Occasional publications, Articles and interviews

From the Spring 2002 issue of WCCN's Sister State Update

by Rose-Marie Avin

What does globalization imply for women in the world economy, especially for women in Nicaragua? Globalization, defined as an "increased economic interdependence and integration in the world economy" through the expansion of trade, technology, investment, and finance, affects the lives of men and women everywhere. It is argued, however, that trade has a different impact on women than on men, given the patriarchal structures of societies, discrimination, and the marginalization of women in the Third World. The question is: Does globalization reinforce women’s inferior status, or does it contribute to their empowerment? Studies have shown that the impact is varied, complex, and multidimensional. In this article, I will discuss one important aspect of globalization: the rapid expansion of trade through the creation and proliferation of Free Trade Zones (FTZs), also known as "maquilas," and their impact on the socioeconomic conditions of women in Nicaragua.

by Julie Knop

I participated in WCCN's US-Nicaragua Women's Empowerment Project study tour of Nicaragua in June 1999, when WCCN and Nicaragua's Network of Women Against Violence co-sponsored a conference on stress and trauma reduction techniques. About 100 women traveled from across Nicaragua to Managua in order to attend.

I am a social worker and certified traumatologist, who has most recently been working with women who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence. As a former WCCN work-study student and Board Member, and former long-time resident in Nicaragua, the study tour was a perfect opportunity to reconnect with old contacts while, in response to the most recent disaster, sharing new skills I have acquired.

by Midge Quandt

In Nicaragua, President Enrique Bolaños is taking measures against the corruption of the previous regime of the notorious Arnoldo Aleman. This effort is pivotal to changing a political system based on the venal sharing of power by top political leaders, as Sofia Montenegro notes below in her April 2002 interview with Midge Quandt. Montenegro talks about how various groups are coming together to pressure the government to take action on this front. The groups include the Network of Women Against Violence, which WCCN supports, the National Feminist Committee (CNF), founded by Montenegro, and The Citizen Movement (MC) also organized by her.

From the Spring 2002 issue of WCCN's Sister State Update

by Carlos Arenas, WCCN Executive Director

Plan Puebla-Panamá (PPP) is a set of transnational megaprojects related to: commerce, roads, tourism, electrical interconnection, telecommunications and environmental management. Mexican President Vicente Fox first unveiled PPP on November 30, 2000. The announcement was part of a very ambitious development plan for the South and Southeastern Mexico that would extend through all of Central America, as part of Fox’s vision to promote economic globalization in the so-called Mesoamerica region. After Fox’s announcement, multinational financial institutions gave their support, with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) acting as the main catalyst.

by Julie Rammer, WCCN Intern

A series of earthquakes and tremors have shaken the southern Pacific zone of Nicaragua since the afternoon of June 29, 2000. The first quake, 5.4 on the Richter Scale, hit hardest around the area of the Laguna de Apoyo (Crater Lake), southwest of Managua. The earthquakes have resulted in seven deaths, six of them children, and 42 injuries. In addition, upwards of 3000 families have been affected, with many still living in shelters or on the streets, too frightened by the recurring shakings to return to what is left of their homes.

Amy Domini is President of the Domini Social Equity Fund. She is also a trustee with the Loring, Wolcott & Coolidge Office in Boston, MA, which serves as an advisor to socially responsible investors. In collaboration with Peter Kinder and Steven Lydenberg, she created the Domini 400 Social Index in 1990, which uses a comprehensive screen to evaluate corporate investments based on their performance in areas such as environmental responsibility, community giving, employee relations and product quality. She is also the co-author (with Kinder) of Ethical Investing and (with Kinder and Lydenberg) The Social Investment Almanac and Investing for Good.