2 permanent seats with veto power and 5 non-permanent seats—a demand for recognition of Africa’s sovereignty and voice in global governance.
Africa has 54 UN member states and nearly 30% of the world’s population. Nearly half of the Security Council’s agenda concerns Africa. This imbalance in representation is not technical. It is structural. It is historical.
At #UNGA80, I joined the side event “From Ezulwini to an Equitable World Order.” 80 years since the UN’s founding, Africa still has no permanent seat on the Security Council.
Looking forward to the discussion on Global South leadership in ensuring an inclusive green development agenda.
