[asia-apec 1151] NZ: Women to debate Apec

[Gatt Watchdog]

City Voice, Wellington, New Zealand 10 June 1999

Women to debate Apec
by Sian Robinson

Are women exploited or advantaged by Apec and free trade? Two
women's conferences next week take opposite positions in the
debate.

The Women Leaders' Network Meeting (20-23 Jun) is being organised
by Diana Burns of the Ministry of Women's Affairs to "give women a
greater voice in the Apec process".

In contrast, organisers of the 'Beware the Miss-leaders' Women's
Conference Against Apec (19-20 Jun) see no point in participating
in a forum they believe should be destroyed rather than
"feminised".

There's also a "Women as Leaders in Business' conference (18-19
Jun) which will be addressed by the founder of the Apec Women
Leaders' Network, Andrina Lever, as well as NZ businesss such as
Fran Wilde and Roseanne Meo.

It's all part of the lead-up to September's summit in Auckland of
the 18 [sic] countries in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
group.

They will be looking at what makes women leaders "special and
different" and aim to inspire NZ women with successful women's
stories.

But Trade Union Federation president Maxine Gay, an organiser of
the 'Miss-leaders" event, says, "Apec stands for everything that
feminism is against.  It's the ultimate in exploitation.  Despite
the fact that we have a woman Prime Minister and a woman Leader of
the Opposition, and an unprecedented number of women MPs, the
lives of ordinary women have not improved."

Writer Anne Else says free trade has destroyed jobs and pushed
down wages and conditions here, particularly for women, as they
are disproportionately employed in casual and part-time work.

Because of the removal of protection, the same work can now be
done much more cheaply in places like Bangladesh under "appalling
conditions".

"Would you rather have really cheap T-shirts and all be on the
dole, or have to pay 50c more and all have jobs?"

Ministry of Women's Affairs chief executive Judy Lawrence says
concerns about the negative effects of free trade will be one of
many issues at the Women Leaders' meeting.

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