GEM: (5) Differences in age, culture, and economic status surely must affect women's needs and the ways that they are prepared to join forces. Is there a likelihood of factions forming and hurting progress?

Ms. Abzug: There are always differences. There are always diverse points of view. But you'd be surprised. One thing I can tell you, having worked in a man's world, essentially for most of my adult life as a lawyer, a member of Congress, and as a politician and then having worked also all the time side by side with the women's movement--working on organizing women all over the world, especially through the organization I am a founder and head of, The Women's Environment and Development Organization, where, when we saw that they made no reference to women, to speak of, on the environment, we held our own Congress For a Healthy Planet. We had 1500 women from 83 countries, and we developed our own agenda. The U. N. agenda was called Agenda 21 for the 21st Century, and we called ours the Women's Action Agenda 21. We put down what our views were of the world.

We got to consensus pretty quickly. Do you know why women can agree more quickly, though we come from different classes and cultures and geographies? --Because no matter where we are, no matter what country, what economic division we're in, what race, what cultural background, women are still, still the victims of discrimination of those who control power.

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