Making alliances and partnerships: Challenges for the feminist movement

Abstract

This paper is about the role of alliances and partnerships for the feminist movement in Brazil, from three points of reference: the history of the movement, the movement's objectives, and the social contextin which themovementhas developed. Itargues thatalliances and partnerships are necessary if feminists wish to move beyond the role of ‘victim’ and become political actors. Feminists have formed partnerships within the feminist movement, with feminists in academia, with otherNGOs and with governmentbodies when progressive forces are in government. Allies are fundamental for democracy, yet the feminist movement is still trying to win allies to its own causes, notto establish alliances. If democracy is both pathway and point of arrival, the building of alliances and the negotiation of conflict must take place through debate and involvement in places ofpower. Tolerance and solidarity are prerequisites for democratic relationships; allies should be chosen and alliances constructed on that basis.