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NAWO Origin:
The fourth world UN Conference on women, held in Beijing China (4-15 September 1995), was a landmark event in the history of women’s movement in the world. It generated a great momentum which not focused on women’s critical concerns but also called upon all to, “look at the world through women’s eyes”.
It was during the pre-Beijing process that an NGO Advisory Committee was constituted with eminent women leaders and activities to give direction to the process and build up a concusses from the women’s movement on the different and diverse issues that required focus at Beijing. The process saw a state and national level networking over a period of two years which finally saw its culmination in the conference of commitment (9 Aug 1995).
Over a thousand grassroots women from all over India converged at its capital city New Delhi and called upon the government to dialogue and deliberate with the women’s groups and make a definite commitment to them on what it proposed to draw up as its national plan of action for women’s development in India.
The national advisory on women came to play a vital role in bringing the Government of India and representatives of the women’s movement in India on a common platform to dialogue on what we needed to do for women’s development. The success of this dialogue culminated in the five commitments that the government of India made at Beijing.
More than 200 Indian women activists participated in the Beijing conference and upon their return they felt it was important the process must continue and network on a larger scale and create a wider outreach in the country.
Towards the end of December 1995, the National Advisory Committee proposed to redefine its role and vision in the post-Beijing phase and came to be known as the National Alliance of women.
The Beijing Conference of 1995 and subsequent interest evinced by activists and NGOs triggered the emergence of NAWO which has since mooted the centrality of women’s rights as human rights. In its affirmation of the commitments made during the Beijing Conference, the inspectional years witnessed much sharing of ideas, dialogue and coming together for alliance growth and stability.
NAWO enjoys a unique position in that it is the single largest National Alliance that has centre-staged critical issues of marginalised communities through a collective process and in particular, those of the Dalits, Adivasis and Religious minorities. NAWO’s contribution is best seen in its reporting on and to CEDAW and its participation in the UPR reporting process–underpinning the denials and deprivations of women from marginalised communities. NAWO has been nurturing and capacitating human rights defenders who are increasingly coming under state vigilance. The relevance of human rights defenders has only grown which finds much justification in the many rights violations reported in the latest Universal Periodic Report. Since its inception, NAWO has been negotiating for equal participation of women in governance. The simulated `Women’s Parliament’ held in 2009, and State Legislatures to conscientize numerous women were most unique initiatives which have found resonance at global level. Special mention must be made of NAWO’s engagement with the 12thplanning process which resulted in several recommendations in the Plan document.
The strength of is NAWO is its alliance base comprising of activists, networks spread in remote regions of the country. Having emerged from Beijing conference of 1995 and their commitments, NAWO’s experiential base is truly home-grown and is now well poised to position its authenticated perspectives in the forthcoming National and Global processes. NAWO is held with passion by its 7 focal points who have journeyed together, giving their voluntary time to NAWO’s agenda. To go ahead with its dedicated team, NAWO realises that they would have to strengthen their resource base (finance and human) and evolve strategies that advances its human rights agenda. This is the need of the hour.
NAWO has 5000 members in its alliance. Characteristic of this alliance is its Diversified membership that includes civil society organizations, movement-based networks and other sectoral organizations that include both women and men. What qualifies this partnership is the mutuality. The gain of the small partners, located in remote regions is seen in their exposure and learning to macro realities. Several women activists too are members of NAWO. Many have leveraged their association and identity with NAWO in their defence against in justice on women. There is no denying that these small organizations and initiatives have in turn enriched and authenticated NAWO’s thinking with their grassroots experience. It is this knitting of NAWO that needs to be recognized and requires continual nurturing.
■ Strengthening and building new initiatives, networks, forums etc., for protecting women's rights.
■ Monitoring the Government of India's commitments, implementing the Platform for Action with special focus on the eight point agenda discussed at the Conference of Commitment, CEDAW, the Human Rights and other United Nations Convention.
■ Advocacy, lobbying and campaigning on women related issues.
■ Information Dissemination and Documentation.
■ Solidarity and linkages with other regional and global forums.
■ Enabling young women to take leadership at all levels.
NAWO envisions a gender – just society, democratic and humane society where women and men can in partnership fulfil their responsibility of building a peaceful future. NAWO aims to consolidate and strengthen its network in order to build a broad national platform from which meaningful interventions can be made to effect policy changes for women’s development.
NAWO strives to advance women’s leadership for an inclusive, equitable, just, sustainable,safe and secure society for women and girls.
Values that Guide the National Alliance of women:
■ Respect for Human Dignity.
■ Freedom of thought and expression.
■ Belief in diversity and democracy.
■ Transparency and Accountability.
■ Secularism, Peace and Pluralism.
■ Social Justice and Human Rights.
■ Empathy and Solidarity.
■ Camaraderie and Collegiality.
■ Diversity in Leadership, especially leadership among youth.
