Emancipation and Citizen Participation Among Women from a Poor Neighborhood

Abstract

We describe an emancipating process through which oppressed women from a poor neighborhood af Sevilla (Spain) developed a critical awareness and assertion to demand their self-determination, as well as decision-making skills and resource distribution. Following the Kieffer (1984) framework, the Area de Igualdad of The City of Seville carried out a Participatory Action Research process whose most outstanding results were: a) many women acquired critical awareness and participatory competence, b) formed community organizations of women oriented to promote equality among women and men in social change processes, and c) carried outeffective changes in the neighborhood (e.g. a community center, implementation of employment promotion programs and respite programs for female family caregivers. In addition, they formed community coalitions with other women associations to carry out awareness campaigns against gender violence.