OPENING SESSION ON FEMINISM

In this first short session of 1 hour, time was short, but it was intended to be an opener to begin with the most difficult issue: how to discuss women and development within a feminist framework. The blunt questions asked were: What was feminism and what did it mean to the Pacific women present? Later in the day, the workshop planned to look at the type of progress women had made during the UN Women's Decade. In this lengthier session, the workshop would begin to develop a critical analysis of ideas behind development projects, and whether or not they always helped women.

At the beginning of the discussion on “feminism”, participants introduced themselves and said a little about their work and/or experiences. It was important to remind participants that each was there representing herself, not any project or organisation. The first, difficult brain storming session on feminism then followed.