Conference Report - UNPAC (Mb) UN Platform for Action Committee (Manitoba)

(formerly Manitoba Committee for U.N. Decades for Women)

“Beyond Beijing — Call to Action”

Four Years ’til 2000

Crossways Centre, Winnipeg
March 15 and 16, 1996

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Status of Women Canada, Women’s Program, for providing the funding for this event.

We especially want to thank the many volunteers who served on our committee and those who assisted at the conference to help make this event possible, as well as the YM/YWCA Women’s Resource Centre and M.C.I.C (Manitoba Council for International Cooperation) for providing space for our committee meetings.

The Manitoba Committee for the UN Decade For Women
Active Committee Members

• Judy Charach
• Charman Daly
• Valeria Fraser
• Babs Friesen
• Lydia Giles,
  Conference Coordinator
• Bunny Gurvey, Treasurer
• Busan Hancharyk, Chair
• Stuart Hanks

Table of Contents

Foreword
Susan Hancharyk

Conference Agenda

Action in Manitoba
Summary of Presentation by Dr. Brenda Maxwell

Call to Action Panel
Summary of Presentations by Panels

Action Using Internet and Media
Action on Education
Action to Safeguard Human Rights of Women and the Girl-Child
Political Action
Action on Peace
Action on Environment
Action on Health
Action on Economic Disparities
Action by Women as Consumers and Producers
Resources Available
Conference Evaluation Summary

Foreword

Susan Hancharyk, Chair, Conference Committee, U.N.

Platform for Action (Manitoba Committee)

On behalf of the committee I would like to thank the Status of Women and Christina Hnatiw of the Women’s Program for their support in funding the 1996 annual conference.

This was the 12th conference hosted by the U.N. Platform for Action (Manitoba Committee) formerly, U.N. Decades for Women (Manitoba Committee). The theme of this year’s conference was “Beyond Beijing: Call to Action” and over the course of the Friday evening and all day Saturday we heard various women speakers who told us of actions they had taken and how action could be taken on various levels to continue the work of the Platform for Action Document emphasizing Equality, Development and Peace.

In 1975 the first World Conference for Women was held in Mexico where 3,000 attended. In 1995 in Beijing, China the 4th World Conference for Women was held with 31,000 attendees representing 2,000 organizations and 200 countries. The outcome of the Beijing conference was to influence the United Nations’ Platform for Action document which prioritizes actions for governments to take on women’s issues. Although changes are being made through the desires of women who are influencing the interactions between the hierarchies, there are still only 6 women heads of government world wide, and 100 countries have no women in parliament at all.

The workshops held at this conference also discussed areas of interest and how action can be taken at the individual, community, provincial, federal and global level. The U.N. Platform for Action document will be used as a reference in supporting the recommendations from these workshops.

The U.N. Decades for Woman together with the Manitoba Beijing Network have worked compatibly together on various projects over the year and it became feasible to form a new committee to continue work from the 4 Woman conferences, which started with the Nairobi conference in 1985. Focusing on four areas Community Dialogue for Action, Outreach-Local, Outreach-Global and the annual conference.

Over the year a number of public events were held. In November,1995 at the University of Winnipeg a public forum was held to inform the public of the Beijing conference. It was well attended by approximately 125 people. A panel of 4 woman who attended Beijing gave an account of their experience at this conference. There was also a presentation of overheads which outlined statistics and a brief overview of the Beijing conference. We found this event to be very successful, stimulating interest in Manitoba.

On November 18, 1995 a meeting was held with Minister Rosemary Vodrey (who had attended Beijing), with 37 women in attendance most with connections to the Manitoba Beijing Network. At this meeting we made presentations voicing concerns in the areas of Poverty, Health, Education, Violence, Women with Disabilities and Aboriginal youth. A follow-up meeting was held on April 16 with the respective Ministers to continue dialogue.

Part of this committee’s outreach work will be to inform and network with rural communities. Women from many rural areas attended this year’s conference from Carman, Portage la Prairie, Brandon, Dauphin, Pinawa, Thompson, etc. in Manitoba and also from Ottawa, Thunder Bay, Sudbury and Minneapolis.

The goal of this year’s annual conference was to continue and promote action and I encourage everyone to become a member of this working committee to network and strategize with other woman’s groups for strength of action locally, provincially, nationally and globally.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our keynote speaker, Madonna Larbi, Executive Director of MATCH, also the local MATCH committee for providing the excellent refreshments at this conference. A thank you to Dr. Brenda Maxwell, Mary Purcell, Joan Kuyek-Newman, and Catherine Boldt for their stimulating presentations and Joan Butcher and Lesley Hughes for moderating and keeping us on time (which is not an easy job). Also a thank you to all the workshop resource, facilitators and recorders.

Last but not least a huge thank you to the conference committee for their support and hard work in organizing this conference. With a special mention to our co-ordinator Lydia Giles for her excellent skills in bringing it all together.

Agenda:

“Beyond Beijing: Call To Action”
March 15 and 16, 1996

“Sights, sounds and words from Beijing”
– Friday, March 15

Schedule	Event	Featuring
7:00 pm:	— Opening — “Voices from Beijing”	IWAM Theatre
7:15 pm:	— Welcome — UN Decade for Women Committee	Susan Hancharyk Moderator: Lesley Hughes
7:20 pm:	— Greetings —	Rosemary Vodrey, Province of Manitoba, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women
7:40 pm:	— Keynote Speaker — “Beyond Beijing: Perspectives of 3rd World Women”	Madona Larbi, Exec. Director of MATCH
8:00 pm:	— Questions from the floor —	—
8:30 pm:	— Closing — Slide and Sound Show	“Beijing Sights and Sounds”
9:00 pm:	— Reception, Displays and Networking —	(Reception catered by MATCH)

“ACTION: Individual, Community,
Provincial, Federal, Global”
– Saturday, March 16

Schedule	Event	Featuring
9:00 am:	— Welcome — UN Decade for Women Committee	Susan Hancharyk Moderator: Joan Butcher
9:05 pm:	— Manitoba’s Action Plan —	Dr. Brenda Maxwell
9:15 pm:	— Questions from the floor —	Dr. Brenda Maxwell
9:30 am:	— Panel — “CALL TO ACTION” Action On Disability Issues Individual And Community Action Global/National Action Girl-Child And Education Action	Catherine Boldt Joan Newman Kuyek Madonna Larbi Mary Purcell
10:30 am:	— Questions from the Floor —	—
11:30 am:	— Lunch Break —	Displays, networking, socializing and good food!
1:00 pm – 2:45 pm:	— Workshops — see list below	Nine featured workshops
3:00 pm:	— Conference Closing — Workshop Highlights	Joan Butcher & Poem by Manju Lodha, “Working Together”

Closing Poem:

Working Together

For peace and prosperity
Respect and equality
To give and receive love and dignity
Always non-violence is our priority
Saving our environment in sincerity!

Appreciating our diversity
And recognize our similarities
Accepting the people of all colours
Working together to strengthen our voice
Against poverty, violence we will make noise!

A planet filled with love and respect
Clean environment on our earth we expect
Women in every part of the world
Irrespective of the first or third world
Are together to create a better world!

— Manju Lodha

Action in Manitoba

Notes of presentation by Dr. Brenda Maxwell, who is a local physician and member of the Bahai community.

Women went to Beijing prepared to discuss the 12 areas of concern: poverty, health, education, human rights, violence against women, women in the economy and in economic and political decision making, women and armed conflict, women as managers of the environment, women and the media, the girl child, and national and international mechanisms to advance women. At first, they were frustrated by visa delays, logistical inconvenience, particularly for those with disabilities, too much security surveillance, and finally the weather. Gradually, however, the mood changed. Without any single person taking the lead, individuals and groups got on with their agendas. "if we don’t do it, who will?" From despondency to excitement, they networked and strategized. Equipo, a representative group of NGO women, was formed to interface with the UN authorities, to influence the Government documents, and finally to draft, in women’s words, their own alternative Declaration.

The same excitement has been in evidence among Manitoba women, both those who went to Beijing and those who planned the Day of Action on September 8 here in Manitoba. Now engaged in follow-up activity, women have been sharing their experience with other Manitoba women; the Manitoba End of Decade Committee and the Beijing Network are forming a new organization; a meeting has already been held with the Manitoba Minister Responsible for the Status of Women (the only other Canadian provincial Minister to go to Beijing was from Quebec), and another one has been planned with a wider group of Ministers.

These Manitoba women are prepared to work with the Government of the day, and to welcome the full diversity of groups and opinions into their midst, believing that from the spark of difference truth will emerge. Through caring for all the world’s people, in a spirit of "what I want for my child I want for all", women can become the critical mass that will realize the renewed vision of Beijing: Equality, Development and Peace for all.

“CALL TO ACTION” Panel Presentations

Mary Purcell, from the American Association of University Women and the International Federation of University Women

In the words of Gertrude Mongella, "A revolution has begun!" , her commitment to the girl child comes from having three grandchildren - two boys and one girl, and wanting the same future for all of them. So much begins with the girl child, yet so many of them experience discrimination, even before birth. Of the 100 million illiterate children, 80% are girls. Of the 500 million who start primary school, 2/3 of the dropouts are girls. 2/3 of adult illiterates are women. Girls are making advances in secondary schools throughout the North and in Latin America, not so in Asia and Africa.

Attendance is not enough: what happens inside the doors? and why bother anyway? GNP is correlated with the education of girls. Health and population control depend on the education of girls. According to the World Bank, for each one year of schooling on average (for a million population?), 60 infant deaths are prevented, 500 births do not occur, 3 maternal deaths do not occur, and mortality rates drop by 9%. The World health Organization says progress in immunization and nutrition depends on girls being educated because that is how they build their self esteem, take initiative to secure health care, and develop their ability to read and to understand.

Progress is slow but occurring. Girls must be targeted and programmes designed with them in mind. In Beijing, the entire section on the girls child was still in brackets at the March ’95 Prepcom. That meant countries had yet to agree on giving girls equal opportunity, recognizing their human rights and special needs, their right to fair treatment at work, protection from violence and form some cultures’ preference for boy babies.

Strategies for improving the lives of girl children must include: increasing access to and retention in education; this may involve dealing with the attitudes of mothers, the cost of clothes and materials for school, and even compensation for the lost labour of the girl child; ensuring schools are close to communities to overcome the cost of transportation and fear of letting girls leave home; promoting the hiring of women teachers; introducing flexible hours; developing gender sensitivity in teachers; and giving increased visibility to the achievements and performance of girls.

All these will depend on generating the political will to act.

Catherine Boldt, from the Canadian Council of Disabled Peoples International and CRIAW.

Catherine gave an example of the spirit of Huairou by recognizing the personal help given her by Mary Scott. Mary stopped a jeep to give Catherine a ride after the bus had dropped the women one mile from the site during a torrential downpour. She described the media event held by women with disabilities to protest the lack of accessibility services at Huairou. She urged the Women’s movement and all development NGO’s to seek out Women with disabilities in the post-Beijing period - "to put our hands out, to grasp the hands women with disabilities and pull them in" - rather than leaving it up to those with disabilities to do the reaching out. This personal approach should be matched with accessible formats, print, signing and meeting and locations that are wheelchair accessible. Because women with disabilities have been infantilized, the main struggle is to get them out of their homes and to help them build the confidence that they can manage and be trusted. She told how one activist woman "willed inclusion to be there."

Regrettably, one of the groups missing in Beijing was People First which represents people with mental disabilities. "If by 2000, women’s conferences are not accessible, women with disabilities will just work locally and have their own parties".

Madonna Larbi, Executive Director of MATCH International

Madonna tackled the fact that the majority of the poor and both struggling and buoyant economies are women. They need help because sisterhood and solidarity are global. For example, when women apply for credit, they lack collateral and are denied. National statistics do not include most of the work women do. Many development programs fail because they failed to take into account the hidden factors involving women and children. Women should "think big". There are funds to be accessed. Men tend to know where; most women do not. The international financial system does not help. The World Bank and UNDP often finance buy-outs of state enterprises and enforce structural adjustment programs, supposedly to help development in the profit mode, but the indirect effects harm women and children by cutting back the state services and infrastructure investment on which they depend. Trade practices, particularly in textiles and computers, often reinforce bad working conditions for women and girls. Women’s groups are struggling to improve these working conditions. The North too often supports leaders in the South who do not help their people. The human rights abuses in Nigeria where Ken Siwa protested how Shell oil was destroying Ogoni land only lead to veiled treats by the commonwealth to expel Nigeria, while permitting Shell to conduct business as usual.

Madonna then highlighted issues in health, women living in conditions of armed conflict, and women in decision-making. Under health, she made a plea for the recognition of, and compensation for the use of, traditional knowledge by pharmaceutical companies; and the need for more women in medicine, science and technology, women who will remain in their countries of origin to practice. Under armed conflict, Madonna cited Canada as the worlds #2 arms trader (?). While arms production fuels our economy, it leads to arms proliferation in the South. Why couldn’t Canada specialize in landmine clearing equipment and the technology which it could share with the South. Canadian women could oppose war toys, return those given as gifts, and work with groups who are opposing them. Northern women could also help fund projects, which train southern women in leadership skills: how to become more articulate, debating, how to gather information and use common sense to assess it. Northern women could lobby their own governments to ensure southern contractors are accountable, that SAP’s be redesigned, and that debt be lightened.

In the South, First Ladies and their cohorts often have the money to attend conferences and then claim to speak for their countrywomen when they don’t. Believing that having an audience with an "important person" will help grassroots women is a delusion.

MATCH supports grassroots groups who educate poor girls, do community organizing, do media monitoring, run shelters where women are trained for economic independence.

Joan Newman Kuyek, community activist from Sudbury.

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the issues discuss at Beijing. Yet all these issues have their local counterparts. For example, as governments lose power to transnational corporations, and are bullied by threats of capital strikes or flight, the number of people who are marginalized has gone up by 25%. Canada is undergoing structural adjustment resulting in job loss, paying down the interest on debt at the expense of social programs, and exploiting people who are being told they "don’t understand economics".

There are many useful strategies: restructure at home in terms of Canadian production and consumption and energy use; change our values and ways of living; shift from American consumerism and sports worship to building sharing community where people and their relationships are valued; build non-profit housing, create green spaces and community gardens, develop community organizations relating to schools and social services, produce more locally and import less from outside; extend these principles to helping women in other countries: e.g. by buying Bridgehead products; give up activities pursued to secure "power over" and find time to do necessary work, possibly by giving up employment and working only part time; support organizations which give people power rather than the corporations; build understanding and share values; creating buyers clubs, join peace movements, withholds consent, votes, consumer dollars; boycott destructive systems and companies like Shell, or become a share-holder and influence their policies. Build solidarity.

Media and Internet Workshop

Action Ideas — Individual/Household Level Actions

Internet

1. Well designed home page with Canadian resources and linkages to global home pages
2. Networking/mentoring with other women to provide confidence and to share information on the computer.

Media/Communications

1. Message — a new “dance” — new form of government, after the breakdown on a global scale.
2. Vision — Can you see the new vision — mediate on a fresh perspective.
3. Inform others of the new vision or way of thinking “a renaissance”
4. Voice of women must be heard — newscast from a woman-centered approach (WTN)

Community Level Actions

1. How do low income people get access to computers and the internet?
2. Can we form cooperatives so that we are not dependant on govt funding and/or cutbacks. What about the schools? (community usage)
3. Availability of hand-on training and education (eg. Age and Opportunity and Creative Retirement offer courses to seniors)

Provincial Level

1. Manitoba Association of Bilingual Municipalities may be offering access, membership fee through MB Bluesky Freenet. Should be extended.
   
2. Manitoba Advisory Council - provide access for women to the Net. Space must be safe and supportive for women.

MAJOR ISSUE: “Affordable readily available access to the internet in order to mobilize/empower around a new vision of sharing and redistribution of resources.”

Action On Education Workshop

Action Ideas — Individual/Household level Actions

1. Start your rolodex - early
2. Pressure HRD/EIC minister to promote literacy
3. Ask questions and challenge stereotypes in school
- Include our boys in the dialogue/discussion
4. Encourage parents and guidance counsellors and schools to encourage math, science, engineering occupations as valid career options.
5. Encourage /assist development of self--esteem - increased self-esteem means higher retention levels in high skill areas
6. Know more about our girl children’s issues - ask and listen.
7. Challenge and question our own gender sensitivity and those in our community.
Question for awareness not a fight.
8. Require same effort from daughters as from sons.
9. Be sensitive to challenges but help to bridge them.
10. Mentoring - Sharing experiences
11. Support each other.

Community Level Action

1. Train adults and high school students together
2. Develop career development centres
3. Develop supports within community (to facilitate learning/working experience
4. Talk to younger groups about career development options
5. Tell our kids/schools that there’s more out there than university prep.
6. Promote encourage mentoring opportunities
7. Develop and encourage realities of mind-sets
8. Work together with other groups
9. Compile/publish women who may be contacted for supports
10. expand networks at an early age
11. Work together - men and women, French/English for equality
12. Encourage girls to consider science and engineer as career options
13. Present positive role models through women engineers and scientists
14 Warm up chilly climate in university /academia
15. Promote wider representation by women on faculty
16. Pressure governments to ensure development money to give equal opportunity to women
17. Urge education minister for gender/ethnic equity
18. Screen curriculum
19. Create a newsletter for school comm.
20. Build alliances with diff/diverse groups

Provincial Level Actions

1. Access programme - speaks to classrooms Gr 3-12 and brownies, guides etc. women’s groups
2. PRIME - speaks to mature women returning to academia also speaking with PTAF
3. Provide gender/ethnic equality in curriculum
4. HEADSTART program - good example at holistic approach
5. Flexible co-op education programs are needed including supports
6. Improve teacher education programs to develop awareness and gender sensitivity (staff development and training)
7. Develop partnerships

Federal Level Actions

1. Lobby for access to education and training
2. Canadian follow-up - Take action (rel. date May 1)
- focus on what needs to be done and what’s missing from PFA
3. Promote literacy (Nat’l literacy act)
4. Develop supports to facilitate access
5. Design and produce gender sensitive learning/teaching materials
6. Governments need to ensure development $ are spent in appropriate manner (Education for women)
7. Push for training $ to go to others not just U.I. recipients
8. Gender sensitivity training

International Level Actions

1. Participation with other organizations - lead by example (Reseau and CCLOW)
2. Be sure development $ are wisely spent
3. Work together with women/men teams (U.N.)

MAJOR ISSUE: We must take individual responsibility for gender sensitivity and awareness in our homes, in our schools and in our social systems. We must take action.

Action to Safeguard Human Rights of Women and the Girl-Child

Action Ideas — Individual/Household Level Actions

1. Select women friendly "religions". Make "religion" our own - goddess. Interpret religious doctrine through women’s eyes.
2. Commit to work to ensure human rights are upheld for East Timorese people.
3. Letter writing on all issues of concern identified - For example, live-in caregivers.
4. Be respectful in working for change and for equality
5. Learn more about issues related to violence against women/educate our daughters and sons/volunteer in organization/write for funding support
6. Get info on recommendations developed by Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW)
7. Increase understanding of what feminism is and what "respectful" approaches are.
8. Action of safety for Bella to be first on everyone’s list "To Do".

Community Level Actions

1. Urge religions to identify women friendly "strands"
2. Challenge schools to allocate $ to programs for girls and boys equally (eg. sports, music)
3. Letter writing on issues of concern, if done collectively and from many individuals of groups, has impact.
4. More involvement in organizations and working to end violence against women including support of necessary funding.
5. Search out to expose local travel agencies promoting sex tourism
6. Develop girl centered community centres and programs
7. Urge media to give more attention to human rights issues and violations to increase awareness and action
8. Find a system which will instill self-esteem/confidence into people, especially our young ones, helping to build them into independent individuals.
9. Community groups to reach out to women who are not involved and recognize there are connections we are not making.
10. Support the Matthew Project whose mandate is that every child has the right to survival, protection, and development in accordance with the principles set forth in the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Prevention of abuse, exploitation and violence towards children shall be paramount. They recommend:

- Push for an inquiry into the death of Sophia Schmidt
- Director of the Children’s Advocate to have political autonomy
- More community cohesion and involvement
- A child-centered ministry based on the Govt inquiry and recommendations.

Provincial Level Action

1. Urge support for removal of regulations restricting rights of live in care givers (domestic workers).
2. Curriculum on Violence against women must be implemented - Dept of Education.
3. Urge support for recommendations of Coalition opposing Violence Against Women
4. Urge recognition of fact that child prostitution is related to poverty and urge action to eliminate poverty
5. Urge funding for resource centres for women including information provision centres (resources, research, products, toys etc. etc. etc.)

Federal Level Actions

1. Arms embargo against Indonesia
2. Support freeing East Timor from Indonesian control
3. Urge govt to ensure safety of Bella and her family - withdraw Indonesian ambassador.
4. Change to requirements impinging on rights of live in care givers and "domestic" workers.
5. Urge lowering or removal of financial barriers to immigration
6. Ensure sex offenders are tried in Canada even through offense occurs elsewhere.
7. Urge federal govt to stop importing goods made under conditions that violate human rights.
8. NGO’s educate selves re "better" media strategies - making our issues "what’s happening?". Reorganizing their issues.
9. Gather and publicize info on Corporations violating Human rights.

International Level Actions

1. International Human Rights - Ed Broadbent to be urged to take action re Bella’s family re: E.Timor - thru Indonesian Ambassador
2. Stop abuse of domestic workers - majority of whom are from the Philippines - Write all Embassies.
3. Urge action to recognize abuse of poverty and action to eliminate poverty.

Major Issue: Individual responsibility is vital for a new vision of the world. All the issues addressed today must be part of that vision. For the past years we have advanced that issue. Not to be discouraged. There is hope. Various levels of action interact and support each other.

Political Action Workshop

Action Ideas — Individual/Household Level Actions

1. Start small - but start. Don’t lose the big picture.
2. Support sisters in place and mentoring
3. Develop leadership
4. Develop workshops
5. Networking
6. Volunteering
7. Skill development
8. Monitoring

Community Level Action

1. Convince a woman
2. Coalition building inclusive
3. informed election of women
4. Head hunt
5. Active outreach to and support of political candidates and
6. Access to funds
7. Informed monitoring

Provincial Level Action

1. Informed election committee of women
2. Childcare
3. Active outreach to and support of political candidates
4. Informed monitoring

Federal Level

1. Childcare
2. Active outreach to and support of political candidates
3. Informed monitoring

International Level Action

1. Childcare
2. Active outreach to and support of political candidates
3. Informed monitoring

Action on Peace Workshop

Action Ideas — Individual/Household Level Actions

1. Monitor TV programs your children watch for violence
2. Education, eg. "Toys for Peace" programs to prevent violence
3. Become informed personally about military spending, etc.. Read John Stoltenberg "Refusing to Be A Man" and M. Medzinani "Boys will be Boys", etc.
4. Check out V-Chip Pros/Cons
5. Have only non-violent toys
6. Use collective models. Teach cooperation. Live cooperatively.
7. Be good role models/coaches. Learn conflict resolution.
8. Sharing stories, as in "People Against Violence Against Women" and mens groups
9. Ethical funds investing - investing only in companies which avoid investing in arms.
10. Join peace organizations like Project Peacemakers/Project Ploughshares and join peace walks and Dec 6 demonstrations.

Community Level Actions

1. Cooperation - share.
2. Develop Collective models, support co-op housing, communal life, reduce hierarchy/patriarchy.
3. Promote consensus in decision-making, instead of Win-Lose.
4. Petition politicians to support anti-violence programs, shelters.
5. Speaking out in song, music, sports - using anti-violence, anti-sexist, anti-racist lyrics of songs at concerts to high school ages. Encourage discussion.
6. Counteract sexism in schools and at work.
7. Distribute information through pamphlets
8. Teach adults conflict resolution.

Provincial Level Actions

1. Write to MP’s/MLA’s. Let them know your views on arms spending, violence against women, pornography, etc.
2. Use Letters to Editors section as above.
3. Research/balanced new reports, not only violent events. Keep media accountable.
4. Use NGO information
5. Vote for those politicians who support your views.
6. Promote issues at election time such as anti-violence and less arms spending.
7. Know candidates - ask them to express their views when they come around for votes. Get them thinking.

Federal Level Actions

1. Vote as above.
2. Vote against Arms

International Level Actions

1. Boycott products linked to violence in any way. Be informed re multi-nationals. Support products such as Ryka shoes - 7% of proceeds go to women’s centres.

Action on Environment Workshop

Action Ideas — Individual/Household Level Actions

1. Write Sheila Copps and Sergio Marchi to request a full federal environmental review of current Louisiana Pacific Forestry licence
2. Learn to think differently - beyond a EuroCentric view and way of living
3. Consumer choice
4. Boycott large distributors
5. Support small, local, farmers markets
6. Mandatory recycling also at prov and fed level)

Community Level Actions

1. Raise awareness of people through activities like Earth Day
2. Make connections with other communities (eg. rural - urban
3. Seek alternatives in production and consumer choices less destructive
4. Support seed-banking
5. Green belt around cities
6. Women support women doing work in agriculture/environment

Provincial Level Actions

1. Support activities, write letters become aware of 1st Nations
2. Women’s organizations being involved in corporate advisory committees
3. Involve ourselves with environmental organizations
4. Curricula needs to include information on diverse production/land use, etc.

Corporate, Professional/Technical

1. Direct involvement @ decision making level.

Federal Level Actions

Support perspectives of First Nations people - balancing and adapting to environment.
Oppose bovine growth hormone, let Health Canada know.

International Level Actions

1. Support all indigenous people as they are directly involved with corporations.

Action on Health Workshop

Action Ideas — Individual/Household Action

1. Networking - Coalition building
2. Challenge of HIV/AIDS education - recognition of possibility
3. Critical information re women’s health must be available.

Community Level Actions

1. Networking - coalition of diverse cross-cultural communities

Provincial Level Actions

1. Networking
2. Direct action re homecare workers Women’s organizations recognize risk to women and employment mainly women.
3. Urgent demands by 3/31 that Canada list health areas that should be excluded from NAFTA

Federal Level Actions

1. Networking coalition
2. Action re homecare
3. National Forum on Health - women must have voice
4. Urgent demands by 3/31 that Canada list health areas that should be excluded from NAFTA.

International Level Actions

1. Networking coalition
2. Critical information re women’s health must be available.

Action on Economic Disparities Workshop

Action Ideas — Individual/Household Level Actions

1. Focus on Direct Actions: Media Stunts?
2. Try being Pro-Action, not Reactive
3. Preach to un-converted (infiltrate)
4. ** Highlight unpaid work by women — take action on May 14 — Census Day
5. Take action (Write O.. re Cdn Health and Social Welfare)
6. Send a sister to Poverty Awareness Week in Ottawa
7. Send “Work is Work is Work” to a Sister
8. Join NAC
9. Follow-up Mitchelson’s Job Creation Program (track success)
10. Raise personal awareness about poverty
11. Listen to Youth
12. Teach our children to become resourceful

Community Level Actions

1. Make links with other organizations to pool resources
2. Use media as tool to communicate and educate
3. Involve community in Poverty Awareness Week
4. Join NAC
5. Work to dispel the Myths re poverty

Provincial Level Actions

1. Lobby provincial and Federal government’s re women’s unpaid work
2. Poverty Awareness week involvement
3. Join NAC

Federal Level Actions

1. Poverty Awareness Week involvement
2. Join NAC

International Level Actions

1. Dismantle the corporate agenda
2. New language to articulate the new vision for the economic life of the global community to create a new paradigm shift.

Action by Women as Consumers and Producers Workshop

Action Ideas — Individual/Household Level Actions

1. Change within, interrelating with others, look at one another. Challenge what we are told. Do not limit oneself. Develop a sense of deserving more.
2. When buying clothing, question where clothing is made, and do not rely on labels. They may be sewn in later and not be truthful, so ask where produced.) Buy union-made and Canadian.
3. Develop self-sufficiency skills in clothing and food.
4. Investments: Find alternatives to banks. Choose ethical investments.
5. Support native land claims in order to promote the self-realization of native peoples, and be aware of and control hydro consumption as hydro mega-projects have an adverse effect on native lands.
6. "Tupperware-style" parties can be held in homes to promote alternative consumer options and introduce new locally made products.
7. Buy Mohawk gas, as it contains ethanol, which is not harmful to the environment.
8. Boycott Costco and Walmart. They are owned by corporations outside of Canada and they put small, local businesses out of business.
9. Buy gifts at local craft shows
10. Donate to clothing banks as alternative to Salvation Army (sends clothing out of country) and Value Village (profits leave country).
11. Shop at ORT Thrift shop ( a local business)

Community Level Actions

1. Connect with other groups through workshops, union involvement.
2. Support local production and the consumption of local products
3. Support native commerce: In Ontario - Wabousking food products, Windfall Island Camp in Lake of the Woods ( a tourist operation on a reserve which offers island cabins for rent to individuals and groups - Winnipeg contact 284-0450).
4. Make connections on a cultural/spiritual level.
5. Work for control of local resources such as forestry
6. Learn from one another
7. Find out about organizations such as GEODE in Sudbury
8. Redefine economics to include quality of life, not measured in dollars, "shadow work" "peoples ledger"
9. Find local alternatives to attracting outside industries - keep dollars in the community to create local wealth, stop leakage of dollars.
10. In Winnipeg, shop at Neechi Foods and Tall Grass Bakery.
11. Create Green $ barter systems for exchange of goods without using money.
12. Hold monthly trade fairs to exchange goods, services and teach skills.
13. C.S.A. (Community Shared Agriculture) provides link between producer-consumer.
14. Good Food Box circles (project of GEODE)
15. Recycling clothing
16. Create sewing groups to redesign clothes, make cloth diapers
17. Set up Community Gardens or plots on farms.
18. Housing coops
19. Set up herbal gardens and educate on use of herbs for health/remedies.
20. Support local credit unions and make them responsible to local needs, i.e. hiring aboriginals
21. Support Christmas Lite program which buys from local food stores such as Neechi to provide food for Christmas Cheer board.
22. Professionals working in inner city take dollars out of community - encourage them to shop in the inner city.
23. Obtain videos on community economic development through CEDA
24. Be aware of community development issues- Lord Selkirk Development
25. Look into community loan funds
26. Support Habitat for Humanity
27. Make connections with other organizations to buy ethically.
28. Use networks to provide information on available resources.

Provincial Level Actions

1. To assist CED, pressure government for community loan fund guarantees, and to change legislation to allow investments in coops, non-profit housing, etc.
2. Promote community land trusts.
3. Change legislation around production quotas/standards to allow for individual production.

Federal Level Actions

1. Link trade to social conditions

International Level Actions

1. Demand fair trade practices.
2. Monitor international corporations code of ethics.
3. Join and support programs/organizations such as "Empower", "People Over Profits".
4. Protest Human Rights abuses through letter campaigns, boycotts.
5. Boycott Shell Oil.

RESOURCES AVAILABLE:

The 4th World Conference activities in Beijing as well as related activities in Canada and around the world are generating resources that are being used to facilitate the ongoing action following Beijing.

The following are a few of the many excellent resources that are available = and many more are still in the development stage. Our resources will be available at both the Parklands Status of Women office in Dauphin and at the Women’s Resource Centre in the YM/YWCA in Winnipeg unless otherwise noted. Their addresses and phone numbers follow.

Video Tapes

1. "All We Expect - Nutrition: A Basic Right" video tape and facilitator’s guide.

Produced by the Micronutrient Initiative.

2. "Beyond Beijing: Call to Action" Conference videotape in three sections:

1. "Voices from Beijing" Theatrical Opening

2. Keynote presentation by Madonna Larbi, Executive Director of MATCH "Beyond Beijing: Perspectives of 3rd World Women"

3. Panel "Call to Action" with panellists:

- Catherine Boldt, Action on Disability Issues

- Joan Newman Kuyek, Individual and Community Action

- Madonna Larbi, Global/National Action

- Mary Purcell, Girl Child and Education Action

3. "Issues and Images of Beijing" videotape of a slide and audio show prepared by the International Women’s Tribune Centre. (15 minutes)

This is an excellent general introduction to the 1996 Beijing Conference.

Publications

1. "Women in Canada: A Statistical Report" from Statistics Canada. May be borrowed from the Women’s Resource Centre in Winnipeg only.

2. Women’s Equality in Canada "Progress in Implementing the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women" January 1992 - April 1995 by the Status of Women Canada.

3. "Reflections and Resonance" Stories of Chinese women involved in international preparatory activities for the 1995 NGO Forum on Women.

4. United Nations World Conference on Women = Beijing ’95 Participant Information Kit, by Status of Women Canada.

5. "Onward from Beijing" final newsletter (December ’95) of the Cdn Beijing Facilitating Committee

6. "Take Action on Equality, Development and Peace: A Canadian Follow-up Guide" by the Canadian Beijing Facilitating Committee. An effective tool to help Canadians make use of the Platform for Action.

Other

1. Speaker’s List - women from Manitoba who attended the Beijing Conference and will make presentations to your group.

2. A set of overheads and speaking notes for use in presentations to give an overview of the Beijing conference and issues addressed, prepared by Mary Scott.

3. Listing of some of the other resources and reports available and where to obtain them.

Conference Evaluation Summary

The evaluations received were overwhelmingly positive for the speakers and the location of this conference. Participants felt their expectations were met, and commented on the learning they experienced and their appreciation of the positive tone of the conference.

Several comments made about wanting the opportunity to attend more than one workshop and more time for networking. The topics were broad and focused on action, and so there was a comment about the limited background provided on the issues. Would also like to see more involvement from First Nations communities. Support services were very adequate, although one participant was not aware that childcare was available over lunch and another would have liked French interpretation provided.