NOW sends mixed signals with formation of new party

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A common theme of the NOW Silver Anniversary Global Feminist Conference was the need for more women to have political power. Eleanor Smeal, from the Fund for a Feminist Majority, spoke at the conference on the formation of a new Smeal, who chaired NOW's Commission for Responsive Democracy, explained that after hearing testimony from many people around the country, the Commission had voted in September to recommend a new party be formed. She said that the national board of NOW had voted to endorse this recommendation.

Although the final decision is supposed to be made by the NOW membership at next summer's convention, organizational measures are already being taken toward Smeal announced that a contest will be held to name the party. In the meantime, literature and membership applications are being issued in the name of New Party, Six co-conveners of the New Party have been named-Monica Faith Stewart, the first African American woman to be elected to the Wilinois State legislature; Mel King of the Rainbow Coalition (an adjunct of the Democratic Party); NOW President Patricia Ireland; Dolores Huerta of the United Farm Workers Union, Sarah Nelson, executive director of the Christic Institute; and Eleanor Smeal.

Daniel Sheehan of the Christic Institute has agreed to serve as general counsel for the New Party. A founding conference is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 26, 1992.

Following the session at which Smeal spoke, a table was set up at which she and Dolores Huerta, who had also spoken on behalf of the New Party, accepted memSentiment for a new party is high among NOW activists. For years, supporters of women's rights have supported Democratic Party candidates for office, only to find that the Democrats' lip service to social change goes no further than election A breakaway from the dead end of supporting one of the two parties of big business would be a great step forward for the women's movement. Unfortunately, the In her speech at the conference, Smeal referred to the 1980 election for U.S. Senator from New York State, in which Republican Alfonse D'Amato Democrat Elizabeth Holtzman by several percentage points. She explained that D'Amato won because he ran not only as a Republican but also on the Conservative and Right to Life Party tickets, and concluded that if the New Party had existed This strategy of using the New Party to support "good" Democrats is a recipe for failure. To make real change happen, NOW needs to break all ties with the DemoThe first step should be for NOW to refuse to support any Democratic or Republican candidates for office. Then, the organization should join with others struggling for social change -above all, in the labor movement-to form a truly independent political party that actively challenges the oppression fostered by the 4 SOCIALISTACTION FEBRUARY 1992 around the globe addressed the entire conference.

Most of the speeches given by international guests underscored the comments of NOW President Patricia Ireland, who said that an international backlash is taking place against the rising organization, militancy, and expectations of women. Ireland, who has taken over the presidency from Molly Yard, attributed the backlash to the successes of NOW and the feminist movement generally.

Gisele Halime, a collaborator of author Simone de Beauvoir and a leading feminist from France, spoke of that government's attempts to limit and attack women's right to reproductive freedom. She pointed out that rape was made a crime in France as late as 1980.

Middle Eastern women discussed the threats to women's human rights stemming from the rising fundamentalist movement in their countries.

Aminata Diop, a Malian woman who was sold into marriage at age 17, spoke of her attempt to avoid genital mutilation by seeking political asylum in France. According to mysogynist village culture, women in many African countries are "purified" for marriage by slicing off the clitoris and the inner labia with an unsterilized blade and no anesthesia.

There is a rising international movement expressing outrage at the systematic mutilation of over 100 million women of urban and rural areas of Africa and the Middle East. According to Diop's lawyer, if the French court grants her refugee status, it would be the first acknowledgement of a woman's right to flee patriarchal repression.

Oppression of Palestinian women A disruption of the conference occurred during the presentation of Hanan Ashrawi, spokesperson for the Palestinians at the Middle East talks.

Ashrawi noted that Palestinian women are denied the right to bear children because of induced abortions from Israeli tear gas and beatings. She said that 45 percent of the students at Bir Zeit University, which has been closed by the Israeli government, political party in the United States.

the establishment of the New Party.

USA. bership applications from conference participants.

New Party does not appear to be heading in this direction Holtzman could have won the election.

cratic and Republican parties.

ruling rich, the international backlash against feminism.

In addition to the working groups, workshops were held on disability rights, indigenous women, trafficking in women, women in the environmental movement, women workers, and many other topics.

Violence against women

The final plenary ended with reports of the deliberations of the working groups. The working group on violence reported on the politics of violence against women and how it is used to exploit and maintain women's inferior status. Rape and domestic violence were discussed, as well as genital mutilation, forced prostitution, and bride burning.

Reporters documented that violence against women is escalating and must be seen as a vital international human rights issue. NOW reports that since 1974, the rate of assaults against young women (ages 20-24) has jumped almost 50 percent, while it has declined for men.

Thirty-seven percent of women will be physically or sexually abused by the age of 21. Three out of four women will be victims of violent crimes in their lifetime.

The health and reproductive rights working group discussed the needs, resources, and laws which have an impact on women's health and reproductive freedom. The upcoming April 5 March on Washington was discussed.

Dominique Torsat from the French Family Planning Movement explained that French women are supporting their sisters in Poland who are fighting to keep abortion legal. They distributed postcards in French and Polish to be sent to the Polish legislature.

The race and culture working group was called to determine the extent of racial discrimination globally and to discuss remedies. It appears that NOW is under pressure from its ranks and women of color to address the issue of its predominantly white membership.

Overall, the conference was educational for those who participated in the international discussions. Suggestions were made for continuing networking and common actions. There was no opportunity, however, to discuss or vote on any of the proposals.

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