Canada and the Beijing Conference on Women

This book examines the process by which Canada’s policies forthe Fourth World Conference on Women were formulated: a process thatinvolved federal government officials from some twenty departments,provincial representatives, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)from across Canada.

Riddell-Dixon relates the findings of her study to two broadconcerns in the literature on Canadian foreign policy-making. First,she assesses the relative importance of developments in theinternational arena on the one hand, and of domestic pressures on theother in determining foreign policy.

Secondly, she considers the effectiveness of government efforts todemocratize foreign policy. Canada and the Beijing Conference onWomen concludes by offering some points for NGOs to consider whendeveloping lobbying strategies, as well as points for governmentofficials to take into account when considering measures to facilitateNGO participation in the policy-making processes for future worldconferences. Full of interviews with the key players involved, thisbook will interest scholars in Canadian foreign policy, women’sstudies, public policy, as well as diplomats and public servants.