The quality of the majority of women's lives in the next few years will largely hinge on the success or failure of the international movement against neo-liberal globalisation.

Corporate globalisation destroys women's rights

BY SUE BOLAND

The quality of the majority of women's lives in the next few years will largely hinge on the success or failure of the international movement against neo-liberal globalisation.

Neo-liberal policies such as privatisation of government services, axing of welfare provisions, removing food and fuel subsidies, weakening unions and introducing consumption taxes while cutting company tax have increased poverty massively around the world over the last 20 years. Because women's economic position in capitalist society means that women tend to be economically dependent on male partners or parents, or work in lower paid and insecure jobs, increased poverty hits women harder.

Women are also particularly affected by government withdrawal from the provision of services such as hospitals, health clinics, schools, child-care, nursing homes and disability services with the rationale that the market is a more “efficient