Will we join the dance? Chris Burke reflects on the recent international NGO Women's Forum.

Report from Beijing

ONE SPEAKER DESCRIBED THE NGO WOMEN’S FORUM convened at Huairou as not only the largest-ever assembly of women, but also the largest-ever gathering of marginalised experts! The 30,000 women participating symbolised the major impact the women’s movement now has. Directions discussed at the Forum, along with proposals from the Beijing UN Conference on Women, challenge global agendas for the next ten years.

If the Spirit is at work within the signs of the times, then Christians are called to respond discerningly, positively and prophetically. So what trends emerged?

Plenary sessions focussed on: globalisation of the economy; citizenship; militarisation and peace; media, culture and communication; and the rise of fundamentalism. At each session speakers from Africa, Asia-Pacific, North America, South America and Europe, together with indigenous peoples, drew on local experiences to analyse present situations and suggest strategies.

Why raise these issues at a Women’s conference? What about health, sexuality and reproductive issues? These areas remain important, as protracted debate at the Conference and in many Forum workshops showed. Violence against women and against indigenous peoples featured strongly in the International Court of Women.

As we join others who question the status quo, we will hear their hopes and dreams.

However, women at the Forum were affirming that world issues are women’s issues. Unless women are involved in making major decisions, we are always on the back foot, working to remedy what is happening to us and to all the marginalised. Twenty years ago the Women’s movement precipitated momentous change by declaring that the personal is political. Into the open came issues such as domestic violence, responsibility for child- raising, and gender inequity and inequalities.

Beijing confirmed for me that next step is to recognise that the political is personal. Each person and community must begin to exercise responsibility for directions that governments adopt. The individualism that has been the trademark of the modern era, and power and profit that continue to be blatant political goals, are destroying social cohesion. An alternative vision is sorely needed.

Women and religion, traditionally the carrier of ethical debate, have been excluded in recent centuries from any significant role in shaping our society’s directions. Both have been dismissed as belonging to the private lives of men, and, therefore, out of place in the public arena.

Many women today expose the myth of ‘progress’. Economic growth does not equal social well-being. Over 70 per cent of the world’s poor are women and children. Not being part of the decision-making has obvious consequences. New goals and strategies are needed.

Women told stories of alternative ways of participation, reconciliation, equality. An ANC woman from South Africa told how having women as 50 per cent of all parties negotiating the new Constitution raised alternative concerns and suggested unexpected solutions. Palestinian and Israeli women ran a workshop together, showing how they had moved the peace process into the realm of the possible. Christianity requires women and men who draw inspiration from the message of Jesus to collaborate respectfully with others who draw on different sources. As we join others who question the status quo, we will hear their hopes and dreams. Collaboration and participation presuppose equality, mutuality and respect. Eventually we may be asked to account for the hope or vision that animates us.

Unless women are involved in making major decisions, we are always on the back foot, working to remedy what is happening to us

Beijing suggests that we develop a global perspective, drawing on our varied local experiences and sharing strategies that work. Christian feminists can bring forward their vision of alternative possibilities as they join the wider arena. We are called to continue the effort to juggle our challege to a patriarchal church and our work of confronting an individualistic society. In this we must rely on a Wisdom deeper than our own hearts to offer an alternative resource of hope.

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