Reciprocity, Distancing, And Opportunistic Overtures: Women's Organisations Negotiating Legitimacy And Space In Bangladesh (Report)

This paper presented to 'Pathways: What are we Learning?' Conference held in Cairo from 20-24 January 2009, explores how three national level women’s organisations mobilize various constituencies including their own members and negotiate with political parties, the state bureaucracy and allies within civil society, for attaining specific gender justice related goals. The focus is on two different processes: a) how these organisations ‘create meaning’ around an issue (i.e., justify and represent) for constituents, members and allies; b) how they create support for their cause among potential supporters and allies. In other words, the paper investigates: a) ‘activation of commitment’ (Ryan, 1992); and b) strategies used and activities undertaken for mobilisation. The study is not comparative but seeks to capture the diversity of experiences between the organisations studied.