NEXT STEPS . . .LOOKING BEYOND BEIJING
We are now on the final leg of our journey to Beijing, having
participated in the final PrepCom for the Fourth World Conference on
Women. But advocacy is far from over. Here are some ideas which we can
use to highlight our activities and mobilize support both before and
after the Beijing Conference:
BEFORE BEIJING
- Widely disseminate OFAN's Key Messages in order to inform and
challenge the public about women's roles in science and technology for
development.
- Send the OFAN Aims and Objectives to government officials and discuss
with them how the recommendations can be incorporated into national
and regional policy.
- Lobby to have independent OFAN representatives on official delegations
to the Beijing Conference.
- Target members of the government delegations and engage in informal
discussion aimed at ensuring endorsements of the science and
technology issues in the Platform for Action.
- Bring the OFAN agenda to the attention of educational institutions and
practitioners, and encourage educators to adopt some of the
recommendations.
- Use the OFAN Key Messages to lobby science and technology
practitioners and professionals to consider and influence the
implementation of the recommendations.
- Plan local events to draw attention to the works and achievements of
women in science and technology.
- Maintain local and national media interest with up-to-date information
packages on OFAN.
POST-BEIJING
- Spread knowledge gained from the conference through books, pamphlets,
videos, posters, postcards, newsletters, etc.
- Link more formal and non-formal organizations working in science and
technology through workshops and mentoring programmes. Influence
science groups by taking women's skills and knowledge to conferences,
etc. Participate as resource persons and keynote speakers on gender,
science and technology.
- Offer workshops on the different ways science and technology affect us
in our daily lives.
- Continue networking!
- ONCE AND FUTURE ACTION NETWORK NEWSLETTER - Vol. 1, No.2, May 1995
- Re-envisioning Women, Science and
Technology Towards 1995 and Beyond