Women throughout the world continue to fight for Women the most basic democratic and material rights — to control their own bodies, against violence, for and work, for decent living conditions. Their determined fight has on many occasions brought results, gains political have been made and attacks resisted. Often in these struggles they look for support from those organisations social and political organisations which stand for the rights of the oppressed and exploited, trade unions, movements fighting for national liberation, left-wing organisations which stand for the rights of all working people. This support is often forthcoming and many women indeed participate actively in these organisations. However, we also see that these organisations fail to integrate women and women's demands. Problems faced mainly or exclusively by women are rarely prioritised. And almost nowhere are women adequately represented in the membership and leadership of radical groups and social organisations. The following articles present socialist feminist experiences from round the world: as an illustration of the similarity of the problems faced and to give some ideas for change. • Members of the Philippine Communist Party before it went into crisis, talk about how the hypercentralised and vertical functioning of that organisation affected them as women activists and in their ability to respond to the reality of women's situation in their different regions. The crisis of the PCP, with its challenge to many of their previouslyheld ideas, has also made it possible to develop new thinking on this question. • Julieta from Mexico discusses a new political experience: the Zapatistas in Chiapas. She shows how a movement that has consciously rejected traditional forms of political organisation can encourage women's participation, but that the evolution of attitudes is a long process. • A South Africa feminist explores the difficulties of ensuring that women's specific needs are taken into account in the transformation of local government under the ANC-led government. • A report on the Palestinian elections underlines once again that. whatever women's commitment and sacrifice in such movements, when it comes to politics and governmental power, we find ourselves relegated to secondary positions. • A Brazilian trade unionist discusses the work of her teachers' union, and the Workers' Party (PT), in creating the consciousness among women of the Introduced by Penny Duggan need to fight women's oppression. • The British Labour Party has accepted a legal challenge to women-only shortlists (pre-selection) for parliamentary candidates. A mechanism which would have ensured at least some women candidates. If progressive organisations cannot integrate the interests of all the oppressed and exploited, we fight with one hand tied behind our back. We hope this dossier provokes discussion on ways to overcome the marginalisation of women, and of women's demands. *
International Viewpoint n° 275 7
* Women and political organisations