The autonomous women’s movement in India: Beyond the NGOization framework

Abstract

ABSTRACT Scholars and activists have referred to the process of ‘NGOization’ as a major part of the transformation of India’s autonomous women’s movement (AWM) since the 1990s and also see this as a cause of its decline. This refers to the process of non-funded movement collectives turning into non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are externally funded. The absence of young women in feminist collectives and at protest events, alongside the altered strategies, organizations, and goals of feminist activism, are seen as part of NGOization. However, I argue that while this process impacted feminist politics, there are several other factors that have shaped the AWM as of the 1990s, but have remained under-explored. These include movement institutionalization, demobilization, and other internal issues. My arguments are based on primary and secondary data on the AWM.