Wang THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT IN CHINA governments arrive first at basic consensus.The Platform as revised was officially approved,albeit with some countries expressing reservations on certain issues.One important victory was final approval,after two and a half years of heated debate,of the incorporation of women's unwaged labor into such economic measures as the gross national product.And yet,the UN's top-down approach to promoting women's interests in the past two decades has proven ineffective.Recent feminist analyses suggest as preferable the bottom-up approach,in which women and their grass- roots organizations exert control in the development and political pro- cesses,provide input to policymakers at different levels,and influence politics nationally and internationally.10 Government's agreement to eliminate the gender gaps in satisfaction of basic needs is fundamental to all people's life sustenance and survival. Governments should acknowledge the need for gender-sensitive and community-centered development that will empower people,build on women's rights and realities,eliminate poverty,secure sustainable liveli- hoods,build stable and healthy lives in communities,and promote peace on a long-term basis.New partnerships between government and civil society are in the making so as to solve women's problems more effec- tively.However,adequate resource allocations,organizational mecha- nisms,and processes for implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action still require continued efforts worldwide to demand world govern- ments'accountability to moral imperatives in working with local NGOs and grassroots groups.The global women's movement has grown and made some waves in the past two decades.However,it still must "move mountains"to translate the Platform for Action into reality and to build a better world for women,men,and children. 10 Chow and Berheide,eds. Noeleen Heyzer,ed.,A Commitment to the World's Women:Perspectives on Devel- opment for Beijing and Beyond (New York:United Nations Development Fund for Women,1995),introduction. A Historic Turning Point for the Women's Movement in China Wang Zheng Mountain View,California S A CHINESE woman returning home from abroad,I was eager to learn how Chinese women would respond to the Fourth World Conference on Women (FWCW)and the Non- Governmental Organization(NGO)Forum and how this his- 192 SIGNS A4t4mn1996 This content downloaded from 91.229.229.96 on Sat,14 Jun 2014 12:14:47 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and ConditionsWang THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT IN CHINA governments arrive first at basic consensus. The Platform as revised was officially approved, albeit with some countries expressing reservations on certain issues. One important victory was final approval, after two and a half years of heated debate, of the incorporation of women's unwaged labor into such economic measures as the gross national product. And yet, the UN's top-down approach to promoting women's interests in the past two decades has proven ineffective. Recent feminist analyses suggest as preferable the bottom-up approach, in which women and their grass￾roots organizations exert control in the development and political pro￾cesses, provide input to policymakers at different levels, and influence politics nationally and internationally.10 Government's agreement to eliminate the gender gaps in satisfaction of basic needs is fundamental to all people's life sustenance and survival. Governments should acknowledge the need for gender-sensitive and community-centered development that will empower people, build on women's rights and realities, eliminate poverty, secure sustainable liveli￾hoods, build stable and healthy lives in communities, and promote peace on a long-term basis.1" New partnerships between government and civil society are in the making so as to solve women's problems more effec￾tively. However, adequate resource allocations, organizational mecha￾nisms, and processes for implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action still require continued efforts worldwide to demand world govern￾ments' accountability to moral imperatives in working with local NGOs and grassroots groups. The global women's movement has grown and made some waves in the past two decades. However, it still must "move mountains" to translate the Platform for Action into reality and to build a better world for women, men, and children. 10 Chow and Berheide, eds. 1' Noeleen Heyzer, ed., A Commitment to the World's Women: Perspectives on Devel￾opment for Beijing and Beyond (New York: United Nations Development Fund for Women, 1995), introduction. A Historic Turning Point for the Women's Movement in China Wang Zheng Mountain View, California ,A S A C H I N E S E woman returning home from abroad, I was eager to learn how Chinese women would respond to the Fourth World Conference on Women (FWCW) and the Non￾Governmental Organization (NGO) Forum and how this his- 192 SIGNS Autumn 1996 This content downloaded from 91.229.229.96 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 12:14:47 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions