Peoples' Summit of the Americas - April 2001

Globalization is Sexist : The Women's Forum is the Proof! - Québec - April 17, 2001

Montréal (Québec, Canada), March 30, 2001

To World March of Women participating groups in the Americas

Dear friends:

Here is information (that we hope you will circulate) concerning the Second Peoples' Summit of the Americas that will be taking place in Québec City (Québec, Canada) from April 16 to 21, 2001.

What is the Second People' Summit of the Americas?

In April 2001, Quebec will host the Third Summit of American Heads of State, attended by 34 leaders from every country in the Americas except Cuba. The purpose of the gathering is to pursue negotiations for the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

Since the Summit of the Americas held in Miami in 1994, our governments have made a commitment to define a shared vision and create the basis for a new partnership in the Americas. While education, eliminating poverty and discrimination, and preserving and strengthening democracy and human rights have been targeted as themes, the key issue remains the establishment of a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

Labour, social, feminist and environmental organizations throughout the hemisphere believe that the proposed FTAA promotes a development model that is unjust and destructive. Furthermore, current negotiations give too much weight to business while excluding any genuine public consultation.

Faced with this reality, social movements throughout the Americas are organizing!

Women of the Americas are united!

Women are very active in organizing opposition to globalization; there are various reasons for this. We are the first to feel the negative impact of economic and social development resulting from the glorification of profits and consumption, scant State intervention, wealth redistributed in crumbs based on merit, a hierarchical view of rights and cultural homogenization; we are also the ones who are required to fill the void when social programs are cut and who are counted on to assure the survival of the community and the family, often forced to work in the informal economy.

Women of the Americas see that the work accomplished over the last 25 years is under serious threat. We have struggled for recognition of our rights, respect for our physical and mental integrity, and to be free of the enforced darkness created by a social system that favours one sex over the other. Now the gains we have won are being eroded. Women are organizing and are marching together!

Calendar of activities of particular interest to women

A series of events-activities of resistance, mobilization and awareness-raising- will be taking place throughout the week. Some of these activities will be in the form of forums (requiring prior registration). Others will be open to the public and will be held in public areas and in the streets.

Attached you will find a preliminary calendar to permit those planning to participate in the Summit to identify activities of particular interest to women.

Forums: Seven forums will be held from April 17 to18; they will address the following themes: education, work, the environment, the role of the State, communications, agriculture and human rights. Each forum is being organized independently. The forums will conclude with a day-long plenary on April 19.

An eighth forum on Women and Globalization is being jointly organized by the Fédération des femmes du Québec, the World March of Women and the Women's Committee of the Continental Social Alliance; it will be held on April 16 from 3 - 7:30 p.m. (reservation required). This is a preparatory forum for women who will be participating in the seven other thematic forums being held during the week. Women will discuss the chapter on women of the alternatives document produced by the Continental Social Alliance. They will prepare their participation in the other forums with the firm intention of providing a feminist analysis of each theme and proposing women's alternatives, in particular some of the international demands of the World March of Women.

Calendar of activities

Wednesday, April 18

"Council of Wise Women" on the impact of free-trade agreements and globalization on women

7:30 - 10:30 p.m. - Location: Ex Machina, 103 rue Dalhousie
Women from the South, in collaboration with the World March of Women, are organizing a popular tribunal on the impact of the free-trade agreements on women. Reports by women from various American sub-regions will allow us to evaluate the scale of harm done to women from the South and the North by NAFTA and its clones. Charges will be brought against the appropriate bodies. Simultaneous interpretation is provided during this activity.

Thursday, April 19

Weaving a Web of Solidarity

On April 19 and 20, the Women's Committee of SalAMI invites women to join a feminist action called "Weaving a Web of Solidarity." They invite us to weave a web by writing messages on ribbons, banners, and strips of cloth. Women (in affinity groups) can paint, draw, knot cords and braid yarn to weave a web representing the negative consequences of globalization on the lives of women and women's hope for a new world. You can decide on your level of participation: you can send your section of the web by mail to the Women's Committee before the Summit (if you aren't planning to be there) or you can bring it with you and participate in the action yourself! For more information.

Women's Mural against the FTAA

Early evening (April 19) - Location: on the security perimeter
Weave the web on the security perimeter. To be followed by a solidarity vigil at the same site. This is a non-violent direct action that requires training beforehand. For more information you can contact the organizing group at.
See under April 20 for another web-weaving activity that will take place far from the security perimeter.

Friday, April 20

Popular Teach-In

9 a.m. - 9 p.m. - Location: Chapiteau du Vieux Port
A day-long teach-in where critical reflection on globalization will be combined with art and music. Discussions, news and updates from the North and the South, revelatory and moving video-clips and over 15 musical groups of the Americas will be presented in an atmosphere of celebration. "Mystery" guests will help us create a mix of politics, learning and pleasure. On the agenda: issues such as health, social justice and popular resistance, environmental deregulation, job insecurity and cheap labour, agriculture, agrarian reform and Aboriginal peoples' rights.

FTAA's impact on women citizens

Starting at 9 a.m. - Location: Vieux Port
"Americas Avenue" will be offering educational activities on the consequences and stakes involved in free-trade and forced economic integration for the countries of the three Americas. Subjects will include the FTAA, privatization of water, clear-cutting of the forests, the WTO and other international institutions, violence against women, militarism, health, education, the media, Canadian mining, financial crises, etc. "Alternatives Avenue" will provide groups with the opportunity to present concrete alternatives to globalization; life and consumer choices that do not exacerbate the globalization of capital but rather help undo its domination.

Women's Clothes Line

9 a.m. - Location: near the Bassin Louise in the Basse-Ville (lower part of the city)
In addition to weaving a web of solidarity (see action on April 19) you can hang it up on the Women's Clothes Line (April 20) on "Alternatives Avenue" (far from the security perimeter).

World March of Women: Informal Meeting 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. - Location: Women's Space (PATRO Laval, 145 rue Bigaouette)

Open to all women who participated in organizing the March and who wish to gather informally for exchanges on how the March went in their countries and to discuss future actions. There will be no simultaneous interpretation during this activity, but rather discussion groups in 2 languages (with whisper translation). Please let us know ahead of time if you have special needs in terms of mobility.

Saturday, April 21

March of the Peoples of the Americas

noon - 5 p.m.
Location: gather at Rue Abraham-Martin, ending at Parc Victoria
The March of the Peoples of the Americas will wind peacefully through the streets of the "Basse-Ville" (lower section) of Québec City. People from all social movements will participate in this March of solidarity. Women of the Americas will form a vibrant and determined contingent as a continuation of the women citizens' action known as the World March of Women for unity and equality.

Throughout the week

Women's Space

Location: PATRO Laval, 145 rue Bigaouette
This space will be open April 16 from 12 - 9 p.m. and
April 17 - 20 from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
The Fédération des femmes du Québec, in collaboration with Québec women's groups, will provide women with a space that will be open all week as a way of encouraging workshops on various topics and informal exchanges. It will serve as a meeting-place for women who want to meet, organize small gatherings, spontaneous workshops, etc. You can reserve a block of time now.

If your group is organizing other activities during the week, please send us the information as soon as possible.