A Mural of Mentors and Ancestors
1 Hr
This is an activity in which the participants create a visual tribute to the ancestors and mentors who have helped shaped them as activists and feminists, and in which they reflect together on leadership and facilitation qualities needed for feminist movement building.
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Active Listening
45min-1hr
Conflicts are exacerbated by poor communication. Active listening skills help people learn how to listen and ask questions to clarify their understanding of another person’s ideas, feelings and points of view. It is a mutual process that helps people express themselves more clearly, listen more attentively and avoid misunderstandings that lead to conflict.
Dealing with Gender Dynamics and Stereotypes in Conflicts: Analysis and Approaches
3 Hr+
Understanding how sexism and patriarchy works deeply on our psyches and affects the way we see and deal with conflicts is crucial to addressing them effectively. It helps us develop both our power and capacity as individuals and as groups to respond to them productively. This understanding also helps us tap into the kinds of self-care we need personally and the solidarity and support that we need in our organizations and movements to deal with conflicts and transform them.
Different Kinds of Feminism
By reviewing different types of feminism, people gain an understanding of the range of feminisms that have emerged since the 1960s and how their different approaches respond to problems of patriarchy and power.
Feminisms - Different Meanings
60-75 Mins
By examining multiple meanings of feminism, people develop a fuller appreciation of its different interpretations and the backlash and power dynamics that get triggered in response. This examination can deepen people’s exploration of the reasons behind the negative attitudes toward feminism and of the variations that exist so they can develop their own definition.
Feminist Activist Leadership
2 Hr
This activity is designed to help inform and broaden participant’s reflections on feminist movement building and the principles that underpin feminist activist leadership by sharing insights from the African Feminist Charter.
Feminist Leadership: Key Definitions
90min-2Hr
Discussing various definitions of leadership allows women and men to appreciate the different contributions of feminist perspectives and practice as they relate to leadership for social change.
Good Women/Bad Women
90 Min
Society works in ways that divide us. At one level, this is done by establishing a set of rules about what ‘women’ (and ‘men’) should and should not do. When we do not play by those societal rules, we are seen as different and not a part of our communities. We start thinking that those who are different in some way or don’t play by the rules are not ‘good’ women. But playing by the rules does not keep us safe or guarantee that we get the things we need to be healthy and fulfilled so we need to question this division and categorisation. We need to ask what it means for our movement building work - if we only collaborate and mobilise with people who ‘look’ or act like us, can we be strong? Can we create a world where everyone is safe and welcome? How can we work together, creating alliances that complement our diverse strengths and capacities?
Introduction to Feminism
45Min 1 Hr
Using a simple social analysis tool, women examine their own understanding of feminism and other perspectives about its meaning as well. This process opens up a dialog on what feminism means to different people and how it is perceived. It provides a first step in analyzing and demystifying feminism.
Master's House: The House of Oppression
3 Hr
This is an entry level activity designed to help participants to start thinking about, and understanding patriarchy and the various systems of oppression by visually constructing them in a ‘Master’s House’.
Our Personal Approach to Conflict: Analysis and Reflection
1 Hr 30Min
Understanding and naming factors that influence how we see and deal with conflicts helps us more effectively respond to them. It develops both our personal power and capacity as individuals and as a group.
Patriarchy: Cases and analysis from everyday life
Unpacking the dynamics of patriarchy is key to developing powerful, collaborative, loving and generous activists and leaders. A series of case studies provide one way of analyzing how the web of patriarchy plays out in people’s lives.
Patterns of Power
90 Min-2Hr
This activity engages a group in acting out familiar power dynamics in different aspects of life to better “see” them and to explore what changes would make them equitable and just.
Power Flower: Our Intersecting Identities
1 Hr 45Min
Every one of us has multiple, nuanced identities that help form our lives. Just as our own identities are complex so too are those of the women we work with. Gender, race, ethnicity, age, education, among others intersect and interact to shape who we are and what challenges and contradictions we confront. As an introduction to a broader analysis of power, the Power Flower promotes a fuller understanding of intersectionality that helps us become more integrated and sensitive human beings and more effective leaders and activists.
Sources of Strength
45 Min
This activity is a good for helping create safe space and affirming individual and collective strength.
Spider Web
Examining the story of a woman who is caught in a web of interconnected forces and power dynamics that keep her oppressed, helps participants name the ways that different forms of power affect their lives and community participation. This realization provides a basis for developing strategies that get at root causes and promote both solidarity and a readiness to act in the face of these dynamics.
Storytelling Circle
N/A
This activity uses storytelling as a process of empowerment in which participants’ voices and experiences are affirmed and we build community and solidarity. It is also an introduction to listening and documenting skills.
The House of Multiple Oppressions
6-8 Hr
The House of Multiple Oppressions is an advanced and more in-depth version of The Master’s House activity. It encourages analysis and dialogue among participants regarding what patriarchy is and how it works, and how it intersects with other systems of domination and discrimination.
The Identity Flower
Exploring a person’s multiple characteristics in a group setting helps build personal and collective awareness as well as solidarity with one another. This exploration of the complexities and intersections of people’s identities can also help participants see how their differences and commonalities can serve to strengthen alliances and movements.
Vote With Your Feet
1-1.5 Hr
Having people explore their beliefs about sex, gender, and feminism in a game type format can help them question some of their prejudices and misunderstandings and expand their thinking. By physically moving around the room in response to a set of statements, the process gets participants off their feet, renews their energy and encourages greater openness.