African rural women initiate environment project

The Zambia Alliance of Women (ZAW), an affiliate of the International Alliance of Women, is a non profit, non government organization established in 1978.

Its main objectives are:

• to improve the welfare of women and children in Zambia;
• to instill in women a sense of self reliance through constructive work;
• to ensure all such reforms which are necessary to establish real liberties, status and opportunities between men and women; and
• to urge women to accept their responsibilities and use their rights and influence in public life to ensure that the status of every individual, without distinction of sex, colour or creed, shall be based on respect for a human being, the only guarantee for individual freedom.

In pursuance of its objectives, ZAW is currendy working with rural women. One such group at Chibombo about 30 km. outside the city centre recently embarked on an agro-forestry project. They are planting a nitrogen fixing plant (Sesbania sesban) as well as fruit trees for their own use and for surplus sale. They have heard of the success of the Uganda Tree Planting Movement and would like to visit Uganda in order to observe and learn from the Ugandan experience.

Yours faithfully,

Lusaka, Zambia

We are interested in women and environment issues. Please keep us informed about your activities. Editor

Indian group requests information on hearing impaired women

Dear Isis International,

Silent Valley is a non government organization working for the cause of hearing impaired women. Our initiatives include programmes for their social, economic, cultural and educational development.

I am a school teacher for the hearing impaired for the last 12 years. The concern for their problems relating to gender discrimination and disability prompted us to work with them. We are in search of global initiatives for their cause and would like to get more details about this. Please provide more information about Isis International and send me Women Envision.

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,

Kerala 680 005 India

We are including you in our mailing list and we hope that our readers will be able to send you more information on global initiatives for hearing impaired women. - Editor

Adva Center in Israel shares health report

Dear Sisters,

I would like to share with you a report on health services in Israel produced by Adva Center, an independent research and advocacy institute working to promote equality between gender, national and ethnic groups in Israel. A major part of this report is devoted to women's health.

This report, like all our reports, is published in Hebrew, Arabic and English. I am enclosing copies in Arabic and English. If you are interested, I would be happy to send you copies of other reports we have published or will publish in the future.

Also enclosed is a brochure about Adva Center (in Hebrew, adva means ripple, the effect we would like to have on our society). Unfortunately, the Women's Resource Center is still in the planning stage.

I have been receiving Women In Action because my personal address was also that of the Peace Quilt project, undertaken in 1987-1988 after the outbreak of the Palestinian intifada. The project is no longer operating, but our objectives are now being achieved. Negotiations between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization and the end to the occupation are taking place.

Perhaps you can send future copies of Women In Action to Adva Center. We would like to be part of the Isis network.

In sisterhood,

Tel-Aviv 61363 Israel

The health report will form part of our resource collection. We would appreciate receiving your other reports in the future. We will include you in our mailing list of Women in Action. - Editor

Problem drugs launched

Dear Isis,

We are very proud to announce the launch of Problem Drugs!

This is a revised edition of a campaign and information pack produced by Health Action International in 1986. It covers: drugs and children, women and the elderly; antidiarrhoeals; antibiotics; analgesics; cough and cold remedies; growth stimulants; drugs in pregnancy; contraceptives; hormone replacement therapy; and psychotropics.

It also contains sections on individual drugs or sub-categories which are particularly problematic, either because they are obsolete, harmful, ineffective or unnecessary. We produced Problem Drugs in order to recommend improvements in drug policy, to promote more rational drug treatments and to provide background information on medicines for health activists lobbying for changes in policy, researchers, health professionals, journalists, and the general public. The scope of the publication is international; marketing and regulatory actions in developing and industrialised countries are described throughout.

We have already sent a review copy to Women in Action at Isis, but I am now enclosing a further copy of Problem Drugs and a flyer for the pack so that Isis would be able to write a review article or distribute flyers along with your other publications.

Please feel free to get in touch with me for more information.

Best regards,

The Netherlands

Thank you for sharing the information on Problem Drugs with Isis and with our readers. We will announce the flyers in our other publications. - Editor

Media Watdi in India

Dear Editor,

I am an avid reader of your esteemed publication, Women in Action. I shall shortly be laying down office at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Development in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and joining a non-commercial, non-profit making association of media watchers in India. I would be grateful if you could send me a complimentary copy of your very informative publication regularly.

My services will be available to you in case you want any writeup on the media scene in India in particular and in the Asia-Pacific region in general, with special reference to broadcasting and environment.

Looking forward to closer cooperation for mutual benefit and thanking you.

Yours faithfully,

India

We have updated your address on our mailing list and will be in touch with you in the future regarding possible media coverage in the region. - Editor

Women's Health Network in Australia

Dear sisters,

Please accept our greetings. Our organisation would be very interested in receiving any information and in being included in your contact list.

We would be happy to send you our newsletter or in some other way communicate with your network.

Following is a brief description of our very new organisation:

The Australian Women's Health Network (AWHN) is a non-profit, non-government, feminist organisation. Its aim is to give a national focus to women's health. It is a national lobbying body and an umbrella organisation for State/ Territorial Women's Health Networks. Its activities will benefit all Australian women by raising " the profile of public debate on women's health issues and through the dissemination of health information through a regular newsletter to its members and other health organisations.

Regards,

Australia

Welcome to our network! We have included your organisation on our publications exchange list and will be sending you information about our activities in the future in particular those concerning health. - Editor