Josefa Francisco

Josefa "Gigi" Francisco (1954 - 22 July 2015) was a thought leader and advocate for gender equality, social justice, and women's rights from the Philippines. An alumna of Miriam College (formerly Maryknoll), Gigi Francisco is known to have strengthened the college’s international studies curriculum as member and former head of its International Studies Department. A reputable feminist hailing from the global south, she was co-founder of Miriam College’s Women and Gender Institute (WAGI), the International Gender and Trade Network (IGTN), and was Coordinator of the Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN). Gigi served as board member in numerous development organisations and networks, and was an adviser/consultant to the United Nations on various developmental issues, using a gender equality and social inclusion lens.

Career Gigi is well-remembered by her peers to have contributed “ground breaking research on gender, poverty, development, and feminist movement building.” She was devoted to building the capacity of younger generation feminists. She served as a member of ISIS International from 1998 to 2002. The organization works on women's rights internationally. Later, she joined the Women and Gender Institute (WAGI) as the organization's executive director. The organization has been conducting various online courses on women's rights since 3 years.