International Women's Democracy Network
On the recommendation of participants at the "Networking Activists for Women's Rights" workshop at the World Movement's Third Assembly, the Women's Learning Partnership (WLP) has taken a leading role in developing the International Women's Democracy Network. During the workshop, participants explored the viability of creating such a network to support women's agency in democracy work. The discussion focused on identifying existing international or regional networks that could be brought together to mutually support each other's work; exchanging ideas about the objectives, potential resources, and activities of the network; and determining its membership, structure, and initial steps. The following reflects the framework for the International Women's Democracy Network unanimously accepted by the participants of the workshop.
Objective:
To support and enhance women's roles and agency in the development of democratic practices and institutions at the community, national, and international levels. The Network will engage in the following activities:
- Exchange experiences, share best practices, and train others in democracy work;
- Develop and support advocacy campaigns initiated by members at the local, national, and international levels;
- Build solidarity among, and support for, individuals and organizations engaged in democracy activism;
- Increase interaction and communication among and between various transnational networks, including those working on women's rights, human rights, peace, and environmental issues.
Membership and Structure
- Individuals, organizations, and networks committed to the International Women's Democracy Network's objectives.
- A leadership committee to include members of the steering committee of World Movement for Democracy and other regional representatives.
- A secretariat to be housed at an existing network with a substantial trans-regional membership, currently the Women's Learning Partnership (WLP).
- Regional coordination offices in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Priority Areas of Interest:
The Network will work to ensure women's full participation in such areas as:
| Anti-violence |
Peace and conflict resolution |
Human rights |
| Governance |
Institutional transformation |
Legislative reform |
| Research |
Creating and sustaining unions and political parties |
Journalism |
| Rule of law |
Transparency and accountability |
Business |
| Communications and media |
Elections and political processes |
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Network Activity Goals:
- Create an Online Resource Center that presents information and knowledge on the priority areas of the network.
- Support and assist democracy workers in countries where political systems are undergoing transitions to democracy.
- Develop strategies for democracy activism in closed societies drawing upon the experiences of network members who have participated in similar efforts (for example, in NIS countries or South Africa).
- Strengthen emerging democracies through exchanges of experiences and training.
- Support efforts in established democracies on behalf of under-privileged and under-represented groups, such as women and minorities.
Since the World Movement's Third Assembly, the WLP has initiated several informal consultations and discussions at various international gatherings to engage a wider group of women activists in the Women's Democracy Network and to confer on practical and innovative strategies to expand its impact. The informal consultations were conducted at events like the Association for Women's Rights in Development meeting in Toronto in April '04 and at a meeting of Arab civil society organizations at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA) in Beirut in June '04. The ideas and suggestions that emerged from these consultations were shared at a meeting of women activists from 14 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East that was held in Beirut in September '04. The meeting provided a forum to discuss the implementation and resource mobilization for specific initiatives and projects to be undertaken by the Women's Democracy Network. A listserv is being created to enable members of the network to engage in ongoing discussion.
Over the next year, WLP plans to operationalize the network and begin implementing projects identified through the consultation process and for which strategies have been devised. In October 2005, over 2,000 NGO activists will meet in Bangkok to discuss progress made in ensuring women's participation in political decisionmaking and leadership in the decade since the 1995 UN Fourth World Conference on Women. WLP plans to take advantage of this gathering to help expand the Women's Democracy Network by acquainting women's organizations around the world with the network and by showcasing the efficacy of the network's initiatives in the months leading up to the conference.
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