DAWN selected 28 young feminists from the South for a three-week training programme in Bangalore, India, from 14 September to 3 October 2003. Its objective was to upgrade advocacy skills and analytical capabilities, and particularly an understanding of interlinkages and power relationships. DAWN’s four themes – the Political Economy of Globalization; Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights; Political Restructuring and Social Transformation; and Sustainable Livelihoods and Environmental Justice – and the way in which they link provided the core of the programme. Participants were trained by experienced feminist advocates to assist them to understand the changing terrain of the struggle for gender justice. They were exposed to the ideas and work of other activist scholars, and examined critical issues under each theme in the context of current debates at the global level, and interlinkages with issues under other themes.
The programme involved lectures and discussions, case study presentations and analysis, organized debates and role play, and practical skill building exercises in research, analysis and advocacy. Participants prepared debates on critical topics.
The broad aims of the DAWN training initiative are to i) build capacity among young feminist activists especially in understanding linkages between different issues and advocacy agendas/areas/actors; ii) strengthen feminist advocacy work at the global level, and; iii) deepen analysis in some specific areas, including global trade and sustainable development. The inaugural programme was intended to prepare young feminist activists working in any of the four theme areas for the specific challenges entailed in working for gender justice in the present global political and economic context.