Workshop for women to look at improving the world

Illinois women from many walks of life will gather at the UI
on April 22 for a one-day workshop on improving the world.

Together, the 150 scholars, legislators and representatives
from community agencies and local organizations hope to
develop ideas and strategies for changing policies that
affect women, their children and families. The resulting set
of recommendations will be taken to a U.N. forum on women,
to be held in Beijing in September. The Beijing forum
convenes just prior to the Fourth U.N. World Conference on
Women, and is expected to influence the world conference's
"platform for action for the advancement of women at
national and international levels into the next century,"
says Illinois conference organizer Kathleen Cloud.

If all goes well, the Illinois women should emerge from the
experience with the satisfaction that they have added their
voices to the chorus of change for women, and "a real sense
of connection with women around the world,"said Cloud, who
is the director of the UI Office of Women in International
Development.

According to Cloud, there is "an explosion" of interest in
women's issues around the world, and it is particularly
strong in Asia. Japan and Korea, among other nations, are
both taking the lead and being heavily represented in the
U.N. events.

"This is not about rich countries helping poor," Cloud said.
"It's not just American women talking about American
problems. It's about women all around the world trying to
improve their lives and the lives of people around them."

All sessions of the Illinois conference, titled "Women
Changing the World: New Perspectives on Thinking Globally
and Acting Locally," will be held in the Levis Faculty
Center. Panels will focus on women and health; women and
violence; women's economic roles; women and education; women
and leadership; and women, science and technology. The event
sponsors are the university's Office of Women in
International Development and Women's Studies Program.

Connie E. Evans, president of Women's Self-Employment
Project, Chicago, will give the morning keynote address on
"Beijing and Beyond"; Kristen Timothy, deputy director and
coordinator for the U.N.'s Fourth World Conference on Women,
will give the afternoon keynote address.

In conjunction with the conference, a book signing will be
held from 4 to 6 p.m. April 21 in the Authors Corner of the
Illini Union Bookstore. Cloud and Jean Peterson, a UI
professor of family relationships, will sign copies of their
recent book, "Capturing Complexity: An Interdisciplinary
Look at Women, Households and Development," published by
Sage. A reception will follow the signing.