From DEBRA@oln.comlink.apc.orgTue Sep 12 08:16:51 1995
Date: Sat, 09 Sep 1995 08:26:00 +0100
From: Debra Guzman <DEBRA@oln.comlink.apc.org>
Reply to: beijing-conf@tristram.edc.org
To: beijing95-l@netcom.com, beijing-conf@tristram.edc.org
Subject: WCW: Women & Politics

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## Original in: /HRNET/WOMEN
## author     : hercilia@wcw.apc.org
## date       : 03.09.95

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WomenOs task in the political arena
By: Rina Jimenez David

   Why women? What politics?

   If women are not just to enter the political arena in
   growing numbers but are also to transform the nature of
   the political struggle, then women must provide answers
   to  these questions.

   And itOs in search of  the answers that hundreds of women
   from various regions, politicians, activists, academics
   and organizers, have come to the NGO Forum for a series
   of conferences on womenOs political participation,
   organized by the Global Network  of Women in Politics.

   A more equal, politicized organization of women is
   tangible proof of democracy,  said Elizabeth Sidney, a
   panelist from the United Kingdom, who spoke Thursday at
   the First European-North American Congress of Women in
   Politics. That was the first of the series of Global
   Network conferences at the Forum.

   Anne Tyler from Ireland reported that in spite of some
   gains made by women in her country, like the approval of
   the 40 per cent quota system for women in political
   bodies, much still has to be done to broaden womenO s
   participation to include factory workers and other
   sectoral groups who form the base of a womenOs political
   constituency.

   While Sweden has more women  in elective and appointive
   positions than perhaps any other country, Anita Amlien
   said there remains a need for more female role models who
   support  womenOs issues such as equal pay for equal work
   of equal value.

   Irene Natividad of the United States shared her
   experiences as former chair of the National WomenOs
   Political  Caucus, which supports and trains women
   running for  electoral positions.  She underscored the
   importance  of the womenOs vote in American electoral
   politics , adding that the task now is to get  more women
   of color into politics.

   The Congress seemed to raise more questions at the end.
   Some of these were: the need for mentoring young
   political leaders; linkages with trade unions and
   cultural minorities; affirmative action towards
   constituency building; the definition of power; the
   criteria for choosing and supporting women candidates;
   the use of the mass media;  and fund raising.

   Answers to these questions are expected in the subsequent
   regional congresses,  sponsored by the  Global Network of
   Women in Politics and facilitated by PILIPINA, a
   Philippines-based NGO connected with the Center for
   Asia-Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP).