International Women's Year: The Greatest Consciousness-Raising Event in History

In 1975, the United Nations declared International Women's Year, with a two-week conference in Mexico City being the capstone event. The conference brought together a diverse range of characters, including Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, Iranian Princess Ashraf Pahlavi, and US feminist Betty Friedan, as well as policymakers, activists, and journalists. The event explored how organizers juggled geopolitical rivalries and material constraints amid global political and economic instability, and how these encounters generated enduring legacies, including women's networks across the global south, greater attention to the intersectionalities of marginalization, and the arrival of women's micro-credit on the development scene.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 354 pages
\n Publication date: 15 April 2021
\n Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc
\n

Amid the geopolitical and social turmoil of the 1970s, the United Nations declared 1975 as International Women's Year. The capstone event, a two-week conference in Mexico City, was dubbed by organizers and journalists as the greatest consciousness-raising event in history. The event drew an all-star cast of characters, including Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, Iranian Princess Ashraf Pahlavi, and US feminist Betty Friedan, as well as a motley array of policymakers, activists, and journalists. International Women's Year, the first book to examine this critical moment in feminist history, starts by exploring how organizers juggled geopolitical rivalries and material constraints amid global political and economic instability. The story then dives into the action in Mexico City, including conflicts over issues ranging from abortion to Zionism. The United Nations provided indispensable infrastructure and support for this encounter, even as it came under fire for its own discriminatory practices. While participants expressed dismay at levels of discord and conflict, Jocelyn Olcott explores how these combative, unanticipated encounters generated the most enduring legacies, including women's networks across the global south, greater attention to the intersectionalities of marginalization, and the arrival of women's micro-credit on the development scene. This watershed moment in transnational feminism, colorfully narrated in International Women's Year, launched a new generation of activist networks that spanned continents, ideologies, and generations.

Background and Context:
The 1970s were a period of significant geopolitical and social upheaval, marked by the Cold War, the Vietnam War, and the emergence of new social movements. In this context, the United Nations declared 1975 as International Women's Year, with the aim of raising awareness and promoting gender equality. The conference in Mexico City was the culminating event of this yearlong campaign, and it was widely seen as a momentous occasion.
The Conference in Mexico City:
The conference in Mexico City was a two-week event that brought together a diverse range of participants, including women's rights activists, policymakers, and celebrities. It was attended by over 10,000 people from around the world, and it was hailed as a historic moment in feminist history. The conference was organized by a group of women's organizations, including the International Women's Year Committee and the Mexican government.
The Highlights of the Conference:
The conference featured a wide range of speakers and panels, covering topics such as women's rights, gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence against women. Some of the notable speakers included Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, Iranian Princess Ashraf Pahlavi, and US feminist Betty Friedan. The conference also included a number of workshops and cultural events, such as art exhibitions and film screenings.
Legacies of International Women's Year:
The conference in Mexico City had a profound impact on the women's rights movement and on society as a whole. It helped to raise awareness of the issues facing women around the world and to promote the idea that gender equality was a fundamental human right. The conference also led to the formation of new women's organizations and networks, and it helped to galvanize the movement for women's rights.
Criticisms and Controversies:
Despite the positive outcomes of International Women's Year, the conference was not without its criticisms and controversies. Some critics argued that the conference was too focused on Western women's experiences and that it ignored the experiences of women from other parts of the world. Others criticized the conference for its lack of attention to issues such as poverty and economic inequality, which were also important to women's rights.
Conclusion:
International Women's Year was a watershed moment in feminist history, and it helped to pave the way for the ongoing struggle for gender equality. The conference in Mexico City was a historic event that brought together a diverse range of participants and helped to promote the idea that women's rights were an important and universal issue. While there were criticisms and controversies surrounding the conference, its legacy continues to inspire and empower women around the world.

\n Weight: 514g\n
Dimension: 156 x 235 x 24 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780197574744\n \n