Showing posts with label Europe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Europe. Show all posts
Saturday, 11 October 2008
Friday, 10 October 2008
Highlights from day one: EUROPE versus WOMEN, part one
When you want to change the world, the first question to ask is 'who makes the decisions?' During the first day of the Wide conference, Amandine Bach challenged the conference participants to find these (in)visible forces in Europe. In a heated debate, Bach kept returning to that one important question: 'How can we challenge the main policy actors that shape women's position?'
By Mirjana Dokmanovic
Finding the answers to this question is not an easy task. To start with, the participants of the Parallel Session 'Europe, Europeans & European global players of today in the context of globalisation' had difficulties on agreeing about the concept of 'Europe'. Keywords started to buzz around the room: Democracy! Human rights! Diversity! But also: Migrants! Sexism! Fortress! Consumerism! And not to forget, a hypocritical attitude of paternalism toward the South. Europe shows itself as a social democracy, but it cannot hide the fact that Europe is first and foremost market oriented, in which corporations play a crucial role.
The session participants identified corporations, governments, and citizens as angles of a triangular constructed Europe. These many faces of Europe bring both opportunities and threats. It enables economic development, but at the same time, it produces unemployment, insecurity and demands opening up national economies to big European corporate players in favor of very small elite.
So, how can we, as feminists, react?
This article has been published in Daily Visions 10-10-2008
By Mirjana Dokmanovic
Finding the answers to this question is not an easy task. To start with, the participants of the Parallel Session 'Europe, Europeans & European global players of today in the context of globalisation' had difficulties on agreeing about the concept of 'Europe'. Keywords started to buzz around the room: Democracy! Human rights! Diversity! But also: Migrants! Sexism! Fortress! Consumerism! And not to forget, a hypocritical attitude of paternalism toward the South. Europe shows itself as a social democracy, but it cannot hide the fact that Europe is first and foremost market oriented, in which corporations play a crucial role.
The session participants identified corporations, governments, and citizens as angles of a triangular constructed Europe. These many faces of Europe bring both opportunities and threats. It enables economic development, but at the same time, it produces unemployment, insecurity and demands opening up national economies to big European corporate players in favor of very small elite.
So, how can we, as feminists, react?
This article has been published in Daily Visions 10-10-2008
Human trafficking at conferences
Discussing and building feminist futures is not possible for everybody. At this annual conference we are missing the contributions from several very strong feminist activists and gender experts working in the South. WIDE and WO=MEN invited these people, but the Dutch embassies in their countries could not provide them visas.
By Gea Meijers
Despite sending visa invitation letters from conference organizers in the past several months, Dutch embassies did not provide the prospective participants with visas. Some embassies were closed, while other embassies could set up visa appointments only after the conference.
Thanks to the preparation of the conference organizers and invited participants, many people were able to get their visa. But it is a shame that getting to Europe is at times practically impossible to arrange. Is it a lack in service offered by Dutch embassies, and other embassies in the EU, or is this practice political?
Governments are afraid that people will not return from conferences, and of people abusing such invitations for other purposes. Indeed, international conferences are being misused for human trafficking. WO=MEN staff actually did receive some questionable requests from people claiming to want to participate. In those circumstances, it is the responsibility of the organizers of the conference to make sure the participants are not involved in trafficking. But the fear of governments does still not excuse them for offering poor support, very slow processes of applying and withholding visas.
This article has been published in Daily Visions 10-10-2008
By Gea Meijers
Despite sending visa invitation letters from conference organizers in the past several months, Dutch embassies did not provide the prospective participants with visas. Some embassies were closed, while other embassies could set up visa appointments only after the conference.
Thanks to the preparation of the conference organizers and invited participants, many people were able to get their visa. But it is a shame that getting to Europe is at times practically impossible to arrange. Is it a lack in service offered by Dutch embassies, and other embassies in the EU, or is this practice political?
Governments are afraid that people will not return from conferences, and of people abusing such invitations for other purposes. Indeed, international conferences are being misused for human trafficking. WO=MEN staff actually did receive some questionable requests from people claiming to want to participate. In those circumstances, it is the responsibility of the organizers of the conference to make sure the participants are not involved in trafficking. But the fear of governments does still not excuse them for offering poor support, very slow processes of applying and withholding visas.
This article has been published in Daily Visions 10-10-2008
International justice
By Suvi Kilpeläinen
Hands holding passports. That is the picture that welcomes the conference participants at the gate of the granite, sandstone and red brick Peace Palace. You can always feel some tension when you are waiting for your turn in the security checking line. You might start worrying: 'Is my name on the list? Did I leave my passport back at the hotel?'
This lovely autumn day and the slightly unsettling safety measures may have led you to forget about the history and importance of the magnificent building in which we gather: The Peace Palace. Today, this building houses the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The setting for the WIDE Annual Conference is the main place where justice is debated and conferred within the United Nations.
The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established by the United Nations Charter, signed in 1945 in San Francisco, and began work in 1946 in the Peace Palace, The Hague. The Court, which is composed of 15 judges, has a dual role: in accordance with international law, it settles legal disputes between States who have asked for arbitration, and provides advice on legal matters referred to by both authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.
So the next time you are in the security checking line, take a minute and think about the Hague Peace Conferences and the International Court of Justice – it has a significant place in the history of nations across the globe.
This article has been publised in Daily News 10-10-2008
Hands holding passports. That is the picture that welcomes the conference participants at the gate of the granite, sandstone and red brick Peace Palace. You can always feel some tension when you are waiting for your turn in the security checking line. You might start worrying: 'Is my name on the list? Did I leave my passport back at the hotel?'
This lovely autumn day and the slightly unsettling safety measures may have led you to forget about the history and importance of the magnificent building in which we gather: The Peace Palace. Today, this building houses the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The setting for the WIDE Annual Conference is the main place where justice is debated and conferred within the United Nations.
The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established by the United Nations Charter, signed in 1945 in San Francisco, and began work in 1946 in the Peace Palace, The Hague. The Court, which is composed of 15 judges, has a dual role: in accordance with international law, it settles legal disputes between States who have asked for arbitration, and provides advice on legal matters referred to by both authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.
So the next time you are in the security checking line, take a minute and think about the Hague Peace Conferences and the International Court of Justice – it has a significant place in the history of nations across the globe.
This article has been publised in Daily News 10-10-2008
What to expect tomorrow: European Global Players
The WIDE Annual Conference aims to come up with new strategies for feminists to promote a transformation towards an equal world. To do so, WIDE has gathered almost 200 feminists from all over the globe. At the last day of this conference, these participants will exchange successful strategies and find new ways to achieve their goals.
By Suvi Kilpeläinen
Did you think 'the players of Europe' were the same as 'the European Union'? Or was I the only one? My thinking could have been narrowed by the fact that I have been living and working in Brussels for a while. Considering Europe as the same as the EU is definitely a negative side effect of living inside the infamous Brussels bubble. So it is positive to notice that the Brussels bubble hasn't affected the programme committee of the Wide Annual Conference. They have managed to see outside of the box of EU and outside the traditional concept of Europe.
And do you still remember how strictly the concept of Europe was defined for us in school books? Well, I do. Hopefully this will change when the EU, now identified as only one of the European players, is ready to talk about what Europe is and what it means to its inhabitants. Moreover, there needs to be a discussion about what Europe means to women outside of Europe and what kind of effect Europe has on the global world and it's habitants.
The European players don't only affect women in Europe but also to women outside of Europe. This is a fact that seems to be forgotten so often. Women's rights and gender equality aren't topping high in the trade negotiations. Trade is not charity, trade is business. Unfortunately in business, the weakest people don't have room for input. The most vulnerable people are normally women who are working 14 hours per day without any overtime compensation. They sleep on the floors of factories because they don't have means or time to go to home. And when such a worker becomes sick, or too old to work, it is easy to replace her because there is always somebody else to do the work.
This could be a description of an Indian factory, but the same reality can be found inside Europe. And the responsibility to change this belongs to us all. The second day of the WIDE Annual Conference will offer us challenges, but also opportunities for a just Europe.
This article has been published in Daily Visions 10-10-2008
By Suvi Kilpeläinen
Did you think 'the players of Europe' were the same as 'the European Union'? Or was I the only one? My thinking could have been narrowed by the fact that I have been living and working in Brussels for a while. Considering Europe as the same as the EU is definitely a negative side effect of living inside the infamous Brussels bubble. So it is positive to notice that the Brussels bubble hasn't affected the programme committee of the Wide Annual Conference. They have managed to see outside of the box of EU and outside the traditional concept of Europe.
And do you still remember how strictly the concept of Europe was defined for us in school books? Well, I do. Hopefully this will change when the EU, now identified as only one of the European players, is ready to talk about what Europe is and what it means to its inhabitants. Moreover, there needs to be a discussion about what Europe means to women outside of Europe and what kind of effect Europe has on the global world and it's habitants.
The European players don't only affect women in Europe but also to women outside of Europe. This is a fact that seems to be forgotten so often. Women's rights and gender equality aren't topping high in the trade negotiations. Trade is not charity, trade is business. Unfortunately in business, the weakest people don't have room for input. The most vulnerable people are normally women who are working 14 hours per day without any overtime compensation. They sleep on the floors of factories because they don't have means or time to go to home. And when such a worker becomes sick, or too old to work, it is easy to replace her because there is always somebody else to do the work.
This could be a description of an Indian factory, but the same reality can be found inside Europe. And the responsibility to change this belongs to us all. The second day of the WIDE Annual Conference will offer us challenges, but also opportunities for a just Europe.
This article has been published in Daily Visions 10-10-2008
Chantal Gill’ard: 'Feminist talk is not the talk of Parliament'
Chantal Gill'ard has a background in philosophy and ethics in biotechnology. She is most currently known for her work as a politician in the Dutch Parliament. Gill'ard will attend WIDE on behalf of AWEPA; the Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa.
By Karoline Kemp
As I enter the office of Chantal Gill'ard at the Parliament, she tells me that she has to shift her mindset for our conversation. Feminist talk is not the talk of Parliament. I grab the opportunity to ask her if she defines herself as a feminist. Gill'ard responds with the clever grin of a politician, saying that she is a critical thinker who incorporates feminism, indeed, several types of feminisms, into her work. Her belief that the women’s movement is strengthened by diversity is something she attempts to bring into her Parliamentary work. The language that she uses in Parliament has had to fill a gap in feminist stances, which she describes as not having been the easiest of transitions.
We shift our discussion to more detailed aspects of her work, and Gill’ard begins to talk about her work with an enthusiasm that is hard to deny. The work of her portfolio centers around reproductive rights, with specific attention paid to the right to abortion. Gill’ard endorses the right of a woman to control her own body, and does this on a political level by supporting legislation in The Netherlands that sets out to protect the rights of women to abortion. Her party, the PVDA, recently voted against a legislative policy on abortion because they did not think it went far enough; they believe that the law should also protect the right to access services.
Number 5
Much of Chantal Gill’ard’s work has roots in Millennium Development Goal Number 5, which aims to improve maternal health worldwide. 'While many countries have not protected women’s rights to abortion, others have,' Gill’ard says, 'and this unevenness in policies is unfair.' Engaging with the Lisbon Treaty is one way in which she approaches meeting this goal, which comes with her involvement in medical ethics as well as development cooperation. Thus, she works not only at ensuring the rights of women to abortion, but she also acts alongside other government parliamentarians to ensure that those Member States who join the Lisbon Treaty guarantee women’s rights as a precondition for their membership.
Another interesting area of Gill’ard's work is with AWEPA, the Association of European Parliamentarian’s for Africa. She became involved with AWEPA after speaking at a symposium on HIV/Aids and orphans, where Archbishop Desmond Tutu was also speaking. Gill’ard decided to join the group, and has since participated in a meeting in Washington, D.C. to strategise about how to bring the views of Parliamentarians to bear on the issue of aid effectiveness at the recent High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, which took place in Ghana at the beginning of September.
Gill’ard notes that it is not only important for civil society to have a united voice, but that Parliamentarians must also work more on this. While the Netherlands has not been active in AWEPA for the past several years, her recent membership in the network means a valuable group of people will be brought back in to deal with important issues. Again, MDG 5 is a key part of this work, and here, Gill’ard observes that their work must not only focus on the right to abortion, but also on ensuring that the women are able to deliver their babies safely. This is also a human right that governments must work to protect, and to this end, Gill’ard is busy organising an inter-parliamentary conference which will produce a road map for the 80 or so Parliamentarians who will attend. Organised alongside the World Health Organisation, they will try to ensure that Member States’ commitments to the MDGs are further endorsed and implemented.
this article has been published in Daily Visions on 10-10-2008
By Karoline Kemp
As I enter the office of Chantal Gill'ard at the Parliament, she tells me that she has to shift her mindset for our conversation. Feminist talk is not the talk of Parliament. I grab the opportunity to ask her if she defines herself as a feminist. Gill'ard responds with the clever grin of a politician, saying that she is a critical thinker who incorporates feminism, indeed, several types of feminisms, into her work. Her belief that the women’s movement is strengthened by diversity is something she attempts to bring into her Parliamentary work. The language that she uses in Parliament has had to fill a gap in feminist stances, which she describes as not having been the easiest of transitions.
We shift our discussion to more detailed aspects of her work, and Gill’ard begins to talk about her work with an enthusiasm that is hard to deny. The work of her portfolio centers around reproductive rights, with specific attention paid to the right to abortion. Gill’ard endorses the right of a woman to control her own body, and does this on a political level by supporting legislation in The Netherlands that sets out to protect the rights of women to abortion. Her party, the PVDA, recently voted against a legislative policy on abortion because they did not think it went far enough; they believe that the law should also protect the right to access services.
Number 5
Much of Chantal Gill’ard’s work has roots in Millennium Development Goal Number 5, which aims to improve maternal health worldwide. 'While many countries have not protected women’s rights to abortion, others have,' Gill’ard says, 'and this unevenness in policies is unfair.' Engaging with the Lisbon Treaty is one way in which she approaches meeting this goal, which comes with her involvement in medical ethics as well as development cooperation. Thus, she works not only at ensuring the rights of women to abortion, but she also acts alongside other government parliamentarians to ensure that those Member States who join the Lisbon Treaty guarantee women’s rights as a precondition for their membership.
Another interesting area of Gill’ard's work is with AWEPA, the Association of European Parliamentarian’s for Africa. She became involved with AWEPA after speaking at a symposium on HIV/Aids and orphans, where Archbishop Desmond Tutu was also speaking. Gill’ard decided to join the group, and has since participated in a meeting in Washington, D.C. to strategise about how to bring the views of Parliamentarians to bear on the issue of aid effectiveness at the recent High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, which took place in Ghana at the beginning of September.
Gill’ard notes that it is not only important for civil society to have a united voice, but that Parliamentarians must also work more on this. While the Netherlands has not been active in AWEPA for the past several years, her recent membership in the network means a valuable group of people will be brought back in to deal with important issues. Again, MDG 5 is a key part of this work, and here, Gill’ard observes that their work must not only focus on the right to abortion, but also on ensuring that the women are able to deliver their babies safely. This is also a human right that governments must work to protect, and to this end, Gill’ard is busy organising an inter-parliamentary conference which will produce a road map for the 80 or so Parliamentarians who will attend. Organised alongside the World Health Organisation, they will try to ensure that Member States’ commitments to the MDGs are further endorsed and implemented.
this article has been published in Daily Visions on 10-10-2008
Thursday, 9 October 2008
Advocating change and resistance
Following a day full of introspection, the participants of the WIDE conference will turn to look at the role and responsibilities of various European actors. The conference will take up topics such as trends and issues concerning migrants, the feminization of labour and the gendered aspects of the agricultural trade regime and food crisis. What is the role of Europe in this, and what needs to be done?
By Tina Parbhakar
Although women across the globe face many of the same inequalities, there is potential for agents in Europe to have a disproportionate effect on those in developing countries through their control on established structures and processes. For example, Aid Effectiveness (AE) and Financing for Development (FFD) processes are two areas where critiques have been made because of their implications for how development is defined and thus how much emphasis and resources are given to enhancing and promoting women’s rights. The AE is spearheaded by the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) as per the Paris Declaration and FFD is guided by the UN and based on the Monterrey Consensus. The former lacks a specific role for civil society while the latter appears to be more inclusive. Nevertheless, a more integrated approach is desirable, but political will remains an issue.
European Union expansion and constitutionalization has not led to a major discussion of gender. This omission has been to the detriment of women, illegally trafficked or otherwise, who are put into increasingly vulnerable situations in order to sustain themselves and their families. The world is seeing an increasing feminization of labour which coalesces with migration issues.
But there is potential to rally women around policies on the topics of war, peacemaking and the agricultural trade regime. A key step may be increasing the number of women and gender-sensitive individuals occupying decision making positions whether in defence secretariats, police forces or trade negotiations. We must also continue to observe and measure the gendered impacts of abstract and high-level policies on the communities they are meant to serve.
Leibert (2002) suggests actively mobilizing public support, building gender expertise and fostering the diffusion of innovative ideas from epistemic communities. However, while individual agents may strategically frame gender issues to fit within the dominant frames of target organizations and thus break new ground, this may also water-down the original message. The WIDE Annual Conference will try to find new resources and a desirable discourse with regards to accelerating women’s empowerment in multiple fora.
This article has been published in Daily Visions 08-10-2008
By Tina Parbhakar
Although women across the globe face many of the same inequalities, there is potential for agents in Europe to have a disproportionate effect on those in developing countries through their control on established structures and processes. For example, Aid Effectiveness (AE) and Financing for Development (FFD) processes are two areas where critiques have been made because of their implications for how development is defined and thus how much emphasis and resources are given to enhancing and promoting women’s rights. The AE is spearheaded by the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) as per the Paris Declaration and FFD is guided by the UN and based on the Monterrey Consensus. The former lacks a specific role for civil society while the latter appears to be more inclusive. Nevertheless, a more integrated approach is desirable, but political will remains an issue.
European Union expansion and constitutionalization has not led to a major discussion of gender. This omission has been to the detriment of women, illegally trafficked or otherwise, who are put into increasingly vulnerable situations in order to sustain themselves and their families. The world is seeing an increasing feminization of labour which coalesces with migration issues.
But there is potential to rally women around policies on the topics of war, peacemaking and the agricultural trade regime. A key step may be increasing the number of women and gender-sensitive individuals occupying decision making positions whether in defence secretariats, police forces or trade negotiations. We must also continue to observe and measure the gendered impacts of abstract and high-level policies on the communities they are meant to serve.
Leibert (2002) suggests actively mobilizing public support, building gender expertise and fostering the diffusion of innovative ideas from epistemic communities. However, while individual agents may strategically frame gender issues to fit within the dominant frames of target organizations and thus break new ground, this may also water-down the original message. The WIDE Annual Conference will try to find new resources and a desirable discourse with regards to accelerating women’s empowerment in multiple fora.
This article has been published in Daily Visions 08-10-2008
What do feminists have to say?
Of course, the WIDE Annual Conference would not be called 'annual' if there wasn't a conference each year. So what was the conference about last year? Daily Visions took a look at the most prominent issues of WIDE 2007.
By Tina Parbhakar
Thinking about WIDE is thinking about solidarity. No wonder last years conference is known for its convivial atmosphere of solidarity. During this conference, reflections on women’s contribution to different development processes and strategies for alternative visions for feminist were flourishing.
The conference titled ”New aid, expanding trade: what do women have to say?” was hosted by the Gender and Development Working Group of the Spanish Platform of Development NGOs (CONGDE) in Madrid. It brought together more than 150 women activists from over 40 countries. The conference took stock of the changes in international trade policies, regulation of financial flows and investment together with international development policies and their impact on women’s realities, rights and gender equality. The discussions also focused on strategies on how to tackle the new aid and trade architecture from feminist perspectives. Moreover, they examined how ongoing reforms on trade, financial mechanisms, and development are linked.
The conference scrutinized the profound changes in the nature of international trade policies, regulation of financial flows and investment and the new international development architecture. High on the agenda was whether the new aid modalities such as those outlined in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness will further sideline gender interests, shrink the spaces and resources available to gender equality and undercut efforts for women’s empowerment. As well as providing critical analysis on what is happening now in development policy, the conference also looked at possible feminist alternatives and ways to push for gender equality and women’s rights.
Wide once again succeeded in engaging participants in possible new advocacy positions. The conference of 2007 moved the discussions beyond the restrictions imposed by inequitable and asymmetrical global development and trade architecture.
This article has been published in Daily Visions 08-10-2008
By Tina Parbhakar
Thinking about WIDE is thinking about solidarity. No wonder last years conference is known for its convivial atmosphere of solidarity. During this conference, reflections on women’s contribution to different development processes and strategies for alternative visions for feminist were flourishing.
The conference titled ”New aid, expanding trade: what do women have to say?” was hosted by the Gender and Development Working Group of the Spanish Platform of Development NGOs (CONGDE) in Madrid. It brought together more than 150 women activists from over 40 countries. The conference took stock of the changes in international trade policies, regulation of financial flows and investment together with international development policies and their impact on women’s realities, rights and gender equality. The discussions also focused on strategies on how to tackle the new aid and trade architecture from feminist perspectives. Moreover, they examined how ongoing reforms on trade, financial mechanisms, and development are linked.
The conference scrutinized the profound changes in the nature of international trade policies, regulation of financial flows and investment and the new international development architecture. High on the agenda was whether the new aid modalities such as those outlined in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness will further sideline gender interests, shrink the spaces and resources available to gender equality and undercut efforts for women’s empowerment. As well as providing critical analysis on what is happening now in development policy, the conference also looked at possible feminist alternatives and ways to push for gender equality and women’s rights.
Wide once again succeeded in engaging participants in possible new advocacy positions. The conference of 2007 moved the discussions beyond the restrictions imposed by inequitable and asymmetrical global development and trade architecture.
This article has been published in Daily Visions 08-10-2008
Welcome at Wide!
by Zairah Khan
You arrive in a strange city, tired from travel, your head full of impressions and street names you can hardly understand. You are looking for your hotel but somewhere you took a wrong turn. So, why not stop for a coffee and smell some of the atmosphere before you take up the background documents that you didn’t read yet.
This has been my experience at most conferences that I have been to so far, although the number is limited. The next day is usually when I lose myself in wonderfully interesting people and debates, but the day of arrival is a wonderful one as well, being in a new place and having the opportunity to dwell a little.
This time I’m on the other end, as the coordinator of WO=MEN, your host organisation to this years WIDE Annual Conference. It is me that gives you a warm welcome on behalf of my organisation and also on behalf of the city I live in. The city may not be big, but it is rich in history and in atmosphere, and I’m happy to live here. I’m sure I’ll have an opportunity to talk to you about the global issues we commonly face, but let’s not get into that quite yet.
For the time being I hope you all feel welcome and at home. I hope you will leave this place not only enriched by ideas but also by pleasant memories that linger in your mind the next time you pay a visit to this city.
You arrive in a strange city, tired from travel, your head full of impressions and street names you can hardly understand. You are looking for your hotel but somewhere you took a wrong turn. So, why not stop for a coffee and smell some of the atmosphere before you take up the background documents that you didn’t read yet.
This has been my experience at most conferences that I have been to so far, although the number is limited. The next day is usually when I lose myself in wonderfully interesting people and debates, but the day of arrival is a wonderful one as well, being in a new place and having the opportunity to dwell a little.
This time I’m on the other end, as the coordinator of WO=MEN, your host organisation to this years WIDE Annual Conference. It is me that gives you a warm welcome on behalf of my organisation and also on behalf of the city I live in. The city may not be big, but it is rich in history and in atmosphere, and I’m happy to live here. I’m sure I’ll have an opportunity to talk to you about the global issues we commonly face, but let’s not get into that quite yet.
For the time being I hope you all feel welcome and at home. I hope you will leave this place not only enriched by ideas but also by pleasant memories that linger in your mind the next time you pay a visit to this city.
This article has been published in Daily Visions 09-10-2008
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