Women’s Movements in Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom

Abstract

Due to their origin in different historical and socio-political contexts, women’s movements in Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom vary in terms of the timing of their emergence, the issues they have focused on, the timing of their claims-making, their capability to impact upon policymaking and their access to women’s and gender policy agencies. At the same time, women’s movements in these three countries share several characteristics, such as their attention to women’s political participation, access to abortion and freedom from gender-based violence. Many similar debates have taken place within women’s movements in Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom, including the role of autonomous women’s organisations versus women’s sections and groups that are incorporated in political parties and trade unions; the relationship between women’s liberation and gender equality; and the importance of gender difference versus gender sameness. In relation to ethnic minority women, issues concerning different forms of gender violence are being discussed in all three countries, including female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage. Women’s movements in all three countries have also mobilised for the protection of migrant women with insecure immigrant status who experience violence in their intimate relationships.