Around the globe, women are standing up to repression, violence, and authoritarianism to make demands for their rights and for gender justice. Against the odds and often risking their safety, such women continue to dedicate their lives to the vision of a more gender-just future. In this Introductory chapter, we discuss a set of key themes that allow readers to understand the major debates about how and when women mobilize: (1) gender, agency, and mobilization; (2) gender and intersectionality; (3) gendered continuum of violence. We draw on literature from feminist security studies, gender and politics, and social movement theory to provide the reader with an appropriate and accessible background against which to read the following case study chapters. We also explain the methodology of activist and academic collaboration and make the case for why this approach is important. Finally, we offer broad commentary about the academic and policy relevance of a volume of this nature, particularly in a world where pushback to gender justice is on the rise.