the abcs of building feminist movements:
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The ABCs of Building Feminist Movements:. What, How and Why. What is a Movement?. “an organized set of constituents pursuing a common political agenda of change through collective action.”. Movement characteristics. An organized constituency base - i.e., - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The ABCs of Building Feminist Movements:
What, How and Why
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
What is a Movement?
“an organized set of constituents pursuing a common political agenda of change through collective action.”
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
Movement characteristicsAn organized constituency base - i.e.,
individuals, groups, and/ or communities who consciously identify themselves with the movement, and who are vested in the change it seeks, and who can be mobilized quickly to demonstrate their collective power
the constituency is collectivized in formal or informal organizations (such as networks, groups, federations, unions, member collectives, etc.) who form the core of a movement
Collective power – gained through the above04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
Movement characteristics:
A clear political agenda – a clear analysis of what’s wrong, and also of what’s right, and how to make the change!
Leadership at multiple levels, leaders from the constituency
Collective or joint actions in pursuit of common goals
Some continuity over time Diverse strategies of political struggle04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
Feminist movements have• Gendered political goals - they seek a change
that privileges women’s interests and that transforms both gender and social power relations
• Gendered strategies – that build on women’s own strategies and capacities, and involve women members at every stage of the process
• an agenda built from gendered analyses of the problem or situation they are seeking to change
• Members of the movement participate in shaping all three
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
Feminist movements haveWomen as the critical mass of the movement’s
membershipFeminist values and ideology (gender equality,
social and economic equality, the full body of human rights, tolerance, inclusion, peace, non-violence, etc.), even if they don’t call themselves “feminist”
Women’s leadership at all levels – i.e., they do not treat women instrumentally (as good for numbers and resistance, but without real decision-making or strategic power in the movement)
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
Elements of Effective Feminist Movement Building• Consciousness-raising / awareness-building• Organizing and building “mass” base• Clear power analysis to develop political
agenda• Focus on formal and substantive change• Changing the practice of power internally
and externally
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
• Creating new knowledge and knowledge politics• Cycles of action-reflection-action-impact• Leadership from the primary constituency /
“mass base”• Autonomous; at least partly self-financed (not
donor-dependent)• Clear and transparent hierarchies of leadership,
communication and decision-making
Elements of Effective Feminist Movement Building
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
Why Do Movements Matter?
• Because they can create change at levels that other interventions can’t!
• Let’s examine the dynamic of change to understand why…..
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
Individual
Systemic
Informal Formal
Internalized attitudes, values,
practices
Access to & control over resources
Cultural norms, beliefs, practices
Laws, policies, resource allocations
Community
\
Courtesy Rao & Kelleher, 2005
The Dynamic of Change
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
…..And that is
“ The Power of Movements”!!
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
The Continuum of Movement Growth
Movements in the Making
Emerging Movements
Mature Movements
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
Movements in the MakingMobilization, awareness and identity buildingMovements in the makingPolitical consciousness and issue/s identification Preliminary political agenda Tentative actions for change Nascent constituency-based leadership Higher dependence on support organization
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
Emerging Movements• Steady membership base • Higher political consciousness• Evolving organizational structure / layers• Longer-term political agenda / strategies • Evolving internal leadership and decision-making
structures and systems • Greater autonomy vis-à-vis support organizations
• Increasing visible impacts on society -, policy,
law, community, discourse, etc.• Facing backlash / setbacks 04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
Mature Movements• Strong / sustained membership base consciously
identifying with the movement (not organization)
• Strong autonomous organizational and governance structure
• Extensive and deep layers of leadership • Sophisticated analysis, strategies• Significant political experience / acumen • High measurable impact on formal and informal
power structures - state and non-state actors, community, larger society
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
Batliwala, FMBLA Inst
Small Group Exercise:
• Using a live context in which one of you works, each group makes a “perfect” plan for building a feminist movement
• Identify:– the first five steps you would take– the challenges that could arise– how would you handle these – The movement’s organizational and decision-
making structure
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session
Small Group Exercise 2:• Using a live context in which one of you works,
identify the “stage” of a movement you know or are part of;
• Make a “perfect world” plan for taking this movement to the next stage of maturity; do this by identifying: – The next three steps you would take– The challenges that could arise– How these could be handled– The changes in the movement’s organizational and
decision-making structure
04/21/23 SBatliwala, ABCs Session