20th Anniversary of Women, Law and Development Networks
Does Law Matter?:  20 Years of Accessing Justice for Women

APWLD, CLADEM and WILDAF

28 - 30 November 2007
Bangkok, Thailand

Evaluation

Highlights of the events (raised by more than one person):

• Inspired by meeting and exchanging with two other networks as well as founding members and activists in our own region.
• Reassured the necessity of networking between the WLD networks.

Key Topics (raised by more than one person):

• Fundamentalisms
• Attacks on women’s bodies and sexuality
• Globalisation
• WHRD
• Militarisation
• Intergenerational dialogue
• Scenario building

28th November:

1. Press Conference and Public Event

• Useful, provided an opportunity to know the current issues in the regions.
• Provided the comprehensive framework of WHRD including the concept and the cases.
• Well attended.

(Suggestions)

• Issue a collective press release.
• Mobilise more media including the electronic media - need media strategies and a media savvy person.
• Involve more local / grassroots women leaders / academics so that they could benefit from the events.
• More time to discuss at the public event.
• More focus, projecting more positive side of WLD
• Coordinate between the three organisations in advance to have equal representation/balanced participation.

29th November:

Reflections on the Women, Law and Development Networks
1. Session 1:  Panel Presentation and Open Forum on Reflections on the Women, Law and Development Networks

• Useful to know the current issues in the three regions as well as the history of the three organisations.
• Covered various issues we face.
• Well prepared presentations.
• Share our experiences and achievements, and identified common / distinct challenges which we need to work together / support each other.
• The opening video was very good!

(Suggestions)

• Be more analytical.
• More time for discussion.
• More focus on the need for the use of law.
• Use Power Point for the presentation.

Critical Perspectives on the Use of Law

• Informative.
• Topics and method were good.
• Good discussion. It led us to revisit the question whether law is effective for women.
• Identified the challenges to use law to improve women’s lives.
• Learnt new ideas and strategies.
• Assessed and reaffirmed that we should continue engaging in law as a tool to advance women’s human rights.

(Suggestions)

• More critical discussion on the topics.
• More efficient report back.
• Need new revelations.
• Provide framework / structure for the group discussion.

30th November:
Emerging Challenges in Accessing Justice for Women
3. Session 3:  Panel Presentation and Open Mike on Emerging Challenges in Accessing Justice for Women

• Topics were relevant and presentations were informative.
• Provided conceptual clarity.
• Conveyed commonalities in the realities experienced by the three organisations.
• Presented inter-connected issues and a bigger picture of the new challenges.

(Suggestions)

• More interactive process.

A Vision for the Future Together
4. Session 4:  Intergenerational Dialogue

• Good / interesting method and facilitation which allowed us to exchange ideas in positive environment in an informal way.
• Opened up several issues and challenges in the feminist movement.
• It can be a trigger to evaluate women’s movement
• Inspiring for future feminist movement.
• Raised the importance of self evaluation at individual, organisational, network and country level.
• The session can be used for a strategic planning for WLD networks.
• Every new endeavour in the women’s movement makes one feel “young” – not the matter of age and we should be enthusiastic to learn new things.

(Suggestions)

• Need in depth discussion to make it more than a chat
• More focus on the positive side - inter-generational “bonding” rather then divide.
• Look at more than / wider view of  power.
• Frame the issues in a better way.
• Synthesise the discussion at the end of the session – need continuous dialogue and follow-ups.
• A little too mentoring.

• Discussed in depth and identified the challenges.
• Helped to assure the common goal
• Excellent synthesis.
• Innovative method to look beyond.
• Provided a scenario to vision our possibilities in a balanced way.
• Inspired through thinking the future collectively for a longer time span.
• Saw the potential for the stronger WLD networks.

(Suggestions)

• Need deeper discussion.
•  More interactive way to discuss.
• Provide clearer steps to think through / discuss.
• Should have come up with concrete plans for the future.

• Moderators are experienced and made the sessions enjoyable.
• Workshop style was good for deeper, participatory discussion.
• Good logistical support and hospitality.

(Suggestions)

• More ritual for opening and closing.
• Provide translation for French speakers as well.
• Conference room was too small.
• Use less expensive hotel so that the budget can be spent for supporting country projects of network members.
• Be more environmentally conscious by cutting use of the air-conditioning.

Reflecting the events,

• MORE TIME FOR DEEPER DISCUSSION !
• 28th November could have been used to organise workshops to deal with several critical issues which were not given enough time to discuss during the two day conference. 
• More discussion on “does law matter?”
• Could have explored in depth the challenges in administering networks as a strategy across continent.
• More concrete forward planning for actions should have come out of the discussions.
• Should have started the preparation well in advance to review the concept, agendas, administration and invite more participants.
• Programme should include shopping and sightseeing!

To follow up the events,

• Need to identify cross cutting issues and collaborative actions in the networks.
• WLD networks need to continue to engage in law and development as tools for realisation of women’s human rights.
• Need strong follow-ups and communication channels between the three networks.

 
Thank you!