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.
