from worldwatch on global population

The average woman worldwide is giving birth to fewer children than ever. Nonetheless, an estimated 136 million babies were born in 2007, bringing the global population to about 6.7 billion. Governments must improve access to good health care and family planning to see further declines in childbearing and increases in life expectancy…

More: Population, Nature, and What Women Want

For the Worldwatch Institute, human population has always been a sustainability issue. Our earliest writings confirmed a stable balance between population and the environment as an essential ingredient of the equitable and enduring society our mission advances. And over the years we have highlighted the polices needed in all nations to encourage this balance through healthy reproduction, voluntary family planning, gender equality, and the free decisions of women and couples about childbearing.

Since our founding, however, the issues surrounding population have become ever more sensitive and delicate, discouraging many environmentalists and policymakers from taking on the topic. Now, Worldwatch Vice President for Programs Robert Engelman, a 16-year veteran of the population and reproductive health field, has broken new ground in his own fresh take on this perennially difficult issue. In More: Population, Nature, and What Women Want, Engelman leads readers on a journey from humanity’s first steps on two feet to the 21st century and beyond to explore whether women want more children or more for their children, and how their childbearing intentions have fared in a male-dominated world. The answers he finds not only surprise but offer new hope for real and lasting global sustainability.

Rich in historical detail, contemporary stories, and provocative ideas, More is the keystone of a new initiative at the Worldwatch Institute to return population and women’s reproductive decision-making to their critical role in the environment, the economy, and human rights.

Vital Signs Update: Fertility Falls, Population Rises, Future Uncertain.

women in the city – plenty


Barbara Kruger, “Plenty”

Women in the City

“Women in the City” is a viral public art exhibition spread throughout the streets of Los Angeles that will start in February 2008.

The work of four seminal women artists, who began to emerge on the international art scene at the beginning of the ’80s within the feminist movement, will penetrate the urban and social geography of the city.

Jenny Holzer, Barbara Kruger, Louise Lawler and Cindy Sherman disseminate their work in various locations in on-the-road billboards, video screens, storefronts, a movie theater and even propagation through widely distributed stickers.

Why “Women in the City”? One of the fundamental achievements of the historical feminist movement was the appropriation of the streets: thousands of women were invading the cities of the western world fighting for their rights. Now that those rights have been asserted and women have begun to fully permeate and influence politics, culture and the art system, “Women in the City” can showcase the art of women in empowered position.

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

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

movies for radical queer d.i.y. film festival

+++++++++++++++++++++++callout english+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Entzaubert radical queer d.i.y. film festival 15-18 May 2008 in Berlin on a queer squatted truck site.

for the second time we will create a space for queer films, their
directors and their audience. for 4 days the open air belongs to films,
which question heteronormativity and capitalism, promote diversity and
deconstruction of socially accepted constructions.

———————————————————————–
Continue reading

Femeile – intre politica demografica si demagogia politica

De la ideea initiala si pana la 8 martie al anului 2008, multe s-au schimbat. De la Ziua Internationala a femeilor, ca moment al activismului si al pledoariei pentru schimbare sociala, care a adus impreuna femeile, pentru demonstratii si actiune politica globala, la sarbatoarea comerciala de astazi, drumul e sinuos si deloc favorabil femeilor.

De aceea, astazi, de 8 martie, vom scrie despre Ziua Internationala a Femeilor nu ca despre o oportunitate de a oferi unei femei o felicitare, ci ca un tablou real, in care se oglindeste conditia femeii din Romania.

Exista o prapastie intre obiectivele Uniunii Europene (si ale statului nostru, prin urmare) si felul in care este organizat spatiul social, relatiile economice. O discrepanta intre declaratii si fapte.
Uniunea Europeana este, dincolo de toate celelalte considerente o uniune economica. O zona in care se aplica niste reguli comune. Care si-a definit ca scop cresterea nivelului de trai si dezvoltarea economica durabila. Prin ce metode? Prin cresterea productivitatii muncii. Pornind de la ce baza? Sunt cateva elemente principale ca formarea profesionala continua, intrarea masiva a femeilor pe piata muncii si o intensa crestere demografica. Auzi, tu, se spune ca este necesar sa se nasca mai multi copii, desi este demonstrat ca, in zilele noastre, 30% dintre copiii Europei traiesc sub pragul de saracie. Pai, daca nu suntem in stare sa-i crestem decent, atunci de ce sa-i mai facem?
Oricum, dupa cum vedeti, viitorul UE se bazeaza pe ceea ce vom face noi, femeile, iar cerintele fata de noi sunt antagonice. Ni se cere sa ne implicam mult mai mult pe piata muncii, sa fim mai calificate, mai competitive si concomitent sa facem si sa crestem (bine, nu oricum!) mai multi copii. Cum sa facem toate astea, cand serviciile sociale sunt subfinantate sau lipsesc, cand protectia sociala e mai degraba o poveste decat o realitate, nu-mi dau seama.
In plan teoretic, guvernul sustine ca sprijina familiile in vederea cresterii copiilor. Cum o face? Eu va dau cifrele, decideti dumneavoastra. ..si daca practica nu se potriveste cu teoria, sa renuntam la practica?
Continue reading

international women’s day in bucharest

March 8th – Day of Women’s Activism vs Romanian Woman’s Day

8 martie – Ziua femeilor militante vs Ziua femeii in Romania  

9 martie, in Underworld, str.Atelierului nr 14 

WORKSHOP SUSTINUT DE F.I.A.

Pe tot parcursul serii va asteptam sa veniti cu idei creative pentru a face o zina ad-hoc. Pornim de la feminism si putem ajunge… oriunde! 

PROIECTIE FILM LIBERTARIAS (1996, regia Vicente Aranda)

Filmul prezinta dintr-o perspective feminista conflictul dintre fascisti si comunisti in timpul Razboiului Civil Spaniol, concentrandu-se pe un grup de femei gata sa moara pentru cauza lor. Tanara calugarita Maria se alatura gruparii anarhiste “Femei Libere” si ajunge sa adere la dorinta acestora de a crea o societate bazata pe libertate. 

Dupa proiectii, muzica si party.

9martiesmaller.jpg

fwd: Anche a Torino: 8 MARZO di lotta!

Tra la festa, il rito e il silenzio, scegliamo la lotta!

Il 23 e 24 febbraio in più di 400, femministe e lesbiche, ci siamo incontrate a Roma per dare un seguito al percorso nazionale iniziato con la manifestazione del 24 novembre contro la violenza maschile sulle donne.
http://flat.noblogs.org

Oggi le sommosse di Torino (dlfto @ inventati. org) accolgono e rilanciano l’appello alla mobilitazione delle donne di Torino per l’autodeterminazione:

In questo clima di continui e generalizzati attacchi ai diritti delle donne e di precarizzazione della vita di native e migranti.

Scendiamo in piazza come in molte altre città 8marzo.jpg

Per l’autodeterminazione delle donne cioè libera scelta di decidere su ogni aspetto delle nostre vite
Contro ogni forma di violenza sulle donne
Contro l’eterosessualità obbligatoria e la violenza sulle lesbiche
Giù le mani dalla 194!
Libere di decidere su sessualità, maternità, contraccezione, aborto

SABATO 8 MARZO 2008
ORE 15,30
CORTEO
DA PIAZZA VITTORIO VENETO

Portiamo le nostre idee senza bandiere di partiti o sindacati!!!

http://femminismo-a-sud.noblogs.org/

more march 8th in the uk

[other events worldwide here and here]

UK: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: 8th MARCH 2008

Million Women Rise
MARCH FROM HYDE PARK TO TRAFALGAR SQUARE
raise your voices against violence against women

International Women’s Day has passed largely unnoticed in this country for many years except for local events and protests organised predominately by refugee and migrant communities.

This year a coalition of individuals and women’s organisations (see www.millionwomenrise.com for list of supporters) are co-ordinating a national march to raise the issue of gendered violence against women.

Violence against women happens everywhere, and takes many forms. Women and girls of all ages, from all classes, from all ethnic backgrounds, regardless of their immigration status, their colour, their sexuality or their disability, experience it.

Violence devastates the lives of women, their families, and their communities.

We call on women to come together to raise our voices, join forces, gain strength from each other and create an immovable force for change that challenges the oppression of women in its most brutal manifestations. It is an opportunity to remember, to celebrate and to plan for the future.

How to support the event
Continue reading