"Every generation inherits the dreams and the struggles of those who came before.

As we
stand here today, we are standing on the shoulders of centuries of courage."

Speaker 1: Laying the Foundation — Historical Roots and the Rise of Global Consciousness

(Begin with a steady, confident tone)

"The future depends entirely on the actions we take today."

These words are not just a reflection but a call to action — a reminder that the progress of
tomorrow depends on the decisions, alliances, and courage we show now.

Good [morning/afternoon] everyone. Today, as we embark on understanding The Evolving

Understanding Global Social Movements and Civil Society

A Global Social Movement is a collective effort by individuals and groups across nations,
advocating for common goals such as human rights, justice, and equality. Unlike political
movements tied to states, global movements transcend national borders, ideologies, and
governments. They are primarily driven by non-state actors — organizations, activists, and
citizens — forming a crucial part of what we call Global Civil Society.

Civil Society is the space where citizens collaborate independently of government and
corporate sectors to advocate for shared values and social change. NGOs, advocacy
networks, grassroots organizations, and transnational alliances all form the rich fabric of civil
society.

Within this vibrant ecosystem, the Women’s Movement emerged — a movement aimed at
challenging systemic gender inequalities and advocating for rights, representation, and
recognition for women across the globe.

The Changing Nature of Movements

Initially, movements were largely local and isolated. However, globalization, technological
advancements, and cultural exchange transformed them into interconnected forces. Today, a
cause sparked in one part of the world can inspire action globally within hours.

The nature of social movements, including the women's movement, has changed over time.
Early social movements often had their roots in European history, evolving from the
revolutions of the 18th century and the labor movements of the 19th century. 7 The concept
of "new social movements" gained prominence in the 1970s, eventually becoming known as
transnational or global social movements.1 The advent of globalization and the rapid
development of information technology have significantly boosted the NGO sector and
expanded the reach and impact of social movements. The women's movement, as a global
social movement, has similarly evolved in its focus and strategies over time, reflecting
broader societal shifts and the transformative influence of technological advancements. Its
initial focus might have been on specific national concerns, such as the right to vote.
However, with the increasing awareness of global issues and the growing
interconnectedness of the world, the movement broadened its scope to encompass a wider
array of women's rights issues on an international level, effectively utilizing new
technologies for organization, communication, and advocacy.

Historical Context: Early Feminist Movements

The roots of the global women’s movement can be traced back to the 18th century.

One of the earliest voices was Mary Wollstonecraft, who, in her seminal work A Vindication
of the Rights of Woman (1792), argued that women are not naturally inferior to men but
appear so only because they lack education. She demanded equal rights for women in
education, politics, and society, courageously challenging the deeply entrenched patriarchal
systems of her time. Wollstonecraft famously said:

"I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves."

One of Wollstonecraft's central ideas was the importance of equal education for both sexes,
a concept now known as co-education, where boys and girls would be taught together in the
same schools. By asserting that women's perceived inferiority was a social construct
resulting from a lack of education NOT SOMETHING THAT IS NATURAL.

Her call was revolutionary — advocating not just for better treatment of women, but for an
entirely new vision of human rights.

Broader Early Feminist Thinkers and Voices

Across Europe and the Americas, other thinkers were also planting seeds of change.

Olympe de Gouges, during the French Revolution, authored the Declaration of the Rights of
Woman and of the Female Citizen (1791), boldly asserting women's equality at a time when
revolutionaries had failed to include women in their demands for liberty.

In Britain, Harriet Taylor Mill, a philosopher and activist, along with her partner John Stuart
Mill, argued passionately for women's suffrage and gender equality. Her essay The
Enfranchisement of Women (1851) emphasized that democracy was incomplete without
women's participation.
In America, Sojourner Truth, a formerly enslaved African-American woman, delivered her
famous speech “Ain’t I a Woman?” in 1851, highlighting how race and gender intertwined to
deepen oppression. Her stirring words:

"Ain't I a Woman?"

called out the white-centric focus of many early feminist efforts.

These early voices showed that even in its infancy, feminism was not a single-issue
movement but one that intersected with struggles against slavery, colonialism, and systemic
injustice.

The Seneca Falls Convention and the Organized Movement

In JULY 1848, this landmark event was organized by a group of five women: Elizabeth Cady
Stanton, Lucretia Coffin Mott, Martha Coffin Wright, Mary Ann McClintock, and Jane
Hunt.2organized the Seneca Falls Convention in New York, considered the formal beginning
of the organized women’s rights movement. Stanton, inspired by her experiences with
discrimination at abolitionist meetings, was determined to launch a movement for women's
equality.

At the convention, the Declaration of Sentiments was drafted, modelled closely on the
American Declaration of Independence. It asserted:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal."

Among the demands were the right to vote, to own property, to have access to education,
and to be recognized legally in marriage and society.

Notable figures present included Frederick Douglass, a prominent Black abolitionist and
supporter of women's rights, who argued fiercely for including women's suffrage in the
resolutions.

However, it is important to note that the Seneca Falls Convention largely reflected the
concerns of white, middle-class women. Black women like Sojourner Truth and others were
often marginalized within the early feminist movement, even as they fought parallel battles
against both racism and sexism. The Seneca Falls Convention, despite its significance, faced
immediate criticism from the press and public, even leading some initial supporters to
retract their signatures due to intense backlash. Moreover, historical analysis points out that
the convention primarily addressed the issues of white, middle-class women, overlooking
the unique struggles of women of color.

Despite its limitations, the convention catalysed future efforts, giving rise to the first wave of
feminism that cantered heavily on legal rights and suffrage.
The push for the vote eventually saw the emergence of powerful organizations like the
National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) and later, the more radical
National Woman’s Party led by Alice Paul.

In Britain, the fight for women’s suffrage gained momentum under leaders like the
Pankhurst sisters — Emmeline, Christabel, and Sylvia Pankhurst — who organized the
Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). They were known for their militant tactics,
such as hunger strikes and protests, which brought international attention to the cause.

Early Indian Women’s Movements

While feminist movements were rising in the West, powerful change-makers were also
challenging patriarchy in India.

Savitribai Phule, along with her husband Jyotirao Phule, opened the first school for girls in
Pune in 1848. Facing intense caste and gender discrimination, Savitribai became a pioneer of
women's education.

Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain in Bengal founded the Sakhawat Memorial Girls' School in 1911,
championing Muslim girls' education against societal resistance.

Leaders like Sarojini Naidu merged the cause of women's rights with India’s freedom
struggle, insisting that political independence must include gender justice.

Thus, while often narrated through Western lenses, feminism's history is richly global, with
vibrant contributions from the Global South.

The Rise of the Women's Suffrage Movement: Early Mobilization and Global Spread

The women's suffrage movement emerged in the early decades of the 19th century,
gradually gaining momentum throughout the century and reaching its peak in the late 19th
and early 20th centuries. This movement was deeply inspired by Enlightenment ideals of
individual rights, the growing socialist movements advocating for equality, and the powerful
abolitionist movement that challenged the very foundations of inequality. The right to vote
became a central demand not only in the United States, with the Seneca Falls Convention
notably setting this in motion, but also in numerous other countries around the world.
ratification of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1920, granting women the
right to vote. New Zealand holds the distinction of being the first independent nation to
grant women the right to vote in 1893, a significant victory achieved after years of dedicated
campaigning.31 Australia followed suit in 1902, and the Grand Duchy of Finland, then part of
the Russian Empire, granted women equal suffrage, including the right to stand for election,
in 1906. Suffragists around the globe employed a diverse array of strategies and tactics in
their fight for the right to vote. The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), founded by
Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst, employed disruptive tactics like disrupting meetings,
boycotts, vandalism, arson, and dramatic protests. Imprisoned suffragettes often went on
hunger strikes, facing brutal force-feeding. Inspired by the WSPU, the National Woman's
Party (NWP) in the U.S., led by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, also used aggressive agitation,
persistent lobbying, publicity stunts, and civil disobedience, including picketing the White
House for an extended period.

The Shift Towards a Global Movement

Several forces propelled the movement beyond national boundaries:

 Technological Advances: Communication technologies like the telegraph, telephone,

 International Organizations: Groups like the International Council of Women (1888)

 World Events: World Wars saw women stepping into public roles, proving their
capabilities beyond traditional domestic spheres.
  Universal Struggles: Discrimination, lack of education, violence, and limited rights
were common barriers women faced worldwide, fostering solidarity.

 Decolonization: The rise of newly independent nations brought diverse voices into
global feminist spaces, expanding the agenda to include race, class, and postcolonial
justice.

Today’s Global Women’s Movement

Today, the global women's movement is more dynamic, diverse, and intersectional.

Campaigns like #MeToo revealed the global scale of gender-based violence, while
organizations like UN Women advocate internationally for gender equality.

Activists like Malala Yousafzai remind us that education remains a critical frontier for girls
and women.

Movements like "Women, Life, Freedom" in Iran demonstrate how gender rights are at the
heart of broader struggles for democracy and dignity.

As Audre Lorde wisely said:

"There is no thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives."

Today's feminism embraces intersectionality, recognizing that gender inequality is

And perhaps most powerfully, we remember:

"Women's rights are human rights."

(first proclaimed globally at the UN's Beijing Conference in 1995).

Thus, the modern women's movement is not merely about achieving what men have — it is
about reimagining a world where justice, dignity, and freedom flourish for all.

Transition to the Next Speaker

The foundations we have explored today — laid by visionary thinkers, early reformers, and
courageous activists across continents — created the platform for an unprecedented global
expansion after World War II.

To understand how the post-war world brought new institutions, new challenges, and new
energies to the global women’s movement, I now invite the next speaker to take us further
on this journey.

Thank you.