Globalising Gender Equality and Social Justice

Administrative/Biographical history:

Women in Development Europe (WIDE) was established in 1985 in response to the Forward-Looking Strategies (FLS) developed at the UN Third World Conference on Women held in Nairobi, Kenya. Delegates from European saw the need for a European network of people working on ‘women and development’ issues within the NGO’s, research institutions, and solidarity groups.

Initially an informal network, the group looked to lobby for the integration of women’s issues and feminist perspectives into development policies of major European donors and the European Union as a whole.

The group soon established a reputation for outstanding expertise on gender and trade/macroeconomic issues, evolving to become a formal network with a professional secretariat based in Brussels. The focus of their activities changed too, with a move from lobbying to monitoring global macro-economics, trade institutions and processes. WIDE looked to build capacity around these issues and to promote alternative feminist approaches for gender equality and social justice.

As an established international advocacy network, WIDE continued to strive for women’s economic, social, cultural and political empowerment in all major international economic and development related negotiations and policy arenas. WIDE aims to enable the development of a more just and democratic world order by exploring alternative approaches to the economic mainstream. WIDE also enables members and partners to articulate alternatives to the negative impacts of globalisation and makes feminist alternatives visible. Through the dissemination of our research and analysis, WIDE promotes gender equality and social justice.

Scope and content

Papers regarding publications, reports and meetings of Women in Development Europe (WIDE), (1980-1996).

Quantity

3 boxes.