Dr. Sarah Rainey

1880-1930Sources of activism:

Elite men and womenColonialismAnti-colonialism and nationalism

Issues:Suffrage, peace, equal access to education,

labor legislation, temperanceInternational organizations dominated by

Western feminisms“Feminist Orientalism”

1945-1975More non-western organizations begin

post-colonial period and nationalist agendas

19451946: Commission on the Status of Women1948: Declaration of Human Rights1975: International Women’s Year1975-1985: Decade for Women1975: Mexico City1980: Copenhagen1985: Nairobi1995: Beijing

Parallel meetings at every UN ConferenceDiversity of women’s perspectives

What counts as a “woman’s issue”Poverty, rights, education, work, violence,

war….

Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979)

1985-Shift in power from North to South

60% Nairobi attendees from global southConsensus

“rights based approach”Human Rights (especially eliminating Violence

Against Women)Sustainable Development

Quotas“Gender Responsive Budgets”Women’s entrepreneurship

MicrocreditTrafficking

Media & CommunicationNGOization of women’s groupsLiteracy and educationUN policies and oversight