Collective Action and Women's Agency : A Background Paper

Following the findings and policy messages of the World Development Report (WDR) on gender equality and development 2012, the World Bankapos;s gender and development group are seeking to deepen the evidence base on promoting womenapos;s agency as a basis for enhanced action on gender equality. A component of this work is a review of evidence on the relationship between collective action and womenapos;s agency: whether and how different forms of collective action enhance womenapos;s ability to exercise agency in key domains and the operational implications for Bank policies and programs. The paper seeks to clarify the conceptual terrain of collective action; identify the links with womenapos;s agency; and draw lessons from the evidence on what works and what does not for boosting development and gender-equality outcomes. It draws attention on the somewhat smaller body of empirical research examining the mechanics of collective action and its links with economic and social wellbeing, particularly within developing societies. The findings are complex, but the overall conclusions are consistent with an emerging body of literature now questioning participation as a silver bullet in development and calling for more flexible, context-sensitive approaches for promoting agency, and empowerment.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Evans, Alison, Nambiar, Divya
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2013
Subjects:	ABORTION, ACCESS TO CONTRACEPTION, ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT, ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, ACCESS TO MARKETS, ADOLESCENT BOYS, ADOLESCENT GIRLS, ADULT EDUCATION, ADULT LITERACY, AGE AT MARRIAGE, ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS, BENEFITS FOR WOMEN, BOTH SEXES, CAPACITY BUILDING, CAREGIVERS, CHILD MARRIAGE, CHILD MARRIAGES, CITIZENS, CITIZENSHIP, CIVIC PARTICIPATION, CIVIL RIGHTS, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, CONTRACEPTIVE SERVICES, CONTROL OVER RESOURCES, DEMOCRACY, DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE, DEPENDENCE ON MEN, DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTIONS, DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES, DISCRIMINATION, DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN, DISCRIMINATORY LAWS, DIVORCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, EARLY MARRIAGE, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, ECONOMIC RESOURCES, EDUCATED WOMEN, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, ENHANCING WOMEN, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, EQUAL RIGHTS, EQUAL TREATMENT, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, ETHNIC GROUP, FAMILY FORMATION, FEMALE EDUCATION, FEMALE STUDENT, FEMINIST, FGM, FOOD SECURITY, FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION, GENDER, GENDER BUDGETS, GENDER DIFFERENCES, GENDER DISPARITIES, GENDER EQUALITY, GENDER INEQUALITY, GENDER ISSUES, GENDER NEUTRAL, GENDER NORMS, GENDER QUOTAS, GENDER RELATIONS, GENDER VIOLENCE, GENOCIDE, GLOBAL AGENDA, GLOBAL CAMPAIGN, GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, GRASSROOTS WOMEN, HARMFUL TRADITIONAL PRACTICES, HEALTH FACILITIES, HEALTH OFFICIALS, HOUSEHOLD DUTIES, HOUSEHOLD WORK, HUMAN RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION, HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, ILLITERACY, INCOME SECURITY, INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES, INDIGENOUS WOMEN, INEQUALITIES BETWEEN MEN, INEQUITIES, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INHERITANCE, INTERNATIONAL ACTION, INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS, KINSHIP, LABOUR FORCE, LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION, LABOUR MARKET, LAND OWNERSHIP, LEGAL RIGHTS, LEGISLATORS, LIFE SKILLS, LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES, LOCAL AUTHORITIES, MALE PARTNERS, MATERIAL WEALTH, MATERNAL DEATHS, MATERNAL HEALTH, MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES, MATERNAL MORTALITY, MIGRANT, MIGRANT WOMEN, MIGRANT WORKERS, MINORITY, MORAL SUPPORT, MOTHER, NATIONAL BOUNDARIES, NATIONAL COMMITTEE, NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS, NATIONAL LAWS, NATIONAL LEGISLATION, NATIONAL LEGISLATURES, NATIONAL LEVEL, NATIONAL POLICIES, NATURAL RESOURCE, NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, NATURAL RESOURCES, NUMBER OF WOMEN, NUTRITION, OLDER WOMEN, PARLIAMENTARY UNION, PARTICIPATION BY WOMEN, PERSISTENT POVERTY, POLICY CHANGE, POLICY MAKERS, POLICY PROCESS, POLICY REGIME, POLICY-MAKING PROCESS, POLITICAL CHANGE, POLITICAL DECISION, POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, POLITICAL PARTIES, POLITICAL PARTY, POLITICAL RIGHTS, PRODUCTIVITY, PROGRESS, PUBLIC OPINION, PUBLIC POLICY, PUBLIC SPHERE, QUALITY OF LIFE, RAPE, REGIONAL NETWORKS, REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, RESPECT, RIGHT OF WOMEN, RIGHTS OF WOMEN, ROLE MODELS, ROLE OF WOMEN, RURAL WOMEN, SANITATION, SECONDARY SCHOOL, SELF-CONFIDENCE, SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-RELIANCE, SENSITIVE ISSUES, SERVICE DELIVERY, SERVICE PROVIDERS, SERVICE PROVISION, SEX, SEXUAL HARASSMENT, SEXUAL VIOLENCE, SHADOW REPORTS, SMALL LOANS, SOCIAL CHANGE, SOCIAL CLASS, SOCIAL COHESION, SOCIAL INEQUALITY, SOCIAL ISSUES, SOCIAL MOBILITY, SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, SOCIAL NORMS, SOCIAL POLICY, SOCIAL PRESSURE, SOCIAL SECURITY, SOCIAL SERVICES, SOCIAL SPHERE, SOCIAL STATUS, SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION, SOCIETAL LEVEL, SOCIETAL NORMS, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, SON PREFERENCE, SPOUSES, STATE GOVERNMENTS, STATUS OF WOMEN, TECHNICAL CAPACITY, TOLERANCE, TRADE UNIONS, TREATY, UNEMPLOYMENT, UNION MEMBERS, UNMARRIED WOMEN, VICTIMS, VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, VOCATIONAL TRAINING, VULNERABILITY, VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, WAR, WDR, WOMAN, WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT, WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT, WOMEN IN SOCIETY, WOMEN LEADERS, WOMEN MIGRANTS, WOMEN WORKERS, WORKING CONDITIONS, YOUNG GIRLS, YOUNG WOMEN,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/01/20432423/collective-action-womens-agency-background-paper https://hdl.handle.net/10986/21032
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