Soroptimist International of Europe was well represented at the World Forum for Democracy under the motto “Gender Equality: Whose Battle?”, held from 19-21 November: Bettina Hahne, SIE rep to the Council of Europe; Evelyne Bastin, SIB, member of the INGO Conference working groups “Freedom of expression and media” and “Poverty” and their gender equality rapporteur. More than 1000 participants, many of them from Eastern Europe, attended the event at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Bettina submitted the following report:
Bettina Hahne, SIE rep to the Council of Europe, at the Forum
“If a woman enters politics it changes her life, but if many women enter politics, it changes politics”, remarked Dolores Delgado, the Spanish Minister of Justice. These inspiring words set the tone for the interesting discussion.
Overall, gender equality has made very little progress during the past 10 years in Europe. While the situation in some countries is improving, other countries, mostly in Eastern Europe, are regressing. There was unanimity among all speakers that we can only reach gender equality in politics and economics if governments require quotas. 17 out of 47 CoE member states have introduced quotas for elections, which has considerably raised the number of female parliamentarians.
The results of a survey on sexism and sexual harassment and violence in political bodies were particularly appalling: 85% of women gave accounts of having been harassed, groped or extorted. When they report it, nothing happens. Often the victims remain silent as the perpetrator belongs to the same political party. Another interesting observation: women usually only apply for a job when they feel that they cover 100% of the requirements of the position, whereas men consider themselves suitable when they cover only 60%.
There was a consensus that the mindset has to change; gender stereotypes and sexism have to be tackled in order to progress. Canadian Ambassador and delegate to the UN Rosemary McCarney asked children of around 10 years if boys and girls are equal. The answer was “yes”. Then she asked what boys should do and what girls should do. The answers reflected all the gender stereotypes. Thus, she says, we need to start education for gender equality very early.
Feride Acar, President of GREVIO: “We all must take responsibility towards every single citizen. Women’s NGOS all over the world have a very effective use of the possibilities. They have that record. Now, we need men’s civil society to join in.
UN resolution 1325 says that women must participate in peace talks. It has been proven that they know better how to rebuild civil society. When women are present in peace talks, peace lasts longer.
It was stressed that all women should know about financing, banking, budgeting in order to empower them to take responsibility for their lives.
At the end of the Forum, a prize was awarded for the best and most innovative initiative from civil society among those that were presented at the Forum. The winner is an NGO called FIDA, which is run by the Kenyan Federation of Women Lawyers. The project which convinced the audience consists of teaching women to take their case to court, to speak up for themselves. Most of them have no money to pay an advocate, so they learn what to say, not to bring their babies, how to dress, how not to become too emotional, etc. They win 85% of their cases. It empowers those women enormously: “when you can speak up at court, you can speak up everywhere”.
