The United Nations Fourth World Women’s Conference had a colorful
start at Beijing on September 4th. This is the century’s most crucial
conference which aimed at changing the status quo of women’s lives characterized
by inequality.
In a preliminary session, Ms. Aung Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize
winner said that expanding women’s power will bring greater peace and tolerance
to the world.
“It is not the prerogative of men alone to bring light to this
world. Women with their capacity for compassion and self-sacrifice, with their
courage and perseverance have done much to dissipate the darkness of
intolerance and hate”, said Ms. Suu Kyi.
In the afternoon session Ms. Ayako Yamaguchi, a Japanese delegate,
launched a petition against beauty pageants. “What right do men have to evaluate
women in a few minutes? All women are beautiful. Beauty is something different
for everyone”, Ms. Ayako Yamaguchi said.
“Beauty contests are used as trade and exploitation. The training
is very vigorous, but it is the organizers, not the women, who get the full
benefit”, said Ms. Ranjana Bhargava. “After the competition, the women become
trapped and the abuse and the bad things begin. The women are tainted; no one
else will accept them”.
The Women’s
World Conference was very important because