1. The ABCs of Building Feminist Movements: What, How and Why 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

2. What is a Movement? “an organized set of constituents pursuing a common political agenda of change through collective action.” 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

3. Movement characteristics  An 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 above 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

4. 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 struggle 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

5. 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 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

6. Feminist movements have  Women as the critical mass of the movement’s membership  Feminist 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) 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

7. 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 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

8. 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 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

9. 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….. 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

10. Individual Systemic InformalFormal 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 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

11. …..And that is “ The Power of Movements”!! 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

12. The Continuum of Movement Growth Movements in the Making Emerging Movements Mature Movements 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

13. Movements in the Making  Mobilization, awareness and identity building  Movements in the making  Political consciousness and issue/s identification  Preliminary political agenda  Tentative actions for change  Nascent constituency-based leadership  Higher dependence on support organization 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

14. 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 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

15. 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 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

16. Batliwala, FMBLA Inst

17. 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 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session

18. 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 6/4/2016SBatliwala, ABCs Session