To Empower Women:

The Fourth U.N. World Conference,
Beijing, China 1995

Narrated by the late Congresswoman BellaAbzug,
Founder, Women's Environmental and Development Organization

Winner, Movies On A Shoestring Trophy,
RochesterInternational Film Festival, May, 1997

Honorable Mention, Stark Film Festival, February, 1997

In 1995, women leaders attending the Fourth United Nations World Conference onWomen in Beijing, China speak from the heart and tell of their efforts to improveconditions for women in Zimbabwe, Germany, Papua New Guinea, Iran, thePhilippines, Israel, the Solomon Islands, and the United States. Thevideo is a call to action. It shows that women's rights issues areworld-wide in scope, and that the global women's movement is alive andwell.

The Beijing Platform for Action wassigned by 189 nations. Although not perfect, it is the strongeststatement of consensus on women's equality, empowerment and justiceever produced by governments. Five planks from the Platform -- poverty, education, economics, human rights and armed conflict -- frame the video. Filmed at the Non-Governmental Forum in Huairou, China.

• The film is an effective and informative presentation oflarge global issues on a personal level. It captured the energy andfocus of an important and historic event.
  Tracy Callahan, Critic, 39th Rochester International FilmFestival.
• I'm so gladto have the video that evokes such powerful memories of thatexperience we shared in China
  Merelyn McKnight, Rural Southern Voice for Peace.
• The video is a good mirror to women in othercultures
  Linda Dennis, Producer, KTEH Television (PBS).
  Shown onVision i, KTEH, San Jose, California.

Videographer: Margot Smith
On-line editors: Steve Chandler, Shirley Harlan
Production: Bob Purdy, Janet Linney, Patricia James.

VHS, 28 Minutes