Submitted by Rosina Valeria Lanzellotti Mattiussi Teixeira (rosina.teixeira@unisantos.br) on 2017-11-23T17:16:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tania Machado de S¿.pdf: 1234141 bytes, checksum: a323ac0af9d0a0f1e580483efe49f577 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-23T17:16:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tania Machado de S¿.pdf: 1234141 bytes, checksum: a323ac0af9d0a0f1e580483efe49f577 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-10-10 / The present study will analyze as main problematic the role of Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA) for the improvement of the condition of women and girls. We will examine their actions, social projects, fight for human rights and rescue of girls and women in situations of risk, with the objective of valorizing them through education and their reintegration into society. To do so, the research addresses the role of the state and non-state actors in the international arena, and factors such as the recognition of the United Nations Organization and globalization in the emergence and scope of action of non-state organizations such as SIA. The study intends to show the internal organization capacity of the Soroptimists, from its foundation in 1921 until its role, as actor of the civil society, in the prevention and combat of serious international problems, as the defense of the human rights and the trafficking of women; The struggle for gender equality through women's empowerment. To answer the central question, the research makes a historical analysis from the hypothetico-deductive method. The methodology used is the bibliographical and also the analysis of concrete cases. / O presente estudo analisará como problemática principal o papel das Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA) para a melhoria da condição de mulheres e meninas. Examinaremos suas ações, projetos sociais, luta pelos direitos humanos e resgate de meninas e mulheres em situações de risco, com objetivo de valorizá-las através da educação e de sua reinserção profissional dentro da sociedade. Para tanto, a pesquisa aborda o papel do Estado e dos atores não estatais, no cenário internacional, e fatores, como o reconhecimento da Organização das Nações Unidas e a globalização no surgimento e alcance de atuação das organizações não estatais, como a SIA. O estudo pretende mostrar a capacidade de organização interna das soroptimistas, desde sua fundação em 1921 até seu papel, como ator da sociedade civil, na prevenção e combate de problemas internacionais graves, como a defesa dos direitos humanos e o tráfico de mulheres; a luta pela igualdade de gênero através do empoderamento feminino. Para responder a questão central, a pesquisa faz uma análise histórica a partir do método hipotético-dedutivo. A metodologia empregada é a bibliográfica e também a análise de casos concretos.

This thesis examines how the relationships between women, inside and outside the international women's organization for professionally working women – Soroptimist International – is informed by proximity and distance, which orientates the organization in the direction of a multiculturalism informed by imperial feminism. Focus lies on the organizations use of terms such as “sister” and “professional woman”, and the imagined benefits and responsibilities of being a soroptimist. The thesis is centered on interviews with members from Soroptimist International Sweden, which is seen as a microlevel of the international organization. By interviewing members and comparing the statements with some of the official documents produced by the organization, I also examine the relation between policy and practice. Drawing on the affect theories of Sara Ahmed regarding emotions and bodily orientation; postcolonial perspectives on transnational feminism, sisterhood and solidarity; and anthropological perspectives on transnational women's network, I argue that the orientation of Soroptimist International is informed by white middle-class heterosexual women. When working for women's rights as human rights it is furthermore based on a UN discourse, which also orientate the organization in a universally western way. Furthermore, I also show how the network of Soroptimist International is end oriented, which means that its information and knowledge exchange is centered around its members and the expansion of the network, instead of advocacy making on behalf of women that are non-members. This leads to the conclusion that if Soroptimist International wishes to reorient away from its feminist imperialist and multiculturalist elements, it needs to engage with a praxis-oriented solidarity concept. This means obtaining a multifaceted communication between its local and global levels, as well as seizing the many different partial perspectives existing inside as well as outside the organization.