VOICING THE INVISIBLES

Grassroots civil society movements led by “women” from different contexts of injustice and marginalisation have proven over time to bring positive community outcomes. In contrast, the Western (i.e. European-influenced) development paradigm, which aims to modernise “developing” countries, usually has negative consequences by affecting local people or communities and alienating people from their culture and traditions. In addition, their basic development problems are not solved. The sense of loss of identity, marginalisation and injustice causes people to organise and fight for their existence, rights and identity.

The panel will present successful examples and stories of “women” in the Global South as a grassroots movement. Women take the main responsibility for building community-based organisations to address these violations and the other development challenges. The discussion will highlight: the motivations that drive women to participate in such movements; the challenges they face in raising their voices; the areas of action (education, mobilising other women or their children, economic, community empowerment, spatial development, etc.); whether men are also part of the movement; and the different qualities that women bring to the development process.