Panel discusses women's progress

In commemoration of Women's History Month a diverse panel discussion covered the empowerment of women through reforms created by women's organizations.

The History of Women's Movements Around The World panel met in the Presidents' Room of the University Student Union yesterday to focus on reforms in Africa, the Middle East, China and South East Asia.

Skyne Uku-Wertimer professor of Black Studies at Cal State Long Beach lectured on the grass roots efforts of women's reform groups in Africa.

These groups are initiating and providing lessons in food production, and giving information about family planning to underprivileged women.

Uku-Wertimer asked the audience, "Can you name seven women who are heads of state?" No one could.

Her emphasis was placed on the fact that women's efforts and contributions may not lead them to politically high offices.

She emphasized that these women's programs also provide loans, fertilizers and even seeds to plant vegetables so that village women can have the knowledge and means to grow, and manage their own crops.

"Nothing is greater than the mother of man," Uku-Wertimer said.

The discussion of women's groups in the Middle East was headed by Elahe Amani, disbursements supervisor of the business office.

"The dismissal of feminism as old world ideology can be strengthened by women's support," Amani said.

The complete facial unveiling of women in the Middle East is leading to their emancipation Amani added.

The basics of education for women, outdoor activities and lack of autonomy, has led to the promotion of the positive side of women and culture, Amani said.

In 1980, Turkish women's groups pushed for reform on all discrimination against women.

"Women's rights and gender consciousness will enter the 20th century more powerful than ever," Amani said.

Women's historical issues in China were discussed by Xiaolon Bao, CSULB history professor.

The three rules of obedience were discussed. A young Chinese girl must first obey her father then her husband and after her husband dies she must obey her son.

This oppression in China led to the implementation of reform programs.

Foremost of these reforms is the necessity for allowing education for women, doing away with foot binding and letting women's voices be heard said Bao.

"Women hold up half the sky," Bao said.

Professor Katherine McMahon of women's studies at CSULB discussed women's issues in South East Asia.

The lack of women's representation in government, mail-order brides, and prostitution are some of the problems the women of South East Asia must endure.

"Women are 65 percent of the population in Cambodia and they have no representation in government," McMahon said.

Since 1986, women's reform efforts have led to women's involvement in the economy, especially in village and regional levels. As a result of these reforms Vietnamese villages have started individual unions to impose sanctions against men who beat their wives McMahon said.

The panel's consensus on the role of women in history was summed up by Uku-Wertimer.

"These women around the world are not feminist they're revolutionaries."