Women are present in every component of the movement, not only performing supportive roles in logistics arrangements, but also taking an active part in coordination and decision making.

The Assembly of the Poor (AOP) is a grassroots people’s movement consisting of seven social networks including the rural poor, farmers, urban poor, workers, indigenous peoples and NGOs. It is widely supported by community organizations, non-governmental organizations, academics and the general public. It collaborates on regional and international levels with networks on issues such as globalization, human rights, women, indigenous peoples, the environment and the protection of biodiversity.

Women are active participants in every sector of the Assembly of the Poor, which include the Network of the People Affected by Dam Construction, the Network of the People Affected by Unsafe and Unhealthy Working Conditions, the Slum People’s Network, the Network of the People Affected by the Forest Management Policy, the Network of the People Affected by the Land Management Policy, the Network of Local Fishery, and the Network of Alternative Agriculture. The women play a unique role in the Assembly, providing support for logistics and taking on the leadership in coordination, negotiation, and various other activities. A key activity of the assembly is poverty reduction, because it strongly believes that poverty can be alleviated with the participation of all sectors, particularly the marginalized groups. The Assembly of the Poor has played a major role in peacefully pressing the government to focus more attention on the problems and plight of the poor. It has made the government include issues concerned with poverty reduction in a number of its key policies.

Assembly of the Poor (AOP)