Day Two of “Law from a Feminist Perspective”: Understanding Patriarchy as a System of Power

On the second day of the “Law from a Feminist Perspective” training, participants explored patriarchy not simply as an individual attitude or behaviour, but as a system of power that shapes people’s positions, roles, opportunities, choices, and the expectations placed upon them.

Participants discussed how patriarchy does not operate in isolation. It intersects with the state, society, culture, traditions, and other systems of power, and can create conditions that exclude, marginalise, or limit the participation of people who do not conform to established gender norms.

The discussion also highlighted that patriarchy does not affect only one particular group. By creating expectations about “how people should be” and “what roles they should take on,” it can place limitations on everyone.

Participants further reflected on how social media, advertising, and market trends can reinforce ideas about what a “good,” “attractive,” or “successful” person should look like. When such expectations are repeated over time, they can begin to feel like personal beliefs, making it difficult to recognise where they originally came from.

The session therefore encouraged participants to question the ideas we often accept as “normal” or “just the way things are”: Where do these ideas come from? How do they shape our choices, opportunities, and participation? And whose lives may be constrained by them?

Recognising these patterns, asking questions, and reflecting critically on long-held assumptions can be an important first step toward understanding power relations differently and imagining more equal alternatives.

This session was facilitated by Dr. T. Undariya, Advisor to the MONFEMNET National Network.

The “Law from a Feminist Perspective” training is implemented with the support of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD).