Dutch Transnational Feminist Solidarity Activism

Prelude 11
1 Introduction 12
Money matters 12
A rich feminist heritage 13
Contextualising development and development cooperation 16
Contexualising 1975 – emerging social movements in the Netherlands 18
Guiding questions and concepts 21
Methods and data collection 32
Structure of the book 33
Postscript 35
Part One: Pivotal Pioneers 1975-1985
2 1975 ‘Not just a year, but a lifetime for women’ 41
Introduction 41
Contextual challenges 41
Cold War politics 43
International Women’s Year 43
Dutch propositions for Mexico City 44
Dutch positions at the conference 46
Politics at the tribune 49
IWY legacy 50
Conclusion 52
3 Pioneering Feminist Advocacy and Knowledge Production 54
Introduction 54
NGOs as a channel for development cooperation 54
Sex and gender disaggregation 55
Encountering arrogance, ignorance and resistance 56
Co-financing agencies dragging their feet 57
Advocacy success 58
Funding women’s movements and organisations 60
Gadfly with iron influence 62
Women and Development Studies pioneers 63
Decolonising and intersectional research avant la lettre 68
ISS W&D legacy 74
Conclusion 75
4 From ‘Population Control No!’ to Reproductive Rights 76
Introduction 76
We Women Demand 76
From local to transnational organising 77
Fundraising politics 79
Mobilising feminist forces 81
Reproductive rights and wrongs 82
Preparations for the International Conference on Population 85
The politics of population issues 86
The birth of the Global Gag Rule 89
Reproductive rights advocacy post-1984 90
Conclusion 92
5 Taking Stock of the Women’s Decade 93
Introduction 93
International contextual challenges for gender equality policies 94
Dutch challenges and opportunities for gender equality policy 94
In search for a new paradigm 96
Dutch advocacy for Nairobi 99
A lesbian feminist coalition 101
Bleak prospects 103
Forum ’85 105
Dutch positions in Nairobi 108
Coming of age 111
Conclusion 112
Epilogue: Pivotal Pioneers 115
Part Two: Influencing Institutions 1986-1995
6 Gender Knowledge Brokers 121
Introduction 121
Advocacy for autonomy 121
Autonomy criticised 123
Policy development – the case of Hivos 127
Gender training 129
A quest for tools 132
Challenges and dilemmas of institutionalisation and
North-South partnerships 134
Conclusion 136
7 Malibongwe for a Non-Racial, Non-Sexist South Africa 138
Introduction 138
Preparing for post-apartheid 138
Mobilising material and political support 139
Racist birth and population control 141
Shifting perspectives 144
Organisational tour de force 147
Malibongwe’s significance 151
Transition politics 156
Challenges of international solidarity 158
Conclusion 160
8 Women’s Human Rights out of the Brackets 162
Introduction 162
Contextual opportunities and challenges 162
Engendering environmental issues in Rio de Janeiro 164
Women’s rights are human rights in Vienna 166
Reproductive rights and abortion in Cairo 171
Holding the line in Copenhagen 174
A long and winding road to Beijing 176
Dutch preparations for Beijing 177
Contestations and compromises in Beijing 179
Post-Beijing 183
Conclusion 184
Epilogue: Influencing Institutions 186
Part Three: Moving into the New Millennium 1996-2005
9 Sexual Rights out of the Closet 191
Introduction 191
Terminology 192
1995 – homophobia and LGBT rights in Southern Africa 192
From HIV/AIDS to LGBT rights 194
From homophobia to international LGBT advocacy 196
Preparations for the Gay Games 199
A pink week in Amsterdam 201
The significance of the Gay Games 205
Post-1998 Gay Games 206
Conclusion 208
10 Abortion Activists Make Waves 209
Introduction 209
1999 – Cairo+5 review 209
New medical technology – a new avenue and threat 211
Entrepreneurial feminist activism 212
Navigating the waves 214
Wrangling with Dutch abortion politics 218
Women on Web – post-clinic abortion access and care 221
From transnational to domestic entrepreneurial feminist activism 223
Conclusion 227
11 Beijing’s Unfulfilled Promises 228
Introduction 228
High expectations 228
Narrowing domestic gender issues and dismantling feminist
advocacy capacity 229
Women and development no longer a policy priority 232
A new global agenda for the 21st century 234
International and national political junctures 235
Gender, peace and security 236
After the Dutch 2002 critical juncture 238
Beijing+10 240
Conclusion 244
Epilogue: Moving into the New Millennium 246
Part Four: Resilience and Reinvigoration 2006-2018
12 Where is the Money? 251
Introduction 251
The MDGs and gender mainstreaming 251
International feminist impetus 252
Review of gender mainstreaming 253
International perspectives on gender mainstreaming 255
Building national momentum 256
Building international momentum 260
Launching the MDG3 Fund at the 2008 CSW 262
MDG3 Fund recipients 264
Austerity politics and securing the MDG3 Fund 265
Gender mainstreaming revisited 267
Competing for government attention and finance 268
Conclusion 269
13 Investing in Women 271
Introduction 271
Juggling with instrumental framing 271
FLOW I 273
‘Smart’ security 273
Feminist leadership on aid, trade and investments 275
Beijing+20 277
Securing earmarked funding for women’s movements 279
Unresolved dissent 282
SheDecides 286
Domestic gender and LGBT equality policy 287
An advocacy victory thanks to CEDAW 289
Conclusion 291
Epilogue: Resilience and Reinvigoration 293
Conclusion
14 Looking Back to the Future 299
Introduction 299
Advocacy outcomes 299
Movement dynamics 301
Explaining the outcomes and sustainability of transnational feminist
solidarity advocacy 302
Contentious aspects of Dutch transnational feminist solidarity advocacy 308
Transnational feminist solidarity revisited 312
Epilogue: Looking at the future from a crossroads in 2025 314
Acknowledgements 317
Annex List of Cabinets, (junior) Ministers and Political Parties 320
Biographies 326
List of Abbreviations 342
Notes 345
Sources 393
Bibliography 397
Illustrations and Photographic Acknowledgements 431
Index 433