World Summit for Social Development Copenhagen, 1995

Chinese Hold Surprise Meeting on Beijing Women's Conference at Social Summit (ICT)

Copenhagen, March 10, ICT - The All China Women's Federation held a last-minute seminar at the NGO forum on the Beijing UN Women's Conference, giving rise to a host of concerns about running an UN-sponsored NGO forum in a communist country.

The seminar, titled "Welcome to Beijing," was announced by a handwritten flyer only hours before it was held, so that very few people knew it was happening, and no media was present. The crowd of approximately 60 people included over 20 Chinese officials and NGO representatives who applauded loudly after each speech.

The representatives from the Federation all read from texts which had the tone of pre-approved government speeches. The speeches concentrated on formal arrangements and facilities, and notably avoided discussion of substantive issues.

The feeling among NGOs in Copenhagen this week is that the freedoms they have enjoyed at the Social Summit and other summits, cannot be taken for granted - and may be a thing of the past as the realities of the Beijing conference become more apparent. Many people want to down play these issues, for fear they will get in the way of effectively promoting women's issues. However, it is becoming increasingly evident how closely these concerns are intertwined.

At the seminar, a woman in the audience from Kenya said that the pre-registration formalities required to attend the Beijing NGO forum would exclude many women from developing countries. She said that at the NGO forum here at the Social Summit, and at NGO forums at UN summits in Rio de Janeiro, Cairo and Vienna all allowed on-site registration. The Chinese delegates, who appeared uncomfortable with criticism, said that they could only raise such concerns with the appropriate committee. Unsatisfied with this response, the Kenyan woman insisted that "the problem is connected to the country."

In an often acrimonious and defensive atmosphere, the Chinese delegates tried to answer questions from the audience that were clearly difficult. Two of the 10 questions focused on access to the NGO forum by Tibetan women in exile. One Chinese delegate snapped at an Italian woman who raised the issue of Tibet, saying "You don't know the real situation in Tibet ... in this meeting I don't want to make any comment."

A second question on this topic prompted a lengthy speech on how there will be no problem with Tibetans attending the forum because "grassroots" delegates were coming from every province and autonomous region of China. Over 5,000 women from China will attend, she said, including Tibetan women and other "grassroots" people.

Other concerns included the high prices of hotels in Beijing and whether NGOs could hold seminars on China's birth control policies, and other topics controversial with the PRC government. The response was that the All China Women's Federation had already scheduled seminars, including a women's health seminar on birth control. This raised concerns as to whether western NGOs could freely host seminars on any topic they chose, and with any speakers they chose, without government interference. At the NGO Forum of the Social Summit, any registered NGO had complete freedom over the topic, content, format and proceedings of their seminars. Moreover, the registration process for NGOs was fair, and relatively easy, and no groups were excluded for their views or through the influence of any government.

Tsering Tsomo, a representative from the Dharamsala-based Tibetan Women's Association who attended the seminar said "unfortunately, this seminar confirmed many of our fears. It showed to everyone present that the political agenda and the political culture of the host country is going to affect the discussion in Beijing and may mean that we will not even be able to attend as we could here."

It was apparent that the women representing Chinese NGOs at the Social Summit ranged from genuinely independent people, to ideologues from groups such as the government controlled All China Women's Federation. The conference represents a major challenge for emerging Chinese NGOs who will be trying to push the limits of openness in Beijing as much as Tibetan advocates will. However, unlike Tibetan exiles, the Chinese NGOs are extremely well versed in how to push issues in China within allowable bounds. The advocacy style of the exile Tibetans is likely to be more indiscreet, although Tibetan groups are still having discussions about how to present their issues in Beijing.

One Chinese woman here said that the issue of admitting the public to the conference may not arise since the overwhelming number of applications from abroad may fill all available space at the NGO forum. NGO forums at other UN conferences have admitted thousands of local citizens to attend seminars, mingle among the booths set up by NGOs, and come away with armfuls of literature

Premier Li Peng is scheduled to arrive at 7:00 today at the Copenhagen airport where he will be met by demonstrating Chinese students. He is scheduled to address the official Social Summit tomorrow morning. He is not scheduled to visit the NGO forum.