First published in 1981. The World Conference in Mexico City in 1975 marked the beginning of a global examination of women's roles in the economic, political and social life of their societies and a recognition of their right to participate fully and equally in all aspects of society. Most of the articles in this volume confirm, a great deal more needs to be done. Women continue to be more underfed, under educated and overworked than men ... a neglected and under-utilized minority. All of the articles in this Special Issue concentrate on sub-Saharan Africa, with the exception of Beneria's paper 'Accounting for Women's Work' which is a genera theoretical article. Most of the articles (five out of eight) in this issue deal with specific situations in which African women find themselves, ranging widely from sub-elite nurses in Zambia to the efforts of uneducated women in Nigeria to form a cooperative. Two of these articles concern the effect of development projects on women.