Welcome to this activity, where we’ll work together to build a Charter for Feminist Justice. Through collaboration and reflection, you’ll identify key principles that define feminist leadership and create a framework that reflects these values. This charter will serve as a guide to ensure that feminist values are embedded in your actions, decisions, and relationships within any organization, transforming ideals into real-world practice. Let’s get started and design the leadership we want to see.
This activity was made as a part of One Future Collective’s Catalysing Change Toolkit, which includes a variety of facilitation materials, such as activities, reflective exercises, energizers, games, ice-breakers, and more. You can utilise these tools in your communities—be it at your workplace, within your family, or among friends—to bring about meaningful change. Through these resources, you can engage in reflection, foster dialogue, raise awareness, and advocate for important issues.
Remember, change starts with you, today. So let’s dive in!
✨ Why This Matters
Feminist leadership requires more than just theory; it demands actionable frameworks that challenge systemic inequities and create more inclusive, just, and caring spaces. Crafting a Charter for Feminist Justice is a critical exercise in transforming feminist ideals into practical commitments that shape everyday organizational practices. By defining the principles that guide us—such as inclusivity, intersectionality, care, respect, and accountability—this activity helps participants develop a shared vision of leadership that holds true to feminist values. More importantly, this charter provides the foundation for sustained, collective action. It acts as both a compass and a tool for measuring progress, ensuring that feminist leadership is not merely aspirational, but actively embodied in decision-making, relationships, and organizational structures. In a world where structural inequalities persist, this activity empowers feminist leaders to create workplaces and communities that uphold justice, dignity, and equity.
🎯 What You’ll Unlock
- A tangible set of principles and commitments that define your approach to feminist leadership.
- Insights on how to measure progress and hold yourself and others accountable to these commitments.
- Enhanced capacity for creating spaces that are inclusive, caring, and informed by intersectionality.
🧑🏫 Who Can Facilitate
This activity can be facilitated by anyone passionate about fostering feminist leadership and supporting groups in developing actionable frameworks for justice, equity, and inclusion.
🎭 What You’ll Need
Pen
Paper
⏳ Clocking It In
40 minutes to build the charter, 20 minutes to present
| 🌀 Step-by-Step Facilitation Guide 🌀 |
Step 1: Setting the Stage (10 minutes) Begin by introducing the concept of a Charter for Feminist Justice. Discuss its importance and the role it plays in feminist leadership. A charter is a living document that outlines actionable commitments and principles that bind its signatories—be it feminist organisations, leaders, or activists. Key Points to Discuss: 𖥔 Purpose of the Charter: The charter should be a clear, actionable framework that translates feminist values into real-world practices within an organisation. It holds signatories accountable to their commitments and provides a roadmap for ensuring that feminist principles such as intersectionality, care, respect, inclusivity, and accountability are embedded into all aspects of the organisation. 𖥔 Nature of a Charter: A charter should be action-oriented, measurable, and reflect the specific context in which it will be used. There is no fixed template for a charter; it should reflect the shared values and vision of the group creating it. 𖥔 Accountability: The commitments outlined in the charter must be measurable. These commitments are not abstract; they should have concrete actions and measurable targets to ensure that progress is tracked. Provide participants with an example of a social justice charter, here, for reference. Step 2: Group Work – Building the Charter (40 minutes) Now, divide the participants into two groups, ensuring diverse representation and perspectives in each group. Encourage participants to reflect on their experiences and the feminist values they hold as leaders. Instructions for Group Work: 𖥔 Brainstorming Core Values: Ask participants to begin by discussing the feminist principles they want to prioritise in the charter. These might include inclusivity, care, respect, accountability, and intersectionality. Encourage them to think critically about the values they believe should define feminist leadership within their organisational context. 𖥔 Identifying Commitments: Once the core values are identified, participants should begin to translate these into actionable commitments. For example, a commitment might be ensuring that all organisational policies are reviewed through an intersectional feminist lens. Another commitment could be ensuring that organisational leadership is accountable to the community it serves. 𖥔 Setting Measurable Targets: Encourage the groups to think about how they can measure the progress of each commitment. For instance, if the commitment is about creating an inclusive workplace, participants could consider metrics such as diversity representation at leadership levels or inclusion in decision-making processes. Each commitment should have a clear indicator to track its implementation. 𖥔 Finalising the Charter: As a group, participants should decide on the final commitments that will form the core of their Charter for Feminist Justice. They should ensure that these are clear, action-oriented, and relevant to their specific organisational context. The result will be a document or presentation outlining their vision for feminist justice within their workplace or community. Step 3: Presentation & Peer Review (20 minutes) After 40 minutes, bring the groups back together. Each group will have 10 minutes to present their Charter for Feminist Justice to the other group. During presentations, encourage the following: Ask the presenting group to clearly articulate their commitments and the principles behind them. They should explain why these principles were prioritised and how they plan to implement them.After each presentation, allow the other group to provide constructive feedback. Encourage participants to ask questions that challenge the group to think more critically about the feasibility and clarity of their commitments. Consider the following reflective questions for feedback: 𖥔 What does the charter reflect about the group’s vision of feminist leadership? 𖥔 Are the commitments clear and actionable, or do they need further clarification? 𖥔 How would these commitments manifest in day-to-day organisational practices? 𖥔 What potential barriers might exist in implementing these commitments, and how could they be overcome? Step 4: Reflection and Learning (10 minutes) Conclude the activity with a reflection session. Invite participants to share what they have learned from the process and how they can apply the principles of the Charter for Feminist Justice in their professional and personal lives. Reflective Questions to Guide the Discussion: 𖥔 What new insights did you gain about feminist leadership through this exercise? 𖥔 What challenges did you encounter when creating the charter, and how did you address them? 𖥔 How can you ensure that feminist principles are not just theoretical but actively implemented within your organisation or community? 𖥔 How do you plan to measure and track the progress of the commitments you’ve made in your charter? This final reflection will help participants integrate the values and practices of feminist leadership into their work. It will also encourage them to think about the long-term sustainability of their commitments and how they can hold themselves and others accountable. |
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