5

This article addresses the WIDF’s programs with non-European women in the so-called “developing countries”. Created in Paris in 1945, the WIDF defended anti-colonialism and anti-racism and campaigned for equality between men and women “throughout the whole world”. The article explores connections between WIDF’s campaigns for changing the status of women and economic development in the context of cultural competition during the Cold War. The documents analyzed here show that its programs in support of women in developing countries laid importance on solidarity with the anti-colonial struggle and on state support for motherhood and children. WIDF’s presentation of its work for women from these countries stressed its difference from the kind of work carried out by its Cold War adversaries. However, like Western development programs, most of those encouraged by the WIDF were influenced by the ideology of modernity, and had little regard for pre-colonial and other forms of women’s power and solidarity. Furthermore, women working for the WIDF often expressed their lack of confidence in women from the developing countries and sometimes even had racist attitudes towards non-European women.