Abstract

The struggle for the advancement of women's rights and gender equality globally is impossible without strong women's organizations and movements to provide leadership and momentum. But what does a strong women's organization look like? And what does it take to create effective and sustainable women's movements? This groundbreaking collection of essays by activists from all corners of the globe explores what it means to be an influential women's organization, and what it takes to build the kinds of movements needed to transform women's lives. From how to build successful participatory democratic processes and implement shared leadership models, to lessons on overcoming internal organizational divisions, the case studies in this collection focus not only on the "what" but also the "how" of movement building. Those concerned with how to effect sustainable change will find not only much food for thought, but also an abundance of creative ideas and innovative strategies - served up with a uniquely feminist twist.
'Finally a book that lets us get inside the kitchens of women's organizations and feminist movements. This unique collection of diverse voices highlights the pains, victories and lessons of movement building: a must-read for anyone searching for the answers on how social change really happens.' Joanna Kerr, former Executive Director of AWID, Canada 'In a world with increasing challenges to advance women's rights and gender equality, this collection of essays and case studies shed light on some of the ways women and feminist organizations from different regions are organizing and building collective power. Much needed!!!' Geetanjali Misra, Creating Resources for Empowerment in Action (CREA), India 'A book that enables us to travel around the globe and learn about events and efforts that will probably, and unfortunately, never be explored by the mainstream historians. What is described in the book should be extremely important to all people, especially women, who know that we live in an unjust and cruel world that needs urgently to be remodeled and transformed according to very different values and norms.' Sanja Sarnavka, B.a.B.e, Croatia 'Each article give us clues to understand the complex realities in which women's organizations and initiatives are working on: conflict areas, weak democracies, fundamentalist contexts, and internal and external tensions, as well as the innovative ways in which they face them. Together, they show us the richness of the diversity of experiences, new strategies, new organizational forms, new leadership forms, the intersectionality of struggles, and particularly, the multiple ways in which women are building social and organizational practices responding to the challenges they face.' Virginia Vargas, Centro de la Mujer Peruana Flora Tristán, Peru 'The book is an excellent resource for feminist scholars, students, and activists. All the contributions are relatively short and accessible.' Nadje Al-Ali, Director in Gender Studies, SOAS, Gender and Development
Lydia Alpízar Durán has worked with AWID since 2003 as Manager of the Feminist Movements and Organizations Programme, and has recently been appointed as the organization's new Executive Director. Noel Payne is an activist and alternative entrepreneur promoting the development of the Costa Rican organic movement. Anahi Russo Garrido is a Mexican-Canadian anthropologist. She is currently a PhD student in Women's and Gender studies at Rutgers University. She previously worked with AWID as a research assistant contributing to organizational strengthening and movement building.