How have we measured our success? By Srilatha Batliwala (WEDO / Harvard University) with Lisa Veneklasen & Cindy Clark (Just Associates) & June Zeitlin (WEDO)

Let’s recall our mission: To transform the relations of power between To transform the relations of power between Women and men of the same social group Women and men of the same social group Women and women of different social groups (class, caste, race, ethnicity, orientation, etc.) Women and women of different social groups (class, caste, race, ethnicity, orientation, etc.) Men of different social groups and their relations with women of their own and other social groups Men of different social groups and their relations with women of their own and other social groups

Our three big goals were: Naming and challenging the ideology of patriarchy and other oppressive ideologies Naming and challenging the ideology of patriarchy and other oppressive ideologies Moving resources to women – especially poor women Moving resources to women – especially poor women Challenging and transforming the institutions and systems that reproduce and reinforce gender discrimination (family, community, state, markets, health & education systems, media, etc.) Challenging and transforming the institutions and systems that reproduce and reinforce gender discrimination (family, community, state, markets, health & education systems, media, etc.)

Seven key areas of success Raising visibility and voice Raising visibility and voice Mapping the contours of gender discrimination Mapping the contours of gender discrimination Increasing formal equality Increasing formal equality Creating and engendering international norm structures Creating and engendering international norm structures Building new institutional arrangements and mechanisms to advance equality Building new institutional arrangements and mechanisms to advance equality Building our organizations, networks, movements Building our organizations, networks, movements Mobilizing and empowering women and men in communities (substantive equality) Mobilizing and empowering women and men in communities (substantive equality)

Raising visibility and voice: Bringing gender discrimination and inequality in economic, social, and political structures into public consciousness – rallies, marches, protests, media – making societies see the “elephant in the room” Bringing gender discrimination and inequality in economic, social, and political structures into public consciousness – rallies, marches, protests, media – making societies see the “elephant in the room” Breaking the culture of silence (domestic violence, rape, trafficking, sexuality, litigation, etc.) Breaking the culture of silence (domestic violence, rape, trafficking, sexuality, litigation, etc.) Putting new issues on the map (reproductive & sexual health and rights, sexuality) Putting new issues on the map (reproductive & sexual health and rights, sexuality) Pushing governments and communities to acknowledge gender discrimination as a pervasive reality Pushing governments and communities to acknowledge gender discrimination as a pervasive reality

Exposing the contours of gender discrimination: Huge body of research to unearth the contours of gender inequality in social, economic and political spheres ( gender division of labour, lack of women in decision-making positions, wage differentials, violence against women, etc.) Huge body of research to unearth the contours of gender inequality in social, economic and political spheres ( gender division of labour, lack of women in decision-making positions, wage differentials, violence against women, etc.) Powerful new concepts and analytical frameworks (gender relations, “triple burden”, etc.) Powerful new concepts and analytical frameworks (gender relations, “triple burden”, etc.) Analyzing the nature of institutionalized inequality – ( women’s access to public and private resources - health, education, asset ownership, political participation; institutionalized violence, etc.) Analyzing the nature of institutionalized inequality – ( women’s access to public and private resources - health, education, asset ownership, political participation; institutionalized violence, etc.) Tracking specific forms of discrimination in different societies (“Status of women” studies, studies of dowry/bride burning, FGM, etc.) Tracking specific forms of discrimination in different societies (“Status of women” studies, studies of dowry/bride burning, FGM, etc.) Showing how women count (contribution to economy, social reproduction) Showing how women count (contribution to economy, social reproduction) Ensuring governments and international institutions integrate gender-differentials in their data Ensuring governments and international institutions integrate gender-differentials in their data

Advancing formal equality: Campaigns and advocacy to remove discriminatory laws (marriage, inheritance, rape), policies (discrimination in education and employment) and access to resources (credit, education, health care) Campaigns and advocacy to remove discriminatory laws (marriage, inheritance, rape), policies (discrimination in education and employment) and access to resources (credit, education, health care) Putting in place new laws (inheritance rights, domestic violence, sexual harassment, banning female foeticide / FGM) and policies (women’s development and gender equity, affirmative action) Putting in place new laws (inheritance rights, domestic violence, sexual harassment, banning female foeticide / FGM) and policies (women’s development and gender equity, affirmative action) Enhancing representation of women in private and public sector, political institutions, etc. Enhancing representation of women in private and public sector, political institutions, etc. Precedent-setting litigation, prosecutions, case law (Anita Hill, Shahbano, prosecuting honour killings) Precedent-setting litigation, prosecutions, case law (Anita Hill, Shahbano, prosecuting honour killings)

Creating and engendering international norm structures: Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAW Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAW Engendering and reshaping the environment, human rights, population, and economic justice / development debates and norm structures (ICC, ICCPR, ESCR, Kyoto Protocol, ILO Convention on Homebased Work) Engendering and reshaping the environment, human rights, population, and economic justice / development debates and norm structures (ICC, ICCPR, ESCR, Kyoto Protocol, ILO Convention on Homebased Work) Influencing and engendering other major global social movements (indigenous peoples’, fair trade, human rights, environment, labor) Influencing and engendering other major global social movements (indigenous peoples’, fair trade, human rights, environment, labor)

Creating new mechanisms and institutions: International institutions and mechanisms - UNIFEM, Special Rapporteurs, Security Council Resolution 1325 (on women, peace and security) ICC (rape as act of war, 30% women judges) International institutions and mechanisms - UNIFEM, Special Rapporteurs, Security Council Resolution 1325 (on women, peace and security) ICC (rape as act of war, 30% women judges) National women’s policies, agencies, and commissions on women National women’s policies, agencies, and commissions on women Women’s police stations and special courts Women’s police stations and special courts Quotas / affirmative action for women Quotas / affirmative action for women Women’s development programmes / gender budgets Women’s development programmes / gender budgets Equality measures in national and international statistical systems and development indices Equality measures in national and international statistical systems and development indices

Building our organizations, networks, & movements, engendering others’: Creating a breadth, depth, and diversity of organizations working on women’s issues and for gender equality within countries and globally Creating a breadth, depth, and diversity of organizations working on women’s issues and for gender equality within countries and globally Issue-based and broad-based networks of women’s and feminist organizations (local to global) Issue-based and broad-based networks of women’s and feminist organizations (local to global) Innovative formations and partnerships (DAWN, donor- women’s movement, global-regional-local) Innovative formations and partnerships (DAWN, donor- women’s movement, global-regional-local) Women’s movements of different kinds (sex workers, indigenous women, women of color) Women’s movements of different kinds (sex workers, indigenous women, women of color) Putting gender equality on the agenda of donors, governments, and other civil society organizations Putting gender equality on the agenda of donors, governments, and other civil society organizations

What is a movement? Aggregates of organizations are not equal to a movement. Aggregates of organizations are not equal to a movement. A movement has: A movement has: A political agenda; A political agenda; A membership or constituency base; A membership or constituency base; Some degree of organization (formal or informal); Some degree of organization (formal or informal); Collective or joint actions in pursuit of common goals; Collective or joint actions in pursuit of common goals; Some continuity over time; Some continuity over time; Activities that combine extra-institutional (marches, protests) and institutional (advocacy & lobbying) forms. Activities that combine extra-institutional (marches, protests) and institutional (advocacy & lobbying) forms.

Organizing and empowering women at multiple levels: Layers of organizing work with poor, marginalized, minority, oppressed, excluded women (and men) at the grassroots, national, regional and global levels Layers of organizing work with poor, marginalized, minority, oppressed, excluded women (and men) at the grassroots, national, regional and global levels More than a “numbers” game (women in parliament or civil services) – building a political base and the constituency at the grassroots level More than a “numbers” game (women in parliament or civil services) – building a political base and the constituency at the grassroots level This is unfortunately the least counted and weakest area of our work This is unfortunately the least counted and weakest area of our work

Problems and dilemmas: Hierarchy of what is success (e.g. formal equality measures) - which often diminished work and resources critical to movement building, but which don’t yield quick, visible or measurable results: “empowerment is too slow” Hierarchy of what is success (e.g. formal equality measures) - which often diminished work and resources critical to movement building, but which don’t yield quick, visible or measurable results: “empowerment is too slow” Valuing some kinds or levels of work rather than others (e.g. valorizing grassroots work over global advocacy) Valuing some kinds or levels of work rather than others (e.g. valorizing grassroots work over global advocacy) Validation of some forms of knowledge and not others – e.g. research-generated vs. women-generated (“anecdotal” “subjective”) Validation of some forms of knowledge and not others – e.g. research-generated vs. women-generated (“anecdotal” “subjective”) Increasing push for quantification, “results-based” approaches, more documentation of success Increasing push for quantification, “results-based” approaches, more documentation of success Low impact of even successful and extensive documentation Low impact of even successful and extensive documentation

Where have we really succeeded? Individual Systemic InformalFormal Internalized attitudes, values “Deep culture” Access to & control over resources Cultural norms, beliefs, practices Laws, policies, resource allocations Community \ With sincere thanks to: Aruna Rao and David Kelleher Medium Success High Success Lowest Success Low Success