How would the world function if women didn't show up to work? What would happen to the household if women decided they didn't want to prepare dinner or take the kids to soccer practice?

Fifty countries are about to find out as women around the world participate in today's Global Women's Strike. The strike aims to increase the value placed upon women's contributions to society and the economy.

The strike was called by the National Women's Council of Ireland, and was made global by the International Wages for Housework Campaign and the International Women Count Network.

"We're calling for a millennium that recognizes the tremendous amount of work we do as women," said Rachel West, of the Wages for Housework Campaign, and member of San Francisco's strike committee.

According to the groups, women do 2/3 of the world's work and only receive five percent of the world's income. "Women need to stop working to make visible what they contribute to the economy," said Lori Nairne, with Wages Due Lesbians. "When secretaries stop, it's serious. We really don't know what's going to happen, but we've received an incredibly huge response from women across the globe," she said.

Each country has its own unique way of getting its message across:

Starting at noon, women in Spain plan to take a two-hour break from their daily rituals. Local unions have expressed support for their efforts.

In Equador, women are holding conferences on paid and unpaid work. Equador's constitution is one of the few that recognize housework as "productive."

Women in Burkina Faso are "striking to exist" by demanding access to birth certificates and identity cards.

Irish women are demanding an annual Paid Public Holiday on Feb 1, 2001.

Women in the Philippines are encouraging others to take part in an anti-consumerism movement. No housework, shopping or working allowed.

What about those who are unable to turn their backs on work and/or household duties? Women in Argentina are asking those who can't attend the Housewives Union to support the strike by putting a broom outside their front door. Women participating in Los Angeles, California plan to place signs on their desks reading: "Leave me alone. I'm on strike!"

But many wonder whether the strike will further the cause or stigmatize the women who don't show up to work? The former occurred in Iceland on October 24, 1975. When women there went on strike, the whole country ground to a halt. "Their demands for equal pay were heard and their benefits were increased," said West.

The groups hope the strike not only results in more recognition for women, but also publicizes the fact that while $700 billion a year is spent on military budgets worldwide, less than $20 billion is spent on clean water, health, sanitation and basic education.

Women are striking for:

-Pay equity for all.
-Protection against violence - at home, in the factory, office, on the farm and on the street.
-Decent wages for caring work, whether in the family or outside.
-Paid maternity leave and breast-feeding breaks.
-Increased pensions and child benefits.
-Implementation of the 1995 UN decision to measure and value the unpaid work done by women and men in national economic statistics.

The Internet has played a pivotal role in spreading the word and the groups organizing the event have been inundated with emails from around the world.

One woman from Burkina Faso writes: "Women are not allowed to make decisions in the home. When children want to get married only the father's decision counts. We make love willingly or unwillingly, without pleasure. Single women are given no value."

An American woman writes: "I'm going on strike on behalf of working mothers everywhere so that we can be respected. I'm in middle management and have just been told that my child having needs is no excuse for me to work at home occasionally."

Novelist John Arden, who lives in Ireland, says he supports the strike because: "When I was a child I was constantly aware that my mother was occupied day in day out with what she called her 'voluntary work'...Not only did she not get paid for this, I don't think she even got thanks."

Ironically enough, everyone involved in the Strike is working on a volunteer basis. Some form of pay would be nice, but Nairne says, "It's very satisfying."