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Photos do not reflect complicated realities of China today
NOWTHATTHECONFERENCES AREOVER ARLIER this year 118 Latin American women’s organisations from 15 countries responded to a survey we conducted about the impact of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) on their work, their perceived organisational strengths and needs for assistance, and their plans for involvement in the Beijing women’s conference. The responses demonstrated significant involvement in both conferences at local and regional levels and provided a wealth of other information, which we hope to publish elsewhere. One particularly disturbing finding was that approximately 40 per cent of the respondents reported a decrease in financial support from donors and other assistance following ICPD. The possible reasons cited by them for this down-turn in assistance included a shift in donor attention to countries or regions that are in crisis, such as Bosnia, and to regions that appear to be more needy than Latin America in macroeconomic terms. Second, they perceived a trend towards giving money to NGO networks rather than to individual groups, resulting in fewer resources for many groups doing highly effective E
work. Third, even though ICPD called for stronger collaboration between governments and NGOs, they felt a continuing lack of willingness on the part of many governments to divert funds to NGOs or to engage in joint programmes. Most of these NGOs were involved in preparations for Beijing, but they wondered what impact its recommendations will have at the local level. Though verbal agreements were made by government delegations, few funds were actually committed to implementation. We are concerned that women’s NGOs who are working to improve women’s lives through education, legal rights, health care and other areas are experiencing a decrease in financial assistance precisely as the world affirms the need
for these improvements at the UN level. We wonder whether women’s NGOs in other regions are experiencing a similar drop in funding and whether anyone has suggestions for how this alarming trend can be reversed. Sarah Z Verbiest and Charlotte E Hord IPAS North Carolina USA
Do NOT REFLECT COMPLICATED REALITIES OF CHINA TODAY
PHOTOS
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ONGRATULATIONS on the quality of Reproductive Health Matters and thanks to you and your colleagues for producing an extremely useful journal. International and bilateral donors committed to promoting follow-up to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) should consider providing subscriptions to colleagues and partners in developing countries. I do, however, object to the photographs and captions selected for the article ‘Determinants of Unwanted Pregnancy and Abortion in Beijing, China’ in RHM 5 (May 1995).l The photos, both from the People’s Liberation Army Shoe Factory in Guangdong (Canton), depict workers lined up singing the factory anthem and two workers taking a compulsory rest. The pictures may or may not be dated, but they convey an image of regimentation and arbitrariness that do not represent the larger and more complicated realities of China today. * They certainly do not reflect the intellectual curiosity and the effort to answer questions about women’s health and about reproductive behaviour which are evident in the text of the article. In this way, the photographs are unfair to
the authors. I have met two of the authors and know that they and some of their colleagues are on the cutting edge of independent thinking and research. They are among the first to publish on an issue that, until very recently, was not acknowledged in China. This is something to celebrate. It is a very lonely position for the women (and men) who are trying to promote reproductive health and choice inside China. Their country is the frequent target of criticism for violation of rights. They are confronted only by criticism of China’s family planning policy when they travel, but never with acknowledgement of China’s accomplishments or encouragement for efforts to expand reproductive choice and implement the ICPD Programme of Action. When photo-
graphs like those accompany a good piece of research, it is discouraging in more than one way. Having said this, I think it would be great if, in future, you could carry more information on the lines of that contained in the paper on women and reproductive health in China, as there is a lot of good work and research going on.
Susan Holcombe Beijing, China Reference 1.
Xiao Yang, Hu Yukun, Bai LiJun and Jiang Xiuhua. 1995. Determinants of unwanted pregnancy and abortion in Beijing, China. Reproductive Health Matters. 5(May):95-103.
work. Third, even though ICPD called for stronger collaboration between governments and NGOs, they felt a continuing lack of willingness on the part of many governments to divert funds to NGOs or to engage in joint programmes. Most of these NGOs were involved in preparations for Beijing, but they wondered what impact its recommendations will have at the local level. Though verbal agreements were made by government delegations, few funds were actually committed to implementation. We are concerned that women’s NGOs who are working to improve women’s lives through education, legal rights, health care and other areas are experiencing a decrease in financial assistance precisely as the world affirms the need
for these improvements at the UN level. We wonder whether women’s NGOs in other regions are experiencing a similar drop in funding and whether anyone has suggestions for how this alarming trend can be reversed. Sarah Z Verbiest and Charlotte E Hord IPAS North Carolina USA
Do NOT REFLECT COMPLICATED REALITIES OF CHINA TODAY
PHOTOS
c
ONGRATULATIONS on the quality of Reproductive Health Matters and thanks to you and your colleagues for producing an extremely useful journal. International and bilateral donors committed to promoting follow-up to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) should consider providing subscriptions to colleagues and partners in developing countries. I do, however, object to the photographs and captions selected for the article ‘Determinants of Unwanted Pregnancy and Abortion in Beijing, China’ in RHM 5 (May 1995).l The photos, both from the People’s Liberation Army Shoe Factory in Guangdong (Canton), depict workers lined up singing the factory anthem and two workers taking a compulsory rest. The pictures may or may not be dated, but they convey an image of regimentation and arbitrariness that do not represent the larger and more complicated realities of China today. * They certainly do not reflect the intellectual curiosity and the effort to answer questions about women’s health and about reproductive behaviour which are evident in the text of the article. In this way, the photographs are unfair to
the authors. I have met two of the authors and know that they and some of their colleagues are on the cutting edge of independent thinking and research. They are among the first to publish on an issue that, until very recently, was not acknowledged in China. This is something to celebrate. It is a very lonely position for the women (and men) who are trying to promote reproductive health and choice inside China. Their country is the frequent target of criticism for violation of rights. They are confronted only by criticism of China’s family planning policy when they travel, but never with acknowledgement of China’s accomplishments or encouragement for efforts to expand reproductive choice and implement the ICPD Programme of Action. When photo-
graphs like those accompany a good piece of research, it is discouraging in more than one way. Having said this, I think it would be great if, in future, you could carry more information on the lines of that contained in the paper on women and reproductive health in China, as there is a lot of good work and research going on.
Susan Holcombe Beijing, China Reference 1.
Xiao Yang, Hu Yukun, Bai LiJun and Jiang Xiuhua. 1995. Determinants of unwanted pregnancy and abortion in Beijing, China. Reproductive Health Matters. 5(May):95-103.