An international conference on globalization and women's health is being held in Hong Kong on August 30 and 31 to explore the impact of globalization on women's health.

The conference, jointly organized by the Center for Environment, Gender and Development, School of Public Health and the Gender Research Center at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, is the first international conference focusing on the impact of globalization on women's health. About 80 international scholars from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, India, Singapore and the Philippines exchanged views on issues related to women's health in the changing conditions brought about by globalization.

As Asian countries liberalize their markets and privatize their public sectors, they are undergoing macroeconomic restructuring so as to integrate their national economies effectively into the global economy. These changes present opportunities and threats to women's health, well-being and quality of life, participants said.

At the conference, international scholars presented papers demonstrating how globalization is affecting women's environmental health, occupational health, psychological health, sexual-reproductive health and substance abuse.

The conference organizers and participants have proposed an international information system that will draw the attention of multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral partners to these concerns.

The Gender Research Center of the Chinese University of Hong Kong was inaugurated at the conference.

　　(From People's Daily)