A New Lens: My Journey into Feminist Engagement with WOREC
- Anupama Pokharel
In a world where traditional management often prioritizes control and hierarchy, WOREC stands as a flagbearer for feminist engagement—where the focus is on empowerment, collaboration, and breaking the chains of structural inequality. Feminist engagement at WOREC isn’t just a methodology; it’s a transformative force that challenges the status quo, dismantles oppressive systems, and rebuilds them on the foundation of equity and justice.
Redefining Engagement Through a Feminist Lens
Feminist engagement is more than just a different way of working; it’s a radical shift in perspective. Where conventional management seeks to manage problems from the top down, feminist engagement digs deep into the roots of these issues, seeking to understand and address the systemic inequalities that give rise to them. It reshapes how we work, shifting from reactive management to proactive transformation.
WOREC’s work in disaster-affected areas is a prime example of this. While traditional approaches might focus solely on providing immediate relief, WOREC goes further, engaging with women and marginalized communities to ensure their voices are heard in the recovery process. This isn’t just about aid—it’s about advocacy, ensuring that the needs of those who are often ignored are brought to the forefront.
In the aftermath of the Western Nepal earthquake, WOREC didn’t just rebuild homes; it rebuilt hope. Establishing women-friendly spaces in Jajarkot and Rukum-West, WOREC provided more than just physical shelter; it offered a safe place where women could reclaim their agency, receive psycho-social counseling, and access critical services in a safe, supportive environment.
But this is not just about emergency work—it is part of a long-term strategy as well. WOREC’s also have Anticipatory Action Plans that are deeply embedded in a holistic approach that goes beyond disaster response. They are part of an ongoing process of community organizing and resilience-building that it has cultivating for years. This approach ensures that communities are prepared not only to survive crises but to rise together from them. WOREC shifts the focus from reaction to prevention. Through ongoing community organizing, capacity-building workshops, and participatory planning, WOREC enables communities to anticipate and mitigate the impacts of future crises. For WOREC, the real work of feminist engagement is in this continuous process—where communities, especially women, are organized to be resilient and self-reliant. This model of engagement highlights that resilience is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing process of learning, adapting, and growing stronger together.
Supporting from the Ground Up
At the grassroots level, WOREC’s feminist engagement is evident in its commitment to encouraging local women and communities. This isn’t about dictating what should be done but about listening, learning, and co-creating solutions. WOREC recognizes that true empowerment comes from within, so it works alongside communities, fostering leadership among those who have historically been sidelined.
For example, WOREC’s work around Gender-Based Violence (GBV) reframes the conversation itself. Instead of viewing GBV as the root problem, we understand it as a consequence of broader societal inequities. Our work doesn’t just aim to respond to incidents of violence; it seeks to address the structures—patriarchy, exclusion, economic marginalization—that perpetuate this violence. In this way, WOREC works to transform the very systems that enable GBV to exist. This subtle yet powerful shift is a hallmark of feminist engagement—changing hearts and minds, not just policies.
Challenging and Transforming Systems
WOREC’s feminist engagement, at the same time, doesn’t hesitate away from challenging existing norms and structures. Whether it’s advocating for safe abortion rights or confronting the stigma around infertility and IVF, WOREC takes bold stands, even when it means going against the grain. But it’s not just about loud activism; sometimes, the most significant changes come from the quiet, persistent work of shifting perceptions and building solidarity.
The concept of the local counsellors and PFA givers , very similar to the concept of barefoot doctors, promoted by WOREC, is a powerful example of this. By training grassroots women in basic psycho-social matters of women’s health, WOREC not only addresses a critical healthcare gap but also assist in empowerment process of women to take control of their bodies and their lives. This is feminist engagement at its finest—challenging the power dynamics in healthcare and ensuring that even the most marginalized women have access to the knowledge and care they deserve.
Optimum Utilization of Resources: A Feminist Approach
One of the most striking aspects of feminist engagement at WOREC is its approach to resource utilization. Unlike conventional management, which often relies on abundant resources and large-scale operations, feminist engagement focuses on making the most of what’s available. WOREC’s work demonstrates that significant impact can be achieved even in the face of resource limitations.
In situations where resources are scarce, WOREC excels by leveraging community strengths and fostering innovative solutions. For instance, in areas affected by the earthquake, WOREC utilized local knowledge and community networks as well to establish women-friendly spaces along with external resources. This resourcefulness not only maximized the effectiveness of their interventions but also ensured that the solutions were sustainable and community-driven.
By integrating local resources and knowledge into their projects, WOREC has achieved remarkable results. This feminist approach ensures that resources are not wasted on temporary fixes but are channeled into long-lasting, sustainable solutions that truly benefit the people involved.
A New Paradigm of Leadership
Feminist engagement is leadership reimagined. It’s about creating spaces where everyone’s voice is valued and where leadership is not about power over others but about power with others. WOREC’s work with women human rights defenders (WHRDs) exemplifies this. By providing holistic security support and creating an enabling environment for frontline activists, WOREC nurtures a new generation of leaders who are equipped to continue the fight for equality and justice.
As feminist scholar Angela Davis aptly put it, “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” WOREC’s feminist engagement embodies this spirit, ensuring that its work is inclusive, intersectional, and transformative. It’s not just about changing individual lives; it’s about shifting the entire landscape, so that equality becomes the norm, not the exception.
Conclusion
WOREC’s feminist engagement is a powerful reminder that true change starts from the ground up. By challenging existing structures and norms, and making the most of available resources, WOREC is not just managing problems—it’s transforming them. In every project, in every community, WOREC is planting the seeds of a more just, equitable world. And as those seeds grow, so too does the hope for a future where everyone, regardless of gender, can live with dignity and respect.
My journey with WOREC has transformed how I see the world and the work I do. Feminist engagement is not just an alternative approach—it’s the future. It shows us that true empowerment comes from within, and that sustainable change happens when communities are involved, resourced, and organized to challenge the status quo.