Gender awareness in a nonviolent campaign

Struggling for a world without violence, nonviolence includes sharing power and responsibilities and giving everyone the possibility to be involved on an equal basis. The success of any movement depends on its ability to involve people in many different ways of struggle and to make everyone's contribution equally valid and essential to the kind of society we wish to create.

Incorporating gender awareness in a campaign can mean many things. The following questions can be used by organisers to think about, as well as for a whole group to reflect on together.

Analysis of the campaign issue

• When seen through a gender lens, how are people effected differently by your campaign issue?

• What voices are listened to when gathering information about the issue?

• In what ways is your campaign issue reinforced by, and reproducing, ideas about gender?

• How are the different realities and needs of those most impacted by your campaign issue being addressed and included in the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the campaign/action?

The campaign’s face to society

• What are the norms in your society/surroundings and how do they affect and reflect upon your work? For example, what images and words do you use in outreaching material?

• When representing the campaign/action in media or at public events – how do you make sure there is space for those most often ignored/silenced to speak?

• What examples and scenarios do you use in workshops, presentations and at public actions? How can you question these norms (instead of reinforcing them)?

• Which public do you aim to mobilize with the campaign/action? How do you ensure the participation of marginalized groups?

Internal processes / Organizational structure

• How do you ensure organizational structures that allow everyone's voice to be heard equally? For example, does everyone have equal access to and influence in decision making processes? How do you communicate in between actions and meeting and make sure information reaches everyone concerned?

• How is access and use of resources - such as knowledge or finances - decided?

• When and where do you have meetings? How do you make sure meetings are accessible for everyone who wants to take part? For example, does it have toilets that are non-gendered and wheelchair accessible? Is the location itself aswell as the route to get there safe and in a reachable distance?

• How inclusive is the language that is being used? How do you make sure that nobody makes assumptions of someone else's gender identity?

• How do you divide tasks and roles? Are there gendered, or in other ways biased, assumptions about who 'should' take on particular roles or do particular tasks? How do you share responsibility for supportive roles such as note taking, cleaning, and logistical support?

Dealing with violence from outside the campaign/group

• How do you deal with conflicts and violence from outside the group?

• How do you prepare for encounters with representatives of the state like police or courts and the violence from them?

• How does your group take into account how people will have different experiences of the state or law enforcement (depending on gender, race, class, origin etc)? How is people’s different needs for protection being received in the group?

• How do you make sure that there are ways for people in more vulnerable positions to still participate in the action?

• How are any specific consequences/repercussions as a result of the campaign/action being taken into account? For example, will anyone run a greater risk of being harassed?