Category Archives: cee

on feminism, violence, patriarchal culture, religion (& more)

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REFLECTIONS ON ‘ARTEMIS’ – A ROMANIAN FEMINIST PROJECT (PDF)
by Maria Diaconescu

… Even so, with these East-West differences, violence and sexual abuse against children and women is a reality in Eastern European countries, as it is in the Western countries. The East and the West share the same patriarchal ground that makes possible the cultural and structural violence that we live in. Violence of any kind means taking advantage of the power difference. The societal/ cultural or structural violence refers to all actions, attitudes and values of a society which block or delay the development of the other who has no “voice” in society, or who is not heard (children, women, people from a different ethnic or religious background, etc.). This kind of values and attitudes are responsible for inequalities of chances, and violence against women, children, Roma people, etc.

What do I want to highlight in this paper? There is a high support of patriarchal culture via the educational environment, the political environment, and the church. In the name of the so-called national and traditional values, strongly supported by the church, there is a high support of patriarchal culture. In my opinion, patriarchal values have to do a lot with the skin of religion – the temporal and social norms, known in Romania as “the national and traditional Christian values.” The patriarchal values have nothing to do with the core of spiritual and religious meanings. The spiritual, transcendent, essential part of any religion of the world has to do with the essence of the human being which transcends any skin: gender, culture and religion differences; this is the core part of any religion. According to Peseschkian, the religious externals that are influenced by time, the rituals and dogmas – the skin – are put in the foreground, while the actual religious contents – the core – are put aside. This produces a shift in form and content, misunderstanding and confusion because of the lack of differentiation between faith – religion – church.

My hypothesis is that the religious skin ideology – put in the foreground – patterns in a paradoxical way any other subsequent ideology/ politics or philosophy of life, even if (and especially when) people reject or ignore the core religion. This is what happens after any revolution. Subsequently, the revolution patterns the relationships in the same way: another form of patriarchal, changed roles. …

“Are you talking to me?”

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Lansare de carte si discutii in cadrul Bienalei Bucuresti (english link):

Mai 25, 2008
17.00
“Are you talking to me?”
Dezbateri live despre productia de cunostinte, politici de gender si strategii feministe.

Participanti: Prof. dr. Marina Grzinic, h.arta and PCAP class (Carolina Agredo, Lina Dokuzovic, Kevin Dooley, Veronika Eberhart, Clarissa Gadsden, Can Gulcu, Peter Hasel Maier, Ivan Jurica, Johannes Klemen, Christoph Kolar, Katharina Morawek, Adnan Popovic, Lilo Reissert, Jasmin Schienegger, Christina Trachta, Ruth Weismann, Regina Wuzella and Prof. Assist. Petja Dimitrova, Prof. Assist. Eduard Freudmann).

BB3 a invitat studentii Clasei de Arta Post Conceptuala (PCAP) din cadrul Academiei de Arte din Viena, clasa Prof. Marina Grzinic sa propuna un eveniment paralel. Rezultatul este un proiect-carte cu titlul “Are you talking to me?”. Publicatia cuprinde discutii despre productia cunoasterii, politici de gen si strategii feministe fiind editata de grupul feminist h.arta (Maria Crista, Anca Gyemant, Rodica Tache) din Romania si Katharina Morawek (studenta a PCAP). După un efort editorial intens cartea prezinta pozitiile studentilor PCAP referitoare la cunoastere, UE si feminism. Aceste pozitii sint prezentate impreuna cu artisti si teoreticieni internationali invitati sa isi expuna punctele de vedere.

Locatie: CNDB – Centrul National al Dansului Bucuresti (Bd. Nicolae Balcescu, nr. 2 – TNB, 4th Floor, Ronda Hall)

fwd: Family in Lithuania discriminated – urge for action

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from New Generation of Women’s Initiatives, Lithuania

Families are under attack in Lithuania, and we need your help!
May 20, 2008, Vilnius

The Lithuanian Parliament is currently weighing an unprecedented bill that would legally redefine the concept of family and that would establish a government-sanctioned concept of family limited exclusively to the traditional notion of a married man and woman and their children. With the stroke of a pen, this new concept of the Lithuanian family would relegate other family forms-single mothers and fathers raising children, unmarried partners raising children, and grandparents caring for their
grandchildren- to second-class status.

Demographic analysis demonstrates that the structure of the Lithuanian family is changing. In 2005, almost a third of all children were born to unmarried parents living as partners. The same year, the number of divorces per 100 marriages hit 56. This is evidence of the growing number of single parents, who in 98 percent of cases are women. Until recently, high unemployment in Lithuania also encouraged migration, and half of all workers who emigrated in 2005 were married men or women. As a result a new family structure-the long-distance family-emerged. A poll conducted in 2006 showed that all these different family forms are considered as families by a majority of Lithuanians. However, the new concept of family would have practical implications, as it could ostensibly be used to prevent nontraditional families from receiving the same level of government assistance and from benefiting from government programs meant to support and strengthen the family.

This bill, the first of its kind in Europe, has been applauded as a breakthrough by the Catholic Church and conservative politicians. While today this situation is confined to Lithuania, it could only be a matter of time before other European countries become receptive to such simple-minded and seemingly harmless, yet erroneous and discriminatory, attempts to destroy families under the guise of strengthening them.

The situation is critical, and domestic groups are increasingly being sidelined from the discussion. Therefore, we ask you today to urgently communicate with Lithuanian government and Parliament officials to express your concern about the State Family Political Concept bill currently under debate in the Parliament and to remind the government of its commitment-made domestically and internationally- to protect women, children and families in all forms.

Attached we suggest some language for your letter. Please feel free to incorporate any of these paragraphs or your own thoughts in your message and send letters to: Continue reading →

despre solutii care agraveaza problema – si solutii reale

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intr-un caz recent de violenta domestica din canada, o tanara agresata de partenerul ei a fost retinuta de politie in momentul in care a refuzat sa depuna marturie impotriva agresorului. despre caz – si felul in care in numele “protectiei” victimelor sistemul abuzeaza, in loc sa ajute, persoanele cele mai vulnerabile – la: “stop abuse with abuse” @ woc phd.

este doar un exemplu de esec al legilor contra violentei domestice si implementarii lor, atata timp cat se acorda prea putina atentie factorilor multipli ce intervin in vietile femeilor ne-majoritare. mai multe informatii (si resurse) in acest post mai vechi despre istoria si criticile aduse miscarii contra violentei de gen (en).

o alta ilustratie a aceleiasi probleme e data de alexandra oprea (in textul ei despre necesitatea integrarii experientelor femeilor rome in orice activism “feminist”, ca si in orice activism antirasist):

In Romania exista numeroase bariere in orice proces ce implica violenta domestica; spre exemplu: victimei ii revine sarcina de a inainta o plangere preliminara inainte ca agresorul sa fie arestat, un certificat medical eliberat in conditiile legii este necesar pentru a inregistra o plangere, nu exista reprezentare legala gratuita, de multe ori politia impiedica aducerea in instanta a cazurilor si este o mare criza de adaposturi in toata tara. In 2002, in Romania erau in total sapte adaposturi pentru victime ale violentei domestice.
Aceste bariere afecteaza femeile rome in mod disproportionat din cauza pozitiei lor la intersectia intre rasism, saracie si sexism. Cerinta de a obtine un certificat medico-legal inseamna o mare greutate pentru femeile rome carora deseori le sunt refuzate tratamentele medicale in spitale din cauza rasismului. Problema inregistrarii unei plangeri fara a avea acces la reprezentare legala gratuita inseamna o alta bariera pentru femei rome sarace, multe dintre care, pe langa faptul ca nu au o stabilitate financiara, nu detin nici capitalul social necesar pentru a naviga sistemul legal. Pe langa faptul ca sunt atat de putine adaposturi in Romania in general, numarul de adaposturi care sa fie accesibile femeilor rome este probabil zero, din cauza atitudinilor rasiste prevalente in societatea romaneasca. In plus, apelarea la politie inseamna o bariera cat se poate de serioasa, data fiind brutalitatea epidemica a politiei impotriva comunitatilor rome. Cand femeile rome suna la politie, de multe ori politia refuza sa vina in zone populate de romi – mai ales in ghetto-uri…

… O abordare de jos in sus a acestei probleme ne-ar obliga sa luam in considerare femeile rome sarace, care de multe ori se tem sa dea telefon la politie din cauza brutalitatii acesteia fata de comunitati rome, carora de multe ori le este refuzat tratamentul medical la spitale si care nu au acces la tribunal si la sistemul legal, sau slujbe care sa le permita sa paraseasca situatii abuzive. Folosirea acestor experiente ca fundatie pentru cercetarea pe violenta domestica din Romania ar avea ca rezultat un discurs mai aproape de realitate.

din pacate, chiar informatiile-stas oferite ca ajutor de organizatii altfel pozitive ca artemis (si chiar si aceasta brosura in care noi am preluat acele informatii) se fac vinovate de trecerea cu vederea a diverselor circumstante in care se pot afla persoanele agresate. subiectul este de maxima importanta si actualitate: pe langa faptul ca aplicarea legii 217/2003 privind combaterea violentei domestice lasa in continuare foarte mult de dorit, anul acesta asteptam imbunatatiri si sa fie introdus ordinul de restrictie [ca fapt divers, Moldova tocmai a promulgat si ea o lege anti-violenta] si in acelasi timp “deputatii cer masuri europene pentru stoparea discriminarii romilor”. insa asa cum arata alexandra, numai o abordare de jos in sus si luand in considerare factori ca genul, etnia, statutul economic etc. impreuna ne poate fi de vreun folos daca vrem sa rezolvam ceva si sa existe ajutoare reale pentru toti cei care se gasesc in situatii vulnerabile!

(un articol recent, de asemenea util aici: “Rom European – Discriminare la medic?”)

Oppose attempts to ban abortion in Lithuania

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An appeal to solidarity from January 2008:

Dear European feminists,

On behalf of the parliamentary group on Population and Development, Reproductive Health and Rights of the Lithuanian Republic and on behalf of all educated and progressively thinking women and men of Lithuania I address you and ask for a moral support and solidarity in stopping the attempt of the conservative parliamentarians and social organizations to ban abortion in our country. The project of the law to safeguard an unborn life, to force women give birth even to an abnormal child, to criminalize abortion is backed up by the Lithuanian Catholic Church, which negates women reproductive rights.

read the open letter (francais)

Now, there is increased need for action. More at the f-word and feministing.

Reimaginarea justitiei sociale de jos in sus: Includerea femeilor rome

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O traducere integrala a lucrarii “Re-envisioning Social Justice from the Ground Up: Including the Experiences of Romani Women” de Alexandra Oprea (link la fisier PDF) – cu multumiri Crinei pentru editari

Lucrarea de fata se concentreaza pe excluderea femeilor rome din discursurile feministe si anti-rasiste dominante (in mainstream) in Europa. Aceasta excludere este atribuita intersectionalitatii si politicilor de identitate problematice. Lucrarea discuta invizibilitatea femeilor rome perpetuata de programe si rapoarte ale organizatiilor ne-guvernamentale (ONG-uri) si explica absenta femeilor rome din discursuri rome si feministe, privirea ne-critica asupra culturii rome si vulnerabilitatea femeilor rome din Romania la violenta domestica. Textul pune accentul pe faptul ca analiza problemelor sociale trebuie facuta de jos in sus, luand in considerare experientele celor care intampina greutati multiple, cum ar fi femeile rome sarace. In concluzie, lucrarea discuta importanta recunoasterii privilegiilor ca fundatie a unor discursuri si a unei cercetari atotcuprinzatoare.

European Roma Rights Center Complaint against Bulgaria declared admissible by the Council of Europe’s Social Rights Committee

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Dear All,

With support from OSI’s Roma Health Project, the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) has filed a complaint with the Council of Europe, charging that Bulgaria systematically excludes Roma from access to health care. The ERRC is calling on the Bulgarian Government to take immediate action. The complaint specifically charges that Bulgaria is in violation of health-related Articles 11 and 13 of the Revised European Social Charter, and Article E on nondiscrimination.
On February 5, 2008, the Council of Europe’s European Committee of Social Rights declared the complaint admissible, paving the way for further independent review of the Roma health situation in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian government has until March 31 to submit a written response to the complaint.

According to the complaint, large numbers of Roma are unable to access health care services because they lack health insurance. Furthermore, the Bulgarian government has failed to put in place effective government policies to address the disproportionate health risks affecting Romani communities, or to eliminate widespread discriminatory practices against Roma in the provision of health services. The ERRC has received many complaints from Roma who are denied medical assistance as a result of discrimination, including pregnant Roma women who are frequently kept segregated from other women in maternity wards.

For further information, please contact ERRC Programs Coordinator and Senior Projects Manager Tara Bedard at tara.bedard@ errc.org or visit the ERRC website for the full text of the complaint.

Best wishes,
Eva Foldes
Program Coordinator, OSI Roma Health Project

Scrisoare deschisa re: legalizarea prostitutiei

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… Asociaţia Caritas Bucureşti împreună cu o puternică reţea de organizaţii non-guvernmentale au iniţiat un amplu program de informare şi conştientizare care atrage atenţia că prostituţia este o nouă formă de violenţă asupra femeii. Statisticile arată că rata mortalităţii şi morbidităţii femeilor implicate în prostituţie este de 40 de ori mai mare decât cea a populaţiei generale şi că aceste decese sunt aproape întotdeauna de tip violent, provocate de proxeneţi, traficanţi şi clienţi. Rata ridicată a mortalităţii, bolilor şi traumelor fizice şi psihice, demonstrează că guvernele trebuie să ia toate măsurile necesare pentru a elimina prostituţia, care este o formă de violenţă împotriva femeii şi o crimă împotriva demnităţii umane. …

— Intreaga scrisoare deschisa AICI (Open letter in English HERE)

si cateva resurse pe subiect aici