Women’s responsibilities emphasised

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33779, 27 February 1975, Page 6

Women’s responsibilities emphasised

Women’s responsibilities within the life of their community must be emphasised during International Women’s Year, Mrs C. E. Hill, president of the Christchurch Federated Business and Professional Women’s Club, said on Tuesday evening.

I.W.Y. was not designed ! just to improve the condition of women, she said,; opening the club’s celebra-! ition of International Night. Their responsibilities in (the social, economic, and t cultural fields must also be (recognised, she said. “World development will . come only through the equal progress and attainments of men and women,” she said. Equality was now seen as a fundamental principal, of human rights. It was also recognised as a necessary prerequisite of economic development, and a stimulus for world peace. Mrs Hill pointed out that the I.W.Y. symbol incorporated the dove of peace. This year was a time i to stimulate and intensify action to promote the goals (of the United Nations charter. PLAYING ITS PART World peace could be fostered by communication between women. The Christchurch club was playing its part. The secretary (Mrs E. M. Aitken) had begun a sys-

item of correspondence with | Business and Professional (Women’s federations (throughout the world. Several years ago the international federation had begun a scheme of “search parties” from member countries to find the obstacles to women’s full participation in public life. “In 1975 may we consolidate these foundations, and build them further,” she said. The United Nations Secre-tary-Genera) (Dr Kuft Waldheim) had said the significance of I.W.Y. would be "what we make of it.” It could make an imprint not only on the history of women’s development, but on the development of people all over the world. Greetings were received ffom sister federations and clubs in Canada, Switzer-i j land, England, Finland, Zam- i ibia and Australia. Messages! came also from clubs throughout New Zealand. The club’s vice-president., Mrs M. McG. Clark read ai special message from the i recently-elected international;

vice - president, Professor Beryl Nashar. It began by asking why women’s full role in society was taking so long to achieve when it had been appreciated in Plato’s time, four hundred years before Christ. Professor Nashar urged her audience to evaluate their efforts to eliminate discrimmation. She asked them to resolve that 1975 be the year when they made an allout effort. A 19th century economist had said the progress of a civilisation could be judged by looking at the place of women in it, In this century a renowned economist defined economic development as an invitation to women to join the human race. She hoped that by “concerted and combined effort iof us all” economists of the 121st century would see ! women as citizens of the ; world with equal opportuni ity and responsibility for the I economic, social, and cultural development of their countries.