This book covers plenary talks given during the nine-day 1995 NGO Forum that ran parallel to the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. It offers a comprehensive overview of critical issues and challenges, as viewed by more than 30 speakers -- women leaders from governmental and non-governmental organizations worldwide: approaches to governance, obstacles to peace and security, challenges posed by globalization, rise of conservatism, and media/culture/communications. Part II deal with strategies and mechanisms to meet these challenges, as explained by more than 40 speakers. The final two sections deal with future concerns: accountability, action, and intergenerational dialogue. This book is an important resource. it has been translated into French an Spanish.