The Women's Equality Summit and Congressional Action Day was held in Washington, DC, on April 8th and 9th after having been postponed from its original September 2001 dates. Organized by the National Council of Women's Organizations, a nonpartisan network of over 100 organizations representing more than six million women, the summit brought together hundreds of women from all fifty states to learn more about economic and reproductive rights issues and to participate in Congressional lobbying.

The summit began with an international women's rights forum, with panel members discussing the emergence of women's rights as a new priority. The remarks by Dr. Zieba Shorish-Shamley, the executive Director of the Women's Alliance for Peace and Human Rights in Afghanistan (WAPHA), were especially riveting as she described the current struggles of women in her country. A special presentation of "The Women of Ground Zero", a documentary tribute to those who served on that terrible day, featured six women telling their moving stories and selflessness and bravery. And the plenary session showcased presentations by some the foremost authorities in the nation on women's economic status, Dr. Heidi Hartmann and Ann Lewis, among others. Most of the issue briefings of the summit dealt with protecting social security, rethinking welfare reform, pay equity, the need for a livable minimum wage, and reproductive rights issues. Particpants heard more about how women's issues and votes will impact the elections of 2002 at a Capitol Hill breakfast on the second day of the summit, and spent the remainder of their time lobbying their representatives and senators on these issues.

Because Congress must reauthorize the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program later this year, the Domestic Priorities Task Force of NCWO has issued recommendations for its reauthorization. This is its executive summary:

"The purpose of welfare is to help families in need achieve self-sufficiency. The following principles are essential to a comprehensivee welfare policy:

• Education and job training, such as a college degree or vocational training, greatly improve the chances of parents getting and keeping jobs with adequate wages and benefits.
• Equal access to work opportunities that pay a self-supporting wage, offer benefits (i.e., health insurance, paid vacation, and sick leave), and have career ladders is critical to escaping poverty. Such access means opening up nontraditional work to women and vigorously enforcing anti-discrimination laws.
• In order for families in need to successfully achieve self-sufficiency, temporary assistance programs must include critical work supports such as child care, health care, housing, and transportation.

These are important issues that deserve our attention. Kudos to NCWO for providing us with information we will need as the Congress begins to deal with them. Stay tuned.¨