Feminist International Radio Endeavour- FIRE

Press Release

San José,  Costa Rica

October 1, 2002. (FIRE—Feminist Internacional Radio Endeavour)

AWID WORKSHOP FOCUSES ON “FEMINISTS FACING NEOLIBERAL GLOBALIZATION” FOR INITIAL DISCUSSION OF CENTRAL THEME OF UPCOMING IX LATIN AMERICAN & CARIBBEAN FEMINIST ENCUENTRO

More than 600 women have already registered to attend the IX Latin American & Caribbean Feminist Encuentro in Costa Rica in early December, which will focus on feminism & neoliberal globalization.

“How feminists are positioning themselves in the face of neoliberal globalization is a fundamental theme for the movement today,” declared Roxana Arroyo, of the IX Encuentro Organizing Commission.  Together with Ivonne Gómez and María Suárez, Arroyo organized a workshop about this theme at the 9^th International Forum of AWID (Association for Women’s Rights in Development), taking place October 2-6, in Guadalajara, Mexico.   

The main theme of the IX Latin American & Caribbean Feminist Encuentro, "Active Resistance in the Face of Neoliberal Globalization," is expected to attract more than 750 women from around the region, who will come to Playa Tambor in Costa Rica, December 1-5, 2002. 

Likewise, at the AWID Forum in Guadalajara, over 1,200 women from all over the world have gathered to address a similar theme entitled, “Women Reinventing Globalization.”   The workshop of the IX Feminist Encuentro at the AWID Forum will feature Suárez as moderator, and presentations by Gómez and Arroyo about the central theme of the IX Encuentro.  Also participating in the workshop will be Katerina Anfossi of Feminist International Radio Endeavour (FIRE), who will talk about the globalization of communications and feminism.  Alejandra Sardá of the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission will also speak about the impact of globalization on women’s sexual identity.  In addition, Norma Sanchis of Argentina will address the impact of neoliberal globalization on women and the contribution of feminism to resistance of this economic model. 

The workshop theme and later discussion at the IX Feminist Encuentro includes an historical analysis of other processes of globalization in which the women have played an important role, noted Arroyo.  "Feminism is a globalized movement and as women we have a long history of resistance because we have suffered from one of the largest and oldest systems of oppression -- patriarchy, which was globalized centuries ago,” she said.  “In this sense, feminists have a great deal to say and to share with other social and political movements.  Also we are one of the first globalized movements," added Arroyo. 

Gómez noted that the IX Feminist Encuentro in Costa Rica includes unique design of a multimedia communications strategy that will enable feminists to contribute their part to international media, and also allow persons who cannot attend the actual Encuentro to receive information and news reports about it.

“The strategy includes the creation of a media center for journalists and communicators who will write and distribute press releases to local, national and international media, as well as radio reports for community and commercial radio stations in the region.  Likewise, FIRE internet radio will provide an electronic chatroom on their webpage for discussions, and an internal video network at the Encuentro will enable distribution of photos and videos to participants on a daily basis.  In addition, FIRE will produce live webcasts during the event.

Suárez, who is a member of the Communications Commission of the IX Encuentro, noted that the communications strategy is based on an analysis of globalization and its impact on feminism.  “A global communications revolution is underway today. We must recognize that it is globalization that has permitted us to learn about other countries and cultures, and to speak and interact with women around the world.”

Suárez continued,”But access to information and communication technologies and knowledge is not guaranteed. Feminists are analyzing issues of access to the production and diffusion of the knowledge, which constitute an enormous global digital gender and communications gap. In vast areas of the globe, multitudes of women remain ‘technologically disconnected’ from the benefits of the technology.” 

“Differences in women’s and girls’ education, the feminization of poverty, and the growing monopolization of media that is putting control of more media communications in the hands of large transnational corporations, all prevent women and other marginalized groups from having their own voice in this world,” said Suárez.  “Efforts by feminists to create their own media and appropriate technologies help with the struggle of these groups to have a voice and a ‘vote’ in the world.  These efforts to transform media enable women to exercise their right to communication as a human right.” 

Suárez noted, “The communications strategy of the IX Feminist Encuentro is part of that process and at the same time is supported by journalists, comunicators, and technology experts.”

Another novel characteristic about the organization of the IX Encuentro is the financial strategy, which is comprised of international funds, as well as voluntary contributions and fundraising activities by the organizers during the last two years, along with monies collected from pre-registration fees by those who plan to participate in the event. 

“During a time when funding is limited, combining local fundraising with external international funding serve as an important model,” noted Gómez. “We are pleased about the support of the Global Fund of for Women, Mama Cash, ICCO, UNIFEM, the Foundation Dougherty, HIVOS, ASTRAEA and other funds that are under consideration.  But we are proud to note that the overall Encuentro funding is comprised of proportionally equal amounts of: 33% external funding, 36% local fundraising activities, and 31% from registration fees.” 

“Women face enormous challenges of financing their own activities, and the Encuentro funding offers a creative new model,” said Gómez.   “In the past, Feminist Encuentros have always had a component of funding from participant fees, along with fundraising activities by the local organizers.  But we have created a balanced collection in the proportions of various funding, which reflects the current economic context.  Some feminists thought that they would no longer be able to organize Feminist Encuentros due to the difficult world economic situation.  But what we are saying is that yes, we can do it by creating a balance of contributions and responsibilities.”

As with past such events, the feminists of Latin America and the Caribbean expect that the IX Feminist Encuentro will be an important opportunity for feminists to come together, share experiences and values, and explore new analyses and perspectives about the central themes.  Women may leave the event and return to their countries with new strategies and actions designed to face the current globalized context for women in the Latin America and the Caribbean region, which is similar to that of many women throughout the world. 

Thus the IX Feminist Encuentro is very important as one of the first conferences of women of the region in the new millennium.  Past Encuentros have resulted in action plans and strategies at the national, regional and international level that focused on such themes as violence against women, sexual and reproductive rights and the citizenship of the women, etc.  For example, the International Day Against Violence Against Women was initiated in one such Encuentro, and subsequently became an international day recognized by the United Nations and throughout the world. 

For more information about the IX Encuentro, go to www.9feminista.org