Schedule and Workshop Descriptions

Friday, November 4, 2005
Hovorka Atrium in the Agnar Pytte Science Center
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

5:00-7:00pm
Ms. Magazine and Feminist Majority Foundation: Pre-Conference Community Reception
RSVP for Friday Night Event to mwglobalconference@feminist.org
Hovorka Atrium in the Agnar Pytte Science Center
Case Western Reserve University
2200 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, OH 44106

Saturday, November 5, 2005

9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Opening Plenary
Nord Hall Room 310
Organizing Worldwide for Women's Rights, Human Rights, Reproductive Rights, Economic Justice, and the Environment

Seeking Environmental Justice: Ecofeminism in a Global Context
Sears Building Room 435

The health of women, communities of color, and low-income communities is inextricably linked to the health of the environment. Panelists will discuss the ways that working for environmental justice can advance the goals of the women's movement, as well as the importance of empowering women and the expansion of women's rights in ensuring a sustainable earth. Panelists will also speak about how current U.S. attitudes towards energy consumption and procurement affect both domestic and foreign policy.

Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery
Sears Building Room 462

Poverty, women's low social status, and expanding markets for cheap labor are at the heart of human trafficking. Learn more about international efforts to combat the exploitation of women trafficked to work in sweatshops and for sexual and domestic servitude, as well as the relocation of women and families to urban areas for exploitative work.

Wars Against Women, Women Against War: Militarization and Its Impact on Poor Communities
Sears Building Room 374

This session will examine the short and long-term effects of war on communities domestically and throughout the world. Panelists will discuss U.S. military occupation abroad, the politics of foreign assistance, the intense recruitment efforts in low-income communities and communities of color at home, and the economic, environmental, social, and political consequences of militarism.

Ladies First: The Empowerment of Women as the Key to Development
Sears Building Room 372

The contributions that women make to the economic, social, and political lives of their nations, communities, families, and the next generation make them key actors in effective, sustainable development. This panel will assess the ways in which expanding women's access to education, economic opportunities, and safe, effective family planning services serves to improve the quality of life for entire communities.

1:15 – 2:45 p.m.
Lunch On Your Own  

1:45 — 2:45p.m.
Sears Building Room 374
Bring your lunch and talk with Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority, Feminist Majority Foundation, and Publisher of Ms. Magazine. Learn how to launch a feminist group on your campus and/or affiliate your current group with FMF! 

2:45 – 4:15 p.m.
Workshop Session B

United States Failure to Abide by International Policies, Treaties, and Agreements
Sears Building Room 462

The United States is one of the few countries that has not ratified a range of key international treaties such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), has refused to sign on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Kyoto Protocol, and has declined to fund their authorized share of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Panelists will discuss the importance of these treaties and bodies as powerful tools for winning women's equality, peace, and a healthy environment globally and in the United States.

Viewing International Family Planning and Women's Health Through a Human Rights Perspective
Sears Building Room 435

Access to contraceptives and reproductive health services is every woman's right, but we know that access to safe and legal abortions, healthy forms of birth control, effective condoms, and other health services is limited at best. Panelists will share thoughts and experiences on how current U.S. abstinence-only policies hinder the global fight against HIV/AIDS. They will also discuss how the Global Gag Rule and the de-funding of the UNFPA increase maternal mortality and limit access to vital reproductive healthcare and services for many families around the world.

Theocracy in Action: Religious Fundamentalism in a Political Context
Sears Building Room 374

Religious fundamentalists place great importance on the control of women, particularly in the areas of education, health, and reproductive rights. Panelists will examine fundamentalist movements in major world religions and their effects on women from Nigeria to Afghanistan to the United States , especially when such movements become entangled in politics. Participants will also analyze the influence of the U.S. religious right in challenging the Constitutionally-protected separation of church and state.

The Passage of International Trade Agreements and Their Impact on Human Rights, Women's Rights, Wages, and the Environment
Sears Building Room 372

Globalization has given new importance to the role of international trade agreements and the actions of multinational corporations. Issues such as pollution, outsourcing, poverty, and workers' rights have taken on significant meaning for communities both locally and on a global scale. Workshop participants will discuss the effects of globalization on the world's laborers, the environment, and human rights. The panelists will describe campaigns to combat the exploitation of workers in sweatshops and in other inhumane working conditions, as well as discuss how to hold corporations accountable for their labor practices.

4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Closing Plenary

Acting Beyond Borders: Mobilizing Young People for a Positive U.S. Foreign Policy
Nord Hall Room 310