Social and political participation
Worldwide, women – with a few exceptions – are hardly represented in the decision-making bodies in politics, business and society. Women have few opportunities to show their personal skills. They are even rarely involved in decisions that directly affect their lives.
Decision-makers exert influence
The idea of “participation” not only means “participating”, but also “deciding” on something. Those who make decisions also exert influence on the content of politics, business and society. And at the same time whoever decides also assumes responsibility for ensuring that this content will also be implemented.
Promoting social and political participation of women also means implementing women’s interests and rights at the political level.
Personal initiative from women and girls is needed!
The goals of the projects of the Women’s World Day of Prayer are overcoming of gender-specific discrimination and improving the situation of women and girls worldwide. This is not conceivable without the personal initiative from women and girls!
Therefore, our partner organisations work to strengthen the approach of empowering women and girls.
The projects of the Women’s World Day of Prayer mostly work at multiple levels, because only then can they influence the framework conditions. For example, some of our projects connect workshops on women’s rights and gender to practical courses in which women learn to earn an income by cultivating and marketing vegetables or rice. Other projects promote networking of women, for example in joint actions on the international women’s day, as well as political lobbying for better working conditions.
Thus, the projects of the Women’s World Day of Prayer in their focus on “social and political participation” also touch on the areas of women’s rights and civic education, legal advice and assistance, civic engagement and democratization, as well as civil conflict regulation and peace building.
Examples of projects based on the topic “social and political participation” (in German) :
Project in Bangladesh
Project in Israel
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
What are the signs that empowerment has been achieved?
At the individual level
Women and girls experience tangible improvements in their daily lives. They can secure their livelihoods and advance their personal development.
This is called personal empowerment.
At the social level
Women and girls strengthen each other as to exert influence as a group and represent their own interests effectively.
This is called social empowerment.
At the political level
Women and girls participate in formulating their interests and to enshrining these in their country’s constitution or legislation. They work to establish gender justice as a social model.
This is called political empowerment.
Additional information:
Information on the discrimination of women: Page from “Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women” from the website of the “High Commissioner of the United Nations for Human Rights”