Scrisoare deschisa privind femeile rome si discriminarea in sanatate

[Open letter regarding roma women and discrimination in health care, english version; Campaign on Coerced Sterilization]

“… scrisoarea isi doreste sa atraga atentia cu privire la formele pe care le ia discriminarea femeilor rome in sanatate si a fost elaborata pentru a fi diseminata […] in cadrul conferintei mondiale a femeilor (Mundos de Mujeres/Women’s Worlds 2008) [la o] prezentare a eforturilor realizate in obtinerea compensatiilor ca urmare a incalcarilor violente ale drepturilor omului prin sterilizarea fortata a femeilor rome din europa centrala.” (fwd crina)

Discriminare multipla – Cazul femeilor rome

Motto: “Noi nu suntem de neatins!”

Am redactat aceasta scrisoare pentru a exprima ingrijorarea noastra in legatura cu discriminarea multipla ce exista de multa vreme si continua sa fie prezenta in toate aspectele vietii publice, dar si pentru a face cunoscute circumstantele ei in ce priveste femeile rome.

Ca femei rome si ca membri de organizatii rome si non-rome, dorim sa ne exprimam solidaritatea cu femeile rome din Republica Ceha si Slovacia care au trecut prin drama de a fi sterilizate fara sa-si fi dat consimtamantul si fara a avea la dispozitie informatii adecvate despre efectele care pot aparea[1]. Exista o ampla documentatie ce arata ca femeile rome din toata Europa sunt excluse in mod specific de catre sistemul de asistenta medicala si deseori au acces la ingrijire medicala numai in cazuri de extrema urgenta si/sau la nastere[2].

Alaturati-va campaniei de la Madrid adresata guvernelor Republicii Cehe, Ungariei si Slovaciei cu privire la indreptarea actelor de violare a drepturilor omului, accesand: http://www.errc.org/cikk.php?cikk=2965.

In orice interventie medicala, doctorul ar trebui sa se comporte fata de pacient ca o persoana ce presteaza servicii si un egal in fata legii; nu ca o autoritate publica superioara. Interventiile medicale sunt performante, servicii, nu acte de putere publica.

Din punct de vedere legal, aceste interventii de sterilizare fara consimtamantul pacientei sunt mutilari deoarece afecteaza organe sanataose si duc la daune permanente chiar daca au un scop permis de lege.

Dorim sa ne exprimam sustinerea ferma fata de femeile cehe care rup tacerea in privinta numarului mare de femei supuse de catre doctori la sterilizarea prin constrangere.

Este extrem de dificil pentru activistele rome, care sunt si sotii si mame, sa porneasca pe drumul plin de riscuri si nesiguranta al activismului contra opresiunii din afara dar si din interiorul comunitatii lor. Continue reading

fwd: Autonomous Feminist Womyn’s Gathering 2009

Easter 2009 an All-European Autonomous Feminist Womyn’s Gathering will take place in Vienna, Austria. We invite you to participate with workshops, actions and more.

Find details online on http://feministgathering.wolfsmutter.com

We are looking forward to your suggestions and ask for forwarding this invitation to interested women. Thanks.

feminist greetings from Vienna
the organizers

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Autonomous Feminist Womyn’s Gathering
April 9 – 14, 2009 – Vienna, Austria
http://feministgathering.wolfsmutter.com
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RAPORTUL ALTERNATIV PRIVIND RESPECTAREA DREPTURILOR COPILULUI IN ROMANIA

textul raportului

Raportul Alternativ privind respectarea Drepturilor Copilului in Romania a fost elaborat in cadrul proiectului cu acelasi nume, derulat de Federatia Organizatiilor Neguvernamentale pentru Copil – FONPC in septembrie 2007 – iulie 2008, proiect finantat de MAE Franta si UNICEF Romania.

La acest proiect au participat un numar de 83 ONG-uri si asociatii profesionale, precum si experti din domeniul Protectiei si Bunastarii Copilului.

Reprezentantii acestor asociatii si organizatii au pus la dispozitia Federatiei materiale documentare (rapoarte, studii, cercetari, studii de caz etc) si au participat direct la grupurile de lucru organizate in cadrul acestui proiect. Continue reading

psd si “amazoanele”

in caz ca se intreba cineva, liderul psd-ului n-a inteles inca ce inseamna “stinga” pe care o tot invoaca:

“Mircea Geoană atacă femeile democrat-liberale: model cu decolteuri mari, cu fuste scurte şi creier mic”

e bine sa aflam exact ce “model” de femeie promoveaza social-democratii romani! nu cele cu decolteuri mari (decolteuri si alte alegeri vestimentare care in viziunea liderului social-democrat par a fi o conditie necesara si suficienta pentru un creier mic), ci cele “serioase” care sint “ingerul pazitor” al “templului” familiei (dar si “amazoane” – presupunem ca in afara de faptul ca ele nici nu vor sa fie numite asa, dar ce conteaza asta pentru domnii lideri, amazoanele social-democrate se deosebesc de alte amazoane prin decolteurile decente si seriozitatea domestica). e atit de coerent, si feminist si “de stinga”! :( si pe urma discutam egalitatea de sanse si femeile in politica – ca sa imbracam discursul cel ultra-conservator la baza intr-o poleiala “progresista”… astfel traditia cu propaganda vida a “stingii” institutionale romanesti (care numai “de stinga” sau progresista in vreun fel n-a fost si nu e) continua neabatuta.

Compensation Now: Campaign on Coerced Sterilisation

Romani Women Campaign around Forced Sterilisation Practices at the 2008 Women’s Worlds Congress in Spain
http://www.errc.org/cikk.php?cikk=2965

Information also in česky, español, magyarul.

3 July 2008, Budapest, Madrid, Ostrava, Prague: Today, a coalition comprised of the Ostrava-based Group of Women Harmed by Sterilisation, the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) and the Peacework Development Fund launch a global campaign seeking support for Romani women victimised by coerced sterilisation practices in Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia.
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Invitation to 2008 AWID Forum

animateforum.gifThe 11th AWID International Forum on Women’s Rights and Development
www.awid.org/forum08
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The Power of Movements

November 14-17, 2008
Cape Town, South Africa

The struggle for women’s rights continues to face formidable challenges.

Fundamentalist forces have gained ground around the world, exerting an increased control on women’s lives. The Millennium Development Goals alongside the new aid architecture have restructured development assistance with women’s rights taking a back seat. The HIV and AIDS pandemic has continued to spread, with women being disproportionately affected. Migration has become an increasingly feminized phenomenon, particularly in relation to issues of labour and sexual exploitation. Militarization has increased, with particularly devastating impacts on women, while at the same time “security” agendas have obscured global strategies for human development and the eradication of poverty. Continue reading

Feminist Midwifery Zine call out

A feminist midwifery ‘zine’:
Is midwifery a feminist issue? How do feminists practice midwifery? What are feminists currently thinking about childbearing? What do feminists think about midwives?

This is a ‘call out’ to feminists who would like to contribute to an upcoming ‘zine’ about feminism, midwifery, pregnancy and birthing. A ‘zine’ is an informally published / DIY magazine. If you’ve never seen one then imagine a cross between a leaflet for a local jumble sale, a comic and a text book.

This particular zine will be distributed free or for donations – via free PDF documents and cheap printed copies… contributors will retain original copyright but agree for ‘copy-left’. This means anyone is welcome to copy the zine as long as it’s not for profit and says where the info comes from.

[*Contributions deadline – first draft = 30th August 2008]

You can contribute anything printable to the zine – writing, rants, poems, cartoons, drawings, photos, quizzes and crosswords, origami birth plans, cut out and keep guide to your womb, birth in the NHS self defence tip cards… anything flat!

Please think about making your writing understandable to a wide audience – how you write is up to you, but it might be useful to avoid midwifery jargon or writing in a very academic style.

We are interested in the views of student and qualified midwives; doulas; mums and other parents; birth activists and feminist health folk – if you don’t want to use your name you’re welcome to use a nickname.

Some ideas so far…feminist midwifery: birth without borders? – refugee women birthing in the NHS; queer parenting; freebirthing; trans-men birthing; techno-birth ‘v’ ecofeminism; independent midwifery radical or elitist?; dykes midwives and homosexual panic; earth-mother consumerism; birth as power; birth crisis and birth trauma; sexuality and breastfeeding; dads in the labour room; babybonding – myth and reality; Where are the male midwives?; midwifery, horizontal violence and sexism… Continue reading

carte si articole interesante: “tovarase de drum”

@ Observator Cultural:
O carte in dezbatere: Tovarase de drum. Experienta feminina in comunism.

Despre „epoca de aur“ au apărut, mai ales în ultimul deceniu, mai multe cărţi – fie documente istorice, fie istorii personale, subiective, care reconstituie, retrospectiv, viaţa cotidiană într-o lume din care intimitatea, individualitatea şi, nu în ultimul rînd, feminitatea fuseseră extirpate sistematic. Volumul coordonat de Radu Pavel Gheo şi Dan Lungu aduce în prim-plan o serie de istorii „despre lucrurile aparent fără însemnătate care trec, în timp, printr-o viaţă de om“ (apud Adriana Babeţi). Relatate de scriitoare din generaţii şi medii sociale diferite, istorioarele din Tovarăşe de drum sînt mărturii despre efectele nocive pe care regimul comunist le-a avut asupra destinelor individuale, dar şi radiografii tulburătoare ale procesului de naţionalizare a corpurilor femeilor, iniţiat de partidul unic. (C.M.)

Detalii si discutii in jurul cartii:
“Cum a pornit proiectul, ce spun coordonatorii volumului?”
“Cît de relevantă e diferenţa?” de Bianca Burta-Cernat
“Rîsul şi (r)Estul” de Theodora-Eliza Vacarescu
“Femeia din spatele Cortinei de Fier” de Şerban Axinte
“Ce mişto ar fi fost să fim femei!” de Ovidiu Şimonica
“Radu Pavel Gheo: „Am avut senzaţia că textele erau gata scrise şi abia aşteptau să iasă la iveală“”
“Dan Lungu: „O lumină nouă asupra totalitarismului, dintr-un unghi prea puţin explorat“”
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Info de la editura polirom:

“Lucrurile stau in felul urmator: se da o tara plina de betoane, fonta si salopete, se adauga magazine doldora de conserve de peste si cozi la orice, un sef timpit, plus doua-trei culori, destul de terne. Nu, nici vorba de pantofiori pastelati, ciorapi fini, tocuri sofisticate, sampoane si rujuri de firma sau, ma scuzati, sanitary pads. Nu, nici urma de mall-uri. Aaa, neaparat trebuie adaugate croitoresele de cartier, mici vrajitoare intr-ale modei, tragind cu ochiul in revista Burda. Ei bine, in aceasta tara se da drumul unor sufletele sensibile si li se spune: Fiti femei!. Va intrebati cum se descurca? Hmmm, greu de povestit, trebuie citita cartea.” (Dan Lungu)

Volumul cuprinde texte semnate de
: Adriana Babeti – Sarsanela; Anamaria Beligan – Halatul Veronicai; Carmen Bendovski – Lungul drum al comunismului catre sfirsit; Rodica Binder – Chiar asa?; Adriana Bittel – Servus, Reghina; Mariana Codrut – “Atunci am invatat sa renunt”; Sanda Cordos – Din umbra viitorului luminos; Nora Iuga – Scrisoare catre un prieten; Cerasela Nistor – Cerul negru-rozaliu; Ioana Ocneanu-Thierry – Eu, una, n-am suferit!; Simona Popescu – HoRor! Cool!; Iulia Popovici – X si Y; Alina Radu – O zi din viata Alinei Viktorovna; Doina Rusti – Ginecologii mei; Simona Sora – Bibliotecile spitalelor mele; Mihaela Ursa – O poveste de fata; Otilia Vieru-Baraboi – Aha.

ps: eu n-am citit cartea inca si nu stiu cum e, ma ingrijoreaza putin treaba cu “feminitatea” si “sufletele sensibile” (sper sa fie ironie), dar abia astept sa vad. [momentan recomand calduros textul de sus al theodorei vacarescu.] ceva ce scriam in 2004:

“Ne amintim, cantarim si analizam prea putin din ce a insemnat viata noastra inainte de ’89… Dar acea istorie ne influenteaza pe toti la nivel individual si la nivel societal — este o greseala sa continuam sa nu vorbim de experientele noastre, ce au insemnat si cum ne leaga de lumea (lumile) in care traim astazi. Nu pot sa nu vad o paralela intre aceasta tacere si tacerea — pe care ca problema la scara globala am ajuns totusi s-o constientizam si s-o analizam — creata istoric (deci impusa) si in acelasi timp “aleasa” de femei drept modus operandi in cadrul sistemului patriarhal. Cand e vorba de vietile femeilor in societatea romaneasca din perioada comunista, atunci, nevoia de a rupe aceasta tacere are o dubla importanta. …”

interview lf-ro: “how to intervene”

Ladyfest Romania contribution to the book:
Are you talking to me? Discussion on Knowledge Production, Gender Politics and Feminist Strategies,
eds H.arta/Katharina Morawek

How to intervene?
Practices of her-stories

A conversation between Veronika E., Regina W. and Andreea, Ruxandra from the Ladyfest Collective Bucharest.

“A grrrl from Timisoara—who is involved in the local “underground” scene there—decided to start a Romanian Ladyfest after attending the one held in Amsterdam in 2003. Impressed by the premise of a feminist festival showcasing woman artists and by her whole Ladyfest experience, she felt that it would be a good idea to also try something like that, infused with the riot grrrl spirit, at home. Finally, in late 2004, she started planning the festival together with a girlfriend of hers who is the bass player of a political punk band from Timisoara and a few other grrrls they knew; in time the two of them were able to spread the word and get more help from several Romanian girls and women living in different regions and even outside of the country. Ladyfest Timisoara 2005 was a small scale event, but it was a much needed action that brought together Romanian feminists of various ages and younger ones especially, and everyone involved felt that it should be kept going. Afterwards, the organizing collective decided to stay together to plan more events and ultimately a second Ladyfest in October 2007.” Ruxandra

Ladyfest is one example of (re)claiming feminist/queer spaces through a collective process where different structures enable self educational space. For us Ladyfest is an intervention which re-appropriates and re-claims (public) space to inscribe an anti-discriminatory space to secure a feministic queer space that is able to provide structures through which “counter” knowledge is transmitted and produced. It can and should work as a tool, backed by a big network. There are different Ladyfest events with local priorities which are shaped by the people who plan it.
Most of them have in common that they are self organised gatherings with non hierarchical structures working non-institutionalised and including workshops, bands, talks, performances, debates, films, marches to struggle together against homophobia, sexism, racisms, anti-semitism, capitalism, discrimination…

The first Ladyfest in Romania was in 2005 in Timisoara. The second Ladyfest was organised in 2007 and took place in the capital of Romania. We talked with Ruxandra and Andreea about their experiences organizing Ladyfest Bucharest 2007…
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culture, gender and math (and reading)

about recent research:

in The Economist
“Vital statistics: Girls are becoming as good as boys at mathematics, and are still better at reading” [h/t /etc list]

ABC News story
“Study: Girls in Sexist Societies Worse at Math – Countries with Higher Gender Equality Produce Girls Who Are Better at Math”

the original study in Science Magazine: “Diversity: Culture, Gender, and Math” [restricted access] & Supporting Online Material

“The existence (1), degree (2), and origin (3, 4) of a gender gap (difference between girls’ and boys’ scores) in mathematics are highly debated. Biologically based explanations for the gap rely on evidence that men perform better in spatial tests, whereas women do better in verbal recall ones (1, 5, 6). However, the performance differences are small, and their link with math test performance is tenuous (7). By contrast, social conditioning and gender-biased environments can have very large effects on test performance (8).

To assess the relative importance of biological and cultural explanations, we studied gender differences in test performance across countries (9). Cultural inequalities range widely across countries (10), whereas results from cognitive tests do not (6). We used data from the 2003 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) that reports on 276,165 15-year-old students from 40 countries who took identical tests in mathematics and reading (11, 12). The tests were designed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to be free of cultural biases. They are sufficiently challenging that only 0.6% of the U.S. students tested perform at the 99th percentile of the world distribution.”

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Science 30 May 2008:
Vol. 320. no. 5880, pp. 1164 – 1165
DOI: 10.1126/science.1154094

below the fold, some commentary in romanian (english quotes)
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