This week, our friends at the London School of Economics and Political Science's Women's Library open their new exhibition, Women of the World Unite: the United Nations Decade for Women and transnational feminisms 1975 to now
Spanning from 1975 to 1985, the UN Decade for Women was a critical period that pushed women’s rights to the forefront of global conversations. It marked a time of heightened international collaboration and activism around women’s issues, highlighting the intersection of gender, race, class, and economic justice. Ahead of the exhibition's opening, we sat down with co--curator, Dr Imaobong Umoren to talk about the Decade for Women, it's legacy, and the concept of "feminisms," rather than feminism .
The UN Decade for Women: A Turning Point in Global Feminism
The UN Decade for Women (1975-1985) was launched with the aim of addressing the widespread inequalities that women faced globally. The Decade's inception in 1975 coincided with the first World Conference on Women in Mexico City, which brought together feminist leaders, policymakers, and activists to discuss and confront global gender disparities. Over the next ten years, the UN sponsored further global conferences, the most significant being the 1980 conference in Copenhagen and the 1985 conference in Nairobi.
These events marked a moment when women's voices were amplified on the international stage. For the first time, issues like reproductive rights, access to education, equal employment opportunities, and violence against women were presented not only as national issues but also as matters of global concern. As countries came together in solidarity, a collective consciousness around gender justice emerged that laid the foundation for future feminist movements.
DAWN: The Formation of a Transnational Feminist Organization
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN) is a collective of radical feminist scholars and activists, who came together to challenge the Western narratives around development, economic policy, and social justice that were dominating conversations during the Decade for Women.
At a time when many international development policies were being shaped by the Global North, DAWN aimed to critique and transform the ways in which these policies affected women, particularly those in the Global South. The organization’s founding members, including prominent figures like Amina Mama, Kamla Bhasin, and Gita Sen, understood that issues such as poverty, economic inequality, and environmental degradation were inextricably linked to patriarchal systems and needed to be addressed through feminist frameworks. DAWN’s work helped to conceptualize development as something that must be equitable, inclusive, and centred on the needs of women from all parts of the world.
By working transnationally, DAWN contributed significantly to the feminist discourse on development, emphasizing the importance of feminist solidarity and the need to centre the voices of marginalized women, including Indigenous women, women of colour, and working-class women, in the fight for justice.
The LSE Women’s Library Exhibition: Preserving Feminist History
To commemorate and explore the history of the UN Decade for Women and its ongoing legacy, the LSE Women’s Library has curated a fascinating exhibition, “Women of the World Unite: The United Nations Decade for Women and Transnational Feminisms 1975 to Now.” The exhibition showcases the rich history of women’s movements, feminist scholarship, and activism, bringing attention to the critical role that the UN Decade for Women played in advancing women’s rights.
The exhibition documents how the feminist movement shifted from local struggles to transnational activism, highlighting key events, like the 1975 Mexico City conference, as well as the contributions of organizations like DAWN. Through photographs, archival materials, and personal stories, the exhibition underscores the intersections of global feminist struggles and the ways in which the UN Decade for Women laid the groundwork for the transnational feminist movements that followed.
By exploring these themes, the exhibition also acknowledges the work of scholars, activists, and organizers who were instrumental in challenging the patriarchal and neoliberal systems that continued to marginalize women. The display highlights the importance of documenting feminist history and ensuring that the stories of those who fought for justice are not forgotten.
Women of the World Unite: the United Nations Decade for Women and transnational feminisms 1975 to now is open until 22nd August 2025, at the LSE Library. Opening hours are:
9am to 7pm Monday to Friday
11am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday
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