Action Research & Feminism Conference, Cluj

Program

2008.12.05.
Location: Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, Room 5, Floor 4, Str. G-ral Traian Moşoiu nr. 71

11:00 – 12:30 (public lectures)
Well-come talk by Gabriel Bădescu (head of the Department of Political Sciences)
Barbara Einhorn: Mass dictatorships and gender politics
Sue Thornham: Feminism, post-feminism and the academy
Jasmina Lukič: Problems of disciplinization of an ‘interdisciplinary discipline’

Location: Tranzit House, Str. Bariţiu nr. 16
15:00 – 16:30
Panel 1/ Interdisciplinarity and participatory research Continue reading

Fw: call for papers European Roma Women’s Magazine

via crina

Timisoara, 03.11.2008.

Dear colleague and friend,

The Association of Gypsy Women ‘For Our Children’ from Timisoara and of Foundation Desire from Cluj, Romania, launches a new journal, entitled European Roma Women’s Magazine. This became possible due to the financial support of the Open Society Foundation’s Roma Participation Program.

The magazine will be published once in a year in English with Romani abstracts. We prepare and print out its first issue by the end of March 2009 (collecting its articles by the end of January 2009).

Our Magazine addresses the complex and complicated issue of “Roma women” at the intersection of their geopolitical position, ethnicity, social and economic status and age with the aim to represent the socio-cultural diversity of the European Roma women, seen in their immediate communities, and in the context of their relationship with both Roma men and non-Roma women. Crucial for us is the understanding of how they are subjected to multiple and intersectional discrimination, but also how they are acting as powerful agencies by fighting for the enhancement of the society within which they live, and for the changing into better the condition of their own, but as well as of other subordinated and disadvantaged social categories.
Continue reading

Staying silent

by Gwendolyn Albert
Nov. 28 2008

If the media is anything to go by, the neo-Nazi violence in Litvínov Nov. 17 has largely achieved the organizers’ aims of promoting nationalist hatred in the Czech Republic. Headlines referring to rasové nepokoje (“ethnic troubles”) have largely oversimplified what is actually going on: namely, the international neo-Nazi movement is targeting a hate campaign against this particular Roma community. The commitment of these neo-Nazis, the energy of the attack on the Roma community at the Janov housing estate and the neo-Nazis’ aggression toward the police are new and very dangerous developments.

Cyril Koky, a member of the Czech Government Council for Roma Community Affairs, said Czech Human Rights and Minorities Minister Džamila Stehlíková should consider resigning over the failure of her efforts to avert Nov. 17’s violence. As everyone following the developments in Litvínov predicted to the authorities, the Janov housing estate was turned into something resembling a warzone for several hours on a national holiday. The “troubles” were not between “ethnic groups” at all, but between members of the international neo-Nazi movement and the Czech police. Worse still, many non-Roma locals in Litvínov have made it clear in media interviews that they believe the neo-Nazis should be allowed to carry out their violent intentions without police interference.

Koky is correct that Stehlíková and other authorities are to blame. At a meeting last month at the Interior Ministry — which included various NGOs and government officials — to discuss security in Roma neighborhoods after October’s riot in Litvínov, the authorities’ responses bordered on the surreal. Czech Government Commissioner for Human Rights Jan Litomiský, as usual, sat through the meeting without opening his mouth during the free-ranging “discussion.” While the vast majority of those present complained about neo-Nazi violence and the lack of official action against it, officials kept reiterating how much money had been spent on “preventing crime” within the Roma community — a different issue entirely and totally unrelated to suppressing neo-Nazi violence. An Interior Ministry spokesperson even went so far as to say the ministry could not take steps to dissolve the National Party’s paramilitary National Guard “because it is not an officially registered organization.” I could hardly believe my ears — organized crime doesn’t “officially register” with the Interior Ministry either, but we still expect the police to try to stop it.

The Litvínov situation raises serious questions about the rule of law in the Czech Republic.

more

some recent things of interest/citeva lucruri recente

  • Dates for the 16 Days of Activism for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
    25 November to 10 December 2008

    25 Nov International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
    01 Dec World AIDS Day
    06 Dec Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre
    10 Dec International Human Rights Day

  • Norway to introduce “Swedish model”

    Dear Friends,
    I just received the news that the Norwegian Parliament passed the legislation that prohibits the purchase of a sexual service – 44 votes vot, 28 against. The Law will come into force on January 1, 2009!!!

    This is indeed a great victory for all of us. Congratulations to the all the women in Norway and internationally who worked to hard to get the law passed!!!!
    Warmest greetings to all of you!
    Gunilla
    ———— ——— —
    Gunilla S. Ekberg
    Co-Executive Director/Co- Directrice Exécutive

    Coalition Against Trafficking in Women International/ Coalition Internationale contre la Traite des Femmes (CATW)
    International Secretariat/ Sécretariat International
    Mailing address/Adresse: rue Washington 40, B-1050 Brussels, BELGIUM
    E-mail address/Adresse de courriel: gsekberg@catwintern ational.org
    Phone/Tel.: +32 2 346 2350
    Fax: +32 2 344 2003
    Website/ Site Web: http://www.catwinternational.org

  • RO: femeia europeana 2008, fwd nicoleta bitu, via crina

    Fostul ministru al justitiei, Monica Macovei, a fost aleasa miercuri “Femeia Europei” in 2008 de catre un juriu format din europarlamentari si jurnalisti, relateaza NewsIn. Premiul urmeaza sa-i fie decernat de catre presedintele Parlamentului European, Hans Gert Poettering.

    Monica Macovei fusese desemnata candidata Romaniei pentru acest premiu la 16 iunie de catre un juriu format din 25 de reprezentanti ai societatii civile si jurnalisti romani. Contracandidatele ei din Romania au fost Anamaria Marinca, actrita care a detinut rolul principal in filmul “4 luni, 3 saptamani si 2 zile” castigator in 2007 al trofeului Palme d’Or al Festivalului de la Cannes, Margareta Matache, activista pentru drepturile minoritatilor, Iulia Motoc, expert in drept international, si Marta Petreu, profesor de filosofie la Universitatea Babes-Bolyai din Cluj.

    Pentru a desemna reprezentanta Romaniei, juriul a avut in vedere anumite criterii cum ar fi activitatea dedicata promovarii valorilor europene si a rolului Europei in lume, angajament si initiative personale pentru sustinerea procesului de integrare europeana sau initiative originale si eficiente ale candidatei.

    Apreciata de europarlamentari pentru reformele in domeniul justitiei si luptei anticoruptie, Monica Macovei a fost ministru al justitiei in perioada 2004-2007, in prezent fiind consultant special al premierului Republicii Macedonia pe probleme de combatere a coruptiei. De asemenea, este expert al Comisiei Europene in domeniul pregatirii personalului de specialitate din tarile candidate ale UE in domeniul combaterii coruptiei si reformei sistemului juridic.

    Printre reformele care i-au adus aprecierea in UE, dar si critici acerbe din partea parlamentarilor romani, s-au numarat introducerea obligativitatii declaratiilor de avere pentru demnitari, infiintarea Directiei Nationale Anticoruptie, care pentru prima oara a inceput anchete de coruptie la nivel inalt.

  • Ads target men who use trafficked women

    MEN who buy sex from women trafficked into Ireland for prostitution are being targeted for the first time in an advertising campaign that warns they could go to jail.

  • Woman Fed To Dogs: Taslim Solangi and an End to Civility

    I am grown up enough now to believe that not every Pakistani household has its own feudal lord – though a significant amount of them are at the mercy of some lameass patriarchal messiah of sorts -and I am also firmly aware of the bitter truth that a very stringent sort of sexism prevalent in a large part of that country (as in mine) means a daily, almost ritualistic, persecution and defilement of women – emotionally, mentally, physically – as well as a thorough disregard for women’s rights.

    Despite my usual preparedness for the abnormally grim, stories like Solangi’s still manage to scare me insane and fuel unbridled rage within me. Wrath is what I can feel right now, rising from the absolute pit of my stomach. Unadulterated and unmitigated anger. And I want to use this anger in a way that pulverizes the very core of our enforced patriarchal inheritance. I want my anger to be as brutal and as devoid of mercy as these murdering charlatans are.

    I need revenge. We need revenge.

    I could have chosen to satirize in my usual blasé manner because I find in humor – especially dark humor – a rock-hard and unshakable crutch. But this is not the time to seek crutches, it’s the time to demolish.

    I beseech those academically fortified women amongst us, who love to deliberate about ethnocentric feminism’s strides in the warm comfort of their Ikea-decorated living rooms, to stand up and address this. Now. Without politeness and political correctness corrupting their ire. Because when young girls are left for dogs to feed on, very little room is left for civility.

  • Obama Expected to Overturn Global Gag Rule

    —–
    The new president is also expected to lift a so-called global gag rule barring international family planning groups that receive U.S. aid from counseling women about the availability of abortion, even in countries where the procedure is legal, said Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. When Bill Clinton took office in 1993, he rescinded the Reagan-era regulation, known as the Mexico City policy, but Bush reimposed it.

    “We have been communicating with his transition staff” almost daily, Richards said. “We expect to see a real change.”
    —–

    The Global Gag Rule literally kills thousands and thousands of women every year by putting already over-stretched clinics in an impossible position. They must generally choose between either having no money to provide life-saving care, or providing care while breaking doctor-patient trust and actively doing harm by deceit. What the hell do you choose?

    Different organizations have different answers, but the fact is that it shouldn’t be a question. Doctors should be able to answer their patients’ inquiries honestly. Abortion should be treated as the routine and sometimes life-saving medical procedure that it is. And women deserve quality reproductive health care, whatever their needs. No woman should die because “pro-life” organizations on another continent have a superiority complex and think their tax dollars should only go to providing care for women they deem worthy enough.

    Repealing the Global Gag Rule is only a start, but it’s a huge first step towards a real culture of life — one that respects and cares for the lives of women. And it’s absolutely at the very top of my list of things President Obama can do quickly and decisvely to make the world a better place within his first hours in the Oval Office. If he intends to live up to his campaign promises to protect women’s health and show the world that we’re more than a bunch of self-absorbed ideological assholes, he absolutely must do it. And I eagerly look forward to the moment when he does, because it will not come a moment too soon.

violenta domestica

un studiu foarte interesant din 2004:

“Violenta domestica si criminalitatea feminina”: REZUMAT + STUDIU

al carui titlu e insa inexact/limitat. raportul cuprinde si sectiuni axate pe “criminalitatea feminina” si barbati ca “‘victime ascunse’ ale violentei domestice”, dar in mod neasteptat abordarea nu e facuta dintr-un punct de vedere anti-feminist, ci consta dintr-o analiza destul de profunda si contine multe date interesante si utile, relevante pentru abordarea violentei domestice per ansamblu, pentru o mai buna intelegere a cauzelor, dinamicilor de gen si utilitatii diverselor solutii, cit si pentru o critica a practicilor de condamnare (sociala si legala) a femeilor vinovate de crime violente si privind situatia femeilor incarcerate.

din rezumat (si el foarte limitat fata de diversitatea de fatete ale problemelor oferita de studiu, desi aceasta complexitate nu se extinde si la un punct mentionat de autori doar in treacat: “femeile …din orice categorie sociala si de orice rasa sunt victimizate, chiar daca diferite grupuri de femei se pot confrunta cu forme particulare ale violentei”; sa nu uitam ca tocmai pentru ca diferite grupuri de femei se confrunta cu diferite violente, atunci cind discutam “violenta ce afecteaza femeile din orice categorie” putem vorbi “despre solutii care agraveaza problema – si solutii reale”!):

… Cu toate eforturile de a asigura un climat de egalitate între sexe în sfera publică, o privire mai atentă asupra familiei, relaţiilor intrafamiliale şi a relaţiilor în cuplu, a evidenţiat contraste şi realităţi disfuncţionale. Presiunile către modernizarea şi democratizarea relaţiilor intrafamiliale au dus, în mod paradoxal, la supraîncărcarea femeii şi la criminalizarea ei în raport cu statutul parental.

În România, violenţa domestică, ca preocupare a specialiştilor din diferite domenii, a politicienilor, mass mediei şi publicului larg, s-a impus în perioada 1995-1996, iar acest lucru s-a petrecut în bună parte datorită presiunilor externe, nevoii de aliniere la spiritul şi standardele europene şi internaţionale şi, mai ales, în dimensiunea ei de protecţie şi ajutor acordat victimei, fie ea copil sau femeie. Toate acestea s-au făcut în contextul în care politicile de promovare a femeii au obligat la considerarea raporturilor ei cu bărbatul, la reconsiderarea familiei, rolului ei social şi la statutul ei legal.

Pe fondul transformărilor de ordin social, politic, economic, cultural şi al mentalităţilor, tranziţia a generat în ţara noastră probleme sociale noi, legate mai ales de anomie şi disfuncţionalităţi la nivelul comportamentelor individuale. După 1990, ne-am confruntat cu o recrudescenţă la nivelul tuturor categoriilor de infracţiuni şi persoane. În acest context, infracţiunile cu violenţă contra persoanei au înregistrat global creşteri semnificative. În cazul crimelor violente, numărul femeilor condamnate definitiv este cu mult mai mic decât al bărbaţilor, care îşi folosesc mai frecvent forţa fizică ca argument esenţial în rezolvarea unor situaţii conflictuale. Nu se poate nega însă că şi numărul femeilor autoare de crime cu violenţă împotriva persoanei a crescut semnificativ. Semnele de îngrijorare privind violenţa se referă în principal la prevalenţa spaţiului privat ca generator de violenţă. Conform unui studiu elaborat în 2003, în ianuarie 2002 în unităţile penitenciare din România se găseau 2122 de femei, iar dintre acestea 431 erau condamnate pentru infracţiuni contra persoanei, peste 75% dintre ele comiţând infracţiune de omor asupra partenerului de viaţă.

Timp de trei decenii, bărbaţii au rămas „victimele ascunse” ale violenţei domestice. Pe măsură ce corpul de date şi investigaţii privind criminalitatea feminină a crescut, s-a simţit nevoia considerării acestui subiect şi găsirii unor explicaţii şi interpretări care să distingă şi să apropie în acelaşi timp criminalitatea feminină de cea masculină. Comportamentul violent al femeilor a fost mai puţin studiat comparativ cu cel al bărbaţilor, în parte din cauză că femeile comit mai puţine crime cu violenţă, dar şi pentru că agresiunea feminină extremă are loc mai ales în ariile private sau domestice. Actele homicidale s-au dovedit a rezulta, în cea mai mare parte, din conflictele interpersonale şi au fost îndreptate de regulă împotriva partenerilor intimi, fiind considerate represalii ca răspuns la victimizarea iniţiată de partenerul bărbat. În România, VD nu apare în statistici rafinate – deşi se distinge între criminalitatea masculină şi cea feminină -, care să includă categorii nuanţate de victimizare, probabil şi pentru faptul că statisticile dau predominant atenţie agresorilor şi mai ales criminalităţii masculine.

În acest context, ni s-a părut necesară şi utilă o cercetare asupra criminalităţii feminine cu referire specială la omorul comis asupra
partenerilor de viaţă, mai ales în situaţia în care un astfel de studiu nu a existat în România, iar o astfel de investigare ar deschide în timp o perspectivă exhaustivă asupra femeii criminal şi a relaţiilor conflictuale de cuplu.

În consecinţă, am considerat că structurarea studiului nostru trebuie să pornească de la general la particular, respectiv de la analizarea violenţei domestice în general la criminalitatea feminină şi profilul socio-psihologic al femeii autoare de omor asupra partenerului de viaţă (soţ/concubin).

Prezentul raport cuprinde un capitol dedicat violenţei domestice – Aurora Liiceanu – (abordări conceptuale, cercetări în domeniu, statistici, specific românesc), un altul consacrat abordării socio-psihologice a femeii criminal şi a violenţei domestice ca factor diferenţiator al criminalităţii feminine- Doina-Ştefana Săucan- , ultimul capitol fiind focalizat pe interviu şi studiu de caz, ca tehnici de cunoaştere în profunzime a femeilor investigate – Mihai Micle.

Definirea profilului socio-psihologic al femeii încarcerate pentru omor săvărşit în context familial duce, în viziunea noastră, la schiţarea unor căi mai eficiente de intervenţie şi recuperare (psihologică şi socială) în cadrul penitenciarelor/în afara lor şi la regândirea politicii de executare a pedepselor.

mai pe larg, doar citeva extrase din studiu: Continue reading

Human Rights for Women ‹—› Human Rights for All

At the end of the month, starting November 25th and until December 10th are the 16 days of activism against gender violence

16 DAYS CAMPAIGN >> 2008 Theme: “Human Rights for Women ‹—› Human Rights for All: UDHR60”

claimingrightsclaimingjustice.gif

Download:
Claiming Rights, Claiming Justice: A Guidebook on Women Human Rights Defenders [PDF]
by Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law, and Development

 

Interactive site:
Progress of the World’s Women 2008 Report (UNIFEM)

 

si citeva informatii in lb. romana:

Campania celor 16 zile 2006, campanii pentru cele 16 zile 2007, situatia cu violenta domestica in romania

25 Octombrie 2008, evz.ro – despre raportul ONU, violenta de gen: “Cum reacţionezi când vezi o femeie agresată pe stradă?”

Conference “Post-socialism, neo-liberalism – old and new gendered societies and policies”

IGU Commission on gender and geography Conference
“Post-socialism, neo-liberalism – old and new gendered societies and policies”
*22^nd –24^th May 2009*
*Szeged–Timisoara*
*Hungary–Romania*

This conference will be held in the year marking the 20th anniversary of the East Central European political changes of 1989. In the past two decades the region has hosted international conferences on the post-socialist transition that were organised by and for feminist scholars of different disciplines. Reflecting the marginal position of gender studies within human geography in the post-socialist countries, Eastern and Central European feminist geographers had very low visibility in these discussions. For them (us) the most helpful supporters are feminist sociologists, anthropologists, political scientists etc. and feminist geographers living outside of post-socialist Europe. The former groups of social scientists are dealing already with the question whether post-socialism is still a relevant category for research, partly because of the strengthening process of neo-liberalisation that is also attracting the interest of geographers. Thus, it is time to put on the agenda comparing the similarities and differences in the systems of post-socialism and neo-liberalism through the prism of ‘gender’.

The primary *_aim_* of this interdisciplinary conference is

i) to provide a platform for critical evaluation of post-socialism and neo-liberalism from feminist perspectives;
ii) understanding women’s and men’s everyday experiences;
iii) revealing the particular geographies of the gender dimensions of these ‘models’.

Papers are invited on the following basic *_themes_*: Continue reading

muncitoare imigrante in romania

“exploatarea muncitorilor imigranti in romania”

In prezent mii de muncitori straini lucreaza in Romania, suferind de pe urma atitudinii exploatatoare a companiilor angajatoare care ii forteaza sa lucreze ore suplimentare, refuzand sa ii plateasca si santajandu-i cu desfacerea contractelor de munca si deportarea. In absenta existentei unor structuri care sa le protejeze drepturile, acestia sunt nevoiti sa se descurce pe cont propriu…

(stiri mai vechi: “revolta muncitoarelor chinezoaice din bacau”)

si un eveniment relevant (14 octombrie): Lansarea studiului “Imigrant in Romania – Perspective si riscuri”

Upcoming screenings of “Trial of a Child Denied”

“Trial of a Child Denied: An investigation into the coerced sterilization of Roma women in the Czech Republic”

Document 6 Film Festival
Friday 17th October at 9.30
Centre for Contemporary Arts Sauchiehall Street
Glasgow, Scotland

The Frontline Club
Preceded by a short feature – Sanctuary directed by Lovejit Dhaliwal
Followed by Q&A with director and producer of Trial of a Child Denied, Michelle Coomber and Dana Wilson
Tuesday, 21st October, 7.30pm
13 Norfolk Place, London, W2 1QJ

Golden Wheel Film Festival
29th to 31st October (exact date TBA)
Skopje, Macedonia

fwd from c.