In Search of a New Economic Order: Women's Agenda for the Next Millennium

Abstract

Economic issues have become an important part of the agenda of women's organizations and feminist study worldwide. At the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Forum of the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Huairou, China, many workshops focused on such issues as globalization, structural adjustment, economic transition from planned economies, the feminization of poverty, women's employment and unemployment, property rights, and women's access to credit. Economic issues were also discussed in connection with other panels, such as trafficking in women, environmental degradation, access to adequate healthcare and education, and political participation. Although women in Huairou disagreed about many issues, there appeared to be nearly universal agreement that women are harmed by the laissez-faire economic policies that are sweeping the world. The purpose of the official UN conference was to agree on the Platform for Action, which would set guidelines for improving the status of women and girls and promoting equality. Most of the wording, however, had been agreed upon at preliminary meetings, and only language that had been placed in brackets was open for discussion. Thus, it was too late for many women not familiar with the process to add issues they considered important. The organization of NGOs attending the official UN conference, on the other hand, was relatively informal and decentralized. A coordinating body was set up to provide information, and caucuses were set up to address particular issues. The Economic Justice Caucus was unanimous in its condemnation