Achieving women's economic and social rights: strategies and lessons from experience

HANDBOOK

Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID)

2006

This report is a collaborative effort from over 50 activists working in diverse settings all over the world. They were asked to comment on what strategies they found most useful in their efforts to improve economic and social rights for women. What were the greatest challenges they were encountering in their work? Did the framework of economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR) as expressed in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, actually fulfil its promise in presenting them with a new and more effective approach to their work? The report synthesises and analyses some important examples and lessons that emerged through this investigative process.

The insights provided include those from feminist activists working with a variety of strategies including the use of litigation and judicial processes, making and reforming policy, engaging with budgets, drawing on UN mechanisms, using fact finding and research, and organising campaigns and popular mobilisations. The report reflects on some of the challenges as well as the strengths of using these different approaches and highlights what we can draw as lessons for our own advocacy work. The report draws on case studies and examples, strategies for success and lessons from experience in translating "rights on paper" to ensuring their concrete implementation in women's lives.

English

PDF FILE

http://www.awid.org/publications/ESCR%20Report.pdf