20 Years On: How do we get the changes we want to see? Feminist theories of change

Prepared for GAATW, September, 24, 2014 by Ranjani.K.Murthy

Advisory Team MemberEngendering Policy Through Evaluation,

ISST, IDRC, Ford Foundation

Objectives

Feminism

Theory of change (TOC)

Draft TOC for our work

What is feminism? 5 minutes

Anyone who recognizes that women occupy a subordinate position in society, and who takes

transformative action against this subordination is a feminist

(Adapted, Kamla Bhasin, n.d)

Important elements of feminism

Women’s subordination and

emancipation

All forms of oppression

PatriarchyCapitalism

Changing Institutions

AgeRace

EthnicityCaste

MinorityReligionSexual

orientationGender identity

PowerAgency

What is theory of change? (5 minutes)

• Stand on a line game

• Articulation of how a given intervention could lead to specific change.

What is theory of change (adapted Stein and Valters, 2012, Kapur, 2014)

Context

Desired change

Change process

Actions and Actors

Risks and strategies to overcome

Indicators

Feminist theory of change• From a feminist lens-individual, relationships, institutions-

identities

• By marginalized women and stakeholders who work in their interest. Ownership.

• Time. Resources

• Both a political process and product

• Change at grassroots, country, regional or global Adapted: Stein and Valters, 2012, Hay, 2012

Placing power and institutions at the center(adapted from Kabeer, 1994, Murthy and Rao, 1997)

Family

community

markets

State

Inter-state

Individual

Context

Desired change

Change process

Actions and actors

Risks and strategies

Changes in gender/

social relations

Time Resourc

es

Modify

Why feminist theory of change?

LearningDescriptionM and EPlanning

Example: TOC Land rights of rural women in India: 20 years

Context Desired change Change pro. Actions Risks/counterWomen: not aware of land rights-9% own-

Fly: Patrilineal/Patrilocal , want brother’s support

Community: skewed distribution of land

State/mkt: acquiring land; not implementing laws;

Inter-state: no convention on right to land and food sovereignty

Decreased rural landlessness, and increased ownership and control of marginalised women over land;

Girls/women/men are aware on land rights

Women begin claiming right to land from family, state and loan from markets

Family/Community/relgiious leaders accept inheritance rights of women

State/UN passes Act/Convention of right to land , min. land for land rights and prevention of land grab

Lobbying to include land rights in curriculum of Schools, SHGs, unions, mass orgn

Legal support, loan and group support available for rural women (individual and collective)

Men, community and religious leaders sensitised to land rights

Lobbying by women’s rights groups and sustainable agri groups with UN/govt. on right to land and land for food sovereignty

RisksBacklash from capitalists/MNCs/politicians

Backlash from husbands and community leaders

CounterMass orgn. of marginalised women as a political force

Work with women elected to local government

Mass orgn. to form alliance with fair trade and human rights groups

Large-group game: Safe Migration

2. Desired change3. Change process

1. Context

4. Actions and Actors

Risks and countering strategies

Exper.

Assumptions

Theory

Analysis of TOC underpinning UN Women’s anti trafficking programme

• What you may like to add from a feminist lens?

• What you may like to leave from a feminist lens?

• What is different in how they have drafted the TOC ?

UN Women’s Anti- Human Trafficking Programme

Strengths

Goal

Outcomes

Convergence/Scaling up

Additions

Socialist feminist

perspective

Institutional analysis

Demand side

Risks and countering strategies

We will continue in the parallel session 6 on “Feminist Monitoring and Evaluation”