Nurturing the Earth

Who manages the world's environment, its fields and forests, plants and animals, energy and water supply? Women do, say organizers of a newly formed network called "Women, Environment, and Sustainable Development." A series of activities among women's organizations and environmental groups linking the two issues, culminating in programs at the Nairobi NGO Forum, led to the formation of the network in early 1986.

Women, especially rural women in the Third World, "depend very much on a healthy environment for a sustainable life for themselves and for their families," according to the project description. "Women...have a profound knowledge of plants, animals and ecological processes...[But] women and their children are the first victims of environmental degradation." Network organizers emphasize that many development plans contribute to environmental destruction and thus negatively affect women. For example, in many Third World countries vast tracts of land are cleared of trees and bushes for plantations or large-scale cattle raising. As firewood grows more scarce, women must walk miles more each day to find wood fuel, or resort to using manure, which further depletes the land of necessary nutrients.

The new network hopes to spread awareness of these problems and to support women who are taking steps to stop environmental destruction, such as the Green Belt Movement in Kenya, which has mobilized women to replant trees in deforested areas. Among its activities, the network will publish a "Resource Book on Women and the Environment" and promote the involvement of women in environmental conservation planning and management.

The Stichtung International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources will coordinate the network from the Netherlands, in close cooperation with environmental groups such as the Environmental Liaison Center, Worldwide and other NGOs in the Third World.

For more information, contact;

Irene Dankelman
Women and Environment Project
Netherlands lUCN Committee
Damrak 28-30 1012 LJ Amsterdam
Netherlands

Watchdogs for Women

Nairobi set off a flurry of organizing activity among women and a number of new groups have formed in the wake. One of these is the "International Women's Rights Action Watch," a US-based global watchdog organization launched in March 1986 with a half million dollar grant from the Carnegie Corporation.

The group is dedicated to assisting compliance efforts under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination of Women, an international bill of rights for women adopted by the UN seven years ? ago and ratified by 93 UN member nations so far. It will also keep track of compliance with the Forward Looking Strategies for Women, adopted at Nairobi by more than 150 governments. While these treaties contain strong principles in defense of women's rights and needs, few mechanisms exist for enforcement. Action Watch has been created to encourage groups to monitor national government's progress and pressure them for legal and institutional reforms protecting women. "There's a huge cadre of activist women in organizations around the globe ready to make sure governments do what they said at Nairobi was important to do," Action Watch organizers.

The group will concentrate especially on the education, health and legal status of women. It will rely largely on lawyers, academics and women's organizations to monitor governments' policy progress and will present complaints through formal United Nations channels. As one US community activist commented on the need for such efforts, "We need for people to understand that this is not an issue of superiority, dominance or inferiority. It's simple justice."

For more information, contact:

Arvonne Eraser

Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
University of Minnesota
301 19th Avenue South Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455 USA

Dr. Stephen Isaacs or Rebecca Cook
Development Law and Policy Program
60 Haven Avenue
New York, New York 10032 USA

Linking up via Computer

Workers on strike in a remote Third World country now have the possibility of generating quick solidarity action from fellow organized workers in other countries, by sending information and appeals through electronic mailbox. Similarly, human rights groups can set in motion a pressure campaign in time to prevent the torture or killing of a victim, again with the help of telecommunications technology. INTERDOC is working to enable such groups to use basic computers to communicate more effectively.

INTERDOC is a network of NGOs in Africa, Asia, North America, Europe and Latin America who are exploring together the use of telecommunications as a cheaper and faster alternative to communicating by post, telephone or other traditional methods. Through sharing information and technical skills, members aim to learn more about information technology without having to rely on "experts" and to coordinate quick responses to government, corporate or other abuses.

At a meeting held in April 1986, INTERDOC decided to open up membership to other interested NGOs who are already networking informally with current INTERDOC members. Previously INTERDOC had limited membership to some thirty founding organizations. The executive committee is currently developing a procedure for accepting new members and incorporating them into the network.

Through INTERDOC, groups can receive training workshops on computer skills and a monthly newsletter exchanging experiences in information handling. Women's groups that use computers in their operations, or want to find out more about computerization or linking with other groups via computer should write INTERDOC network at the address below. Please send a copy of your correspondence to the Isis International office in Rome.

INTERDOC
c/o IDOC International
via Santa Maria dell' Anima 30 Rome 00186, Italy
Attn: Charles Foubert