Globalization has contributed to the destabilization and marginalization of women, but has also meant enhanced communications and organization and atransnational connectivity that must be united asorganizations and networks struggle to sustain themselves and maintain resilience in the face of forces that oppose equality. That became clear at Women’s World, the conference in Ottawa that marked the 30th anniversary of the Women’s World Congress and that brought together nearly 2,000 international activists, academics and policy makers from 92 countries over five days last month.
The participants "focused largely on aboriginal indigenous women, women with disabilities and intergenerational dialogue," said Caroline Andrew, co-chair of the congress. The deliberations also marked the persistent differences in the global women’s movement between activists defending sex worker’s rights and those who fight for the abolition of prostitution, as noted Canadian gay and lesbian news portal Xtra!.