Een actief begin van het nieuwe jaar.....

Op 16 januari 2012 kregen alle leden van de Eerste en Tweede Kamer 

een exemplaar van de rapportage 

'Vrouwen in de Verkiezingsuitslagen 2009-2011', 

vergezeld van een persoonlijke brief van 

onze voorzitter, Leonie van Gils. 

Zowel de brief als de rapportage kun je als pdf vinden op de website: 
http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/vereniging/b_acties.htm

Word lid van Vrouwenbelangen als je, met ons, vindt dat Gelijk Staatsburgerschap voor vrouwen in Nederland nog niet bereikt is. Kijk voor meer informatie op http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/vereniging/index.htm

IAW Newsletter October 2011

Dear members,
In this newsletter a look at the IAW Board Meeting held in the beautiful country of Iceland when Board members evaluated 2011 and prepared for 2012. See also the inquiry of the IAW Commission on Health on the IAW website.
This month the world will welcome its 7 billionth baby, probably born in the Asia and Pacific Region. If it is a girl, will there still be a Commission on the Status of Women when she is twenty? Anyway, the main topic of CSW, the position of rural women, is momentarily discussed worldwide by many women organisations. Registration will be opened soon.
We were pleasantly surprised this month when three women activists received the Nobel Peace Prize.
The position of women in the Middle East has improved, but there is still a long way to go.
There is also improvement in acknowledging the important role of women in food production, in guarding the environment and in fighting desertification, but will women get the necessary tools, such as the right to own land and to be educated?
Still, there are opportunities. In Papua New Guinea women are calling the shots on a big Copper Mine - no opening without preserving human rights, social cohesion, environment and culture.
With kind regards,

Joke Sebus
 
INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF WOMEN
ALLIANCE INTERNATIONALE DES FEMMES

IAW website: http://www.womenalliance.org

Equal Rights - Equal Responsibilities
Droits Égaux - Responsibilités Égales


Word lid van Vrouwenbelangen als je, met ons, vindt dat Gelijk Staatsburgerschap voor vrouwen in Nederland nog niet bereikt is. Kijk voor meer informatie op http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/

Bestuursvergadering International Alliance in IJsland

Een stevige vergaderagenda, maar ook een kennismaking met de vrouwenbeweging van een land, dat op de eerste plaats staat van de Internationale Gender Equality List. Nederland is op die lijst uit de Top Ten gevallen en staat nu op een beschamende 17e plaats (!).
De ontvangende zustervereniging Kvenrettindafelag Islands (Icelandic Women's Rights Association) had een interessant programma voor ons opgesteld. Met inleidingen over het IJslandse beleid ten aanzien van Gender Equality en Human Rights.

Education dor Gender Equality

Drie gebeurtenissen spraken tot onze verbeelding. De Hjalli kinderopvangscholen met aparte klassen voor meisjes en jongens, de Gender Equality opleiding voor deelnemers in ontwikkelingslanden en de Vrouwenstaking van 25 Oktober 2010.

The Women's Strike - Oktober 25th 2010

Vorig jaar in oktober legden alle vrouwen in IJsland vanaf 14.25 uur hun werk neer en liepen met spandoeken door de straten van Reykjavik. Gelijk Loon voor Gelijk Werk - Geen Geweld tegen Vrouwen, was het devies. Meer dan honderdduizend mensen staakten op die dag en dat op een bevolking van nog geen vierhonderdduizend mensen. Mannen liepen mee.

Women have 65.65% of men's total salaries

The ordinary working day is 9-17 o'clock

Women get paid for work from 9-14.25 o'clock

After that we are doing voluntary work,

Why should we do that?



Een knappe strategische planning ging aan deze staking vooraf..

Na het lezen van de Rijksbegroting met de zigzag-voorstellen van deze regering over arbeidsparticipatie van vrouwen vragen wij ons ook af: waarom nemen we dat eigenlijk? Is staken een goed antwoord?
Een bezoek aan Hjallastefna Kindergarten

Bij binnenkomst in de hal van het grote lage schoolgebouw liepen vijf kleine meisjes voorbij. Ze zijn een jaar of drie. Netjes op een rij, op hun sokken, ieder met een handboekje onder de arm. Ze waren niet onder de indruk van 30 vreemde vrouwen, want ze waren gewoon bezig met wat ze aan het doen waren.

Zo bleef het tijdens het hele bezoek, ook toen we door de klassen liepen. In kleine groepjes met klei prutsen, met blokjes bouwen, schaken, zelf papier uit de kast halen om te tekenen, in groepjes fantaseren met het speelgoed, heerlijk hollen buiten op de speelwei.
Wij kregen uitleg van Margret Pala Olafsdottir, die deze pedagogische methode had ontwikkeld. Z ij merkte als kleuterleidster dat zij meer tijd besteedde aan het corrigeren van het gedrag van jongens dan aan de meisjes. En erger: daarmee bevestigde ze juist hun beide rollen. Zij ontwikkelde toen dit pedagogische systeem en ontwierp speciaal meubilair en materiaal voor beide groepen. Het is een uitgekiend IJslands systeem, gebaseerd op de eigen verbeeldingskracht van kinderen en de band van mensen met de natuur. Plastic speelgoed is hier niet te vinden.

Het kostte Margret aanvankelijk veel moeite en zelfs tegenwerking om met dit systeem aan de gang te gaan. Nu zijn er 10 kinderdagverblijven voor kinderen van 5 tot 9 jaar en 3 basisscholen, verspreid over het hele land. Ouders betalen een extra bijdrage. Er is een wachtlijst.

Zoals op alle scholen in IJsland krijgen kinderen ontbijt en lunch. Het IJslandse schoolsysteem lijkt veel op het Deense. Wettelijk zijn kinderopvangcentra verplicht alle kinderen op te nemen, ook gehandicapte kinderen zoals autistische kinderen en kinderen met ADHD. Gehandicapte kinderen schijnen het op de Hjalli-scholen goed te doen.

Transnational Dialogue and Learning -a Gender Equality Training programme

Een 20-weken durend trainingsprogramma voor mensen uit ontwikkelingslanden, gesubsidieerd door de VN. Twee van hen hielden inleidingen: Khaled Mansoue uit Palestina en Susan Asio uit Oeganda. Dit project valt binnen het Bureau van Mensenrechten in IJsland. In alle projecten en evenementen ligt de nadruk op gender equality.

Wij waren allen zeer onder indruk van de energie van de vrouwenbeweging in IJsland.

Joke Sebus









Word lid van Vrouwenbelangen als je, met ons, vindt dat Gelijk Staatsburgerschap voor vrouwen in Nederland nog niet bereikt is. Kijk voor meer informatie op http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/vereniging/index.htm

Terug naar gescheiden onderwijs

Soms geloof je je ogen niet, als je iets leest.
"Voorstel scheiding seksen in onderwijs', NRC, 16 augustus.
Een interview met Wim Kuiper, voorzitter van de Besturenraad,

vereniging van 540 christelijke schoolbesturen met 2200 scholen. Hij deed zijn voorstel, die dag in Trouw.

Waarom? Als ik het goed begrijp, ook na lezing van de toelichting, is het vooral omdat jongens achterblijven in het middelbaar onderwijs.
Hebben we eindelijk een situatie waarin (aanstaande) vrouwen beter presteren. moet de achtergebleven sekse de volle aandacht hebben. 
Heeft die Besturenraad ook zo voorop gelopen in de tijd dat meisjes nog niet zo volop mee deden aan het voortgezet onderwijs? En waarmee stimuleren zij de meisjes uit andere culturen, ook een achterblijvende groep?
Ja zeker, de CDA-minister van onderwijs gaat gelijk geld besteden aan een onderzoek....dus zij ziet er wel iets in.  Geld genoeg.
Ik dacht dat de tijd van gescheiden onderwijs, met alle bezwaren vandien lang achter ons lag. Er was niet eens een tweede emancipatiegolf voor nodig om dat te bewerken....
Er zal best een positieve bedoeling zitten achter het  voorstel om in een bepaalde periode van de middelbare school jongens en meisjes gescheiden les te geven in wiskunde en in talen, maar het gaat voorbij aan een heleboel nadelen. Het belangrijkste voor mij is dat het plan er van uitgaat dat ALLE jongens die achterstand bezitten, dat alle jongens wiskunde-aanleg hebben en ALLE meisjes slecht zijn in wiskunde en beter in  talen.  De groepsaanpak. Dat is juist in een levensperiode dat de identiteit van een jongen/meisje zich gaat ontwikkelen funest. Je wordt weer in een groep geduwd. Meisje, denk er aan, je hoort tot de groep, die geen wiskundeaanleg heeft. Het plan is dan ook volkomen tegenstrijdig met het huidige onderwijsbeleid waarbij meisjes worden aangemoedigd meer voor exacte vakken te kiezen. Ook jongens worden in een bepaald perspectief gezet, dat van de competitie. Vrij vertaald: ‘haantjesgedrag’. Moeten we dat aanmoedigen?
De heer Kuiper en de minister van onderwijs stellen dat dit alleen een onderzoeksvoorstel is, maar dat voorstel is gebaseerd op verkeerde uitgangspunten. Jongens en meisjes zijn niet allen in een groep te vangen. Probeer andere manieren te bedenken die niet gebaseerd zijn op de traditionele rolverdeling . Onderwijskundigen genoeg, meneer Kuiper, die zich daar wel mee bezig willen houden. Maar niet terug naar af. Geen sekseonderscheid meer in het onderwijs.

Cock Kerling

(oud-leerling HBS-b, met rond een kwart meisjes in de eindexamenklas)

Word lid van Vrouwenbelangen als je, met ons, vindt dat Gelijk Staatsburgerschap voor vrouwen in Nederland nog niet bereikt is. Kijk voor meer informatie op http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/vereniging/index.htm

Commission on the Status of Women - 55Th session - febr.-march 2011

Commission on the Status of Women
55th session
22 February to 4 March 2011


Access and participation of women and girls in education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women’s equal access to full employment and decent work



Agreed conclusions



1. The Commission on the Status of Women reaffirms the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the outcome documents of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, and the declarations adopted by the Commission on the occasion of the tenth and fifteenth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women. AGREED AD REF

2. The Commission reiterates that the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Optional Protocols thereto, as well as other conventions and treaties, such as the relevant UNESCO and ILO Conventions, provide a legal framework and a comprehensive set of measures for the promotion of gender equality in education and employment. AGREED AD REF
3. The Commission recalls the United Nations Millennium Declaration and General Assembly Resolution 65/1 of 19 October 2010, and recognizes the interdependence of all the Millennium Development Goals. The Commission also recalls the Ministerial Declaration of the 2010 high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council on “Implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to gender equality and empowerment of women”. It takes note of the Budapest Science Agenda - Framework for Action adopted at the World Conference on Science, and of the Dakar Framework for Action adopted at the World Education Forum. AGREED AD REF

4. The Commission welcomes the establishment of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and its operationalization, which will strengthen the ability of the United Nations to support the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women, and welcomes the appointment of Michelle Bachelet as the first Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women. AGREED AD REF

5. The Commission acknowledges the important role of national machineries for the advancement of women, which should be placed at the highest possible level of government, the relevant contribution of national human rights institutions where they exist, and the important role of civil society, especially women’s organizations, in advancing the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and in promoting the full and equal access and participation of women and girls in education, training, science and technology. AGREED AD REF

6. The Commission stresses that education is a human right, and that equal access to education, training, science and technology empowers women and girls in a context of global economic and technological changes, and promotes development, all human rights, human rights education and learning at all levels, as well as gender equality, the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls, and the eradication of poverty. AGREED AD REF

6 bis. The Commission reaffirms that the best interest of the child shall be the guiding principle of those responsible for his or her education and guidance in the exercise by the child of his or her rights, and that responsibility lies in the first place with his or her parents or legal guardians. AGREED AD REF

7. The Commission welcomes the progress made in increasing women’s and girls’ access to and participation in education and training, including science and technology education. The Commission recognizes the potential of education and training, and science and technology, to contribute to the economic empowerment of women, which also leads to accelerating progress towards achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. AGREED AD REF

8. The Commission notes that quality education and full and equal access and participation in science and technology for women of all ages are imperative for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women, and are an economic necessity, and provide women with the knowledge, capacity, aptitudes, skills, ethical values and understanding necessary for lifelong learning, employment, better physical and mental health, including the prevention and control of maternal mortality, HIV and AIDS, other communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as full participation in social, economic and political development. AGREED AD REF

9. The Commission welcomes the important contribution that women make to all fields of education, training, science and technology, and recognizes their work in the full spectrum of professions in science and technology. The Commission also acknowledges that women and men should continue to contribute to the promotion of the ethical dimensions of scientific and technological progress. AGREED AD REF

10. The Commission recognizes that science and technology research and development (R&D), and its dissemination, have insufficiently responded to women’s needs. The Commission stresses the need for increased cooperation among countries, including through international cooperation and transfer of technologies on mutually agreed terms, especially to developing countries, to improve equal access of women, to science and technology and enhancing their participation in science and technology education. AGREED AD REF

11. The Commission expresses continued concern at the negative impact of the global crises such as the financial and economic crisis, the food crisis and continuing food insecurity, the energy crisis, as well as the challenges posed by poverty, natural disasters and climate change on women’s and girls’ empowerment, including their access and participation in education, training, science, and technology. AGREED AD REF

11 bis. The Commission expresses concern at the serious and persistent obstacles that still hinder the advancement of women and further affect their participation in decision-making, including the persistent feminization of poverty, the lack of equal access to health, education, training and employment, as well as armed conflict, the lack of security, and natural disasters. AGREED AD REF

11 ter. The Commission acknowledges that men and women continue to face gender stereotypes, as well as challenges and obstacles to changing discriminatory attitudes, and stresses that challenges and obstacles remain in the implementation of international standards and norms to address the inequality between men and women. AGREED AD REF

12. The Commission expresses deep concerns about all legal, economic, social and cultural barriers that prevent women and girls from having equal access to education and training, and recognizes that some women and girls face multiple discrimination and disadvantages which prevent their participation in education, training and employment. AGREED AD REF

12 bis. The Commission recognizes that the upbringing of children requires shared responsibility of parents, women and men, and society as a whole, and that maternity, motherhood, parenting and the role of women in procreation must not be a basis for discrimination nor restrict the full participation of women in society. AGREED AD REF

13. The Commission expresses deep concern that discrimination and violence against women and girls, including sexual harassment and bullying, continue to occur in all parts of the world including in places of education and work. The Commission notes that those are obstacles to the achievement of women’s and girls’ equal access to and participation in education, including in science and technology education, and training, as well as impediments to the development of their full potential as equal partners with men in other aspects of life, including full employment and decent work. AGREED AD REF

14. The Commission also expresses concern that inadequate educational opportunities and low quality of education reduces the benefits of education and training for women and girls, men and boys, and that women’s educational gains are yet to translate into equal access to full employment and decent work, with long-term adverse effects on the development of any society. It remains deeply concerned by the persistence of high female illiteracy rates and gender stereotyped roles of women and men which inhibit women’s equal participation in employment, leading to occupational segregation including the widespread underrepresentation of women and girls in many fields of science and technology, which represents a loss of talent and perspectives, hinders economic development and women’s economic empowerment, and can contribute to the gender pay gap. AGREED AD REF

15 integrated into 14

16. The Commission expresses concern about high drop-out rates from school of female students in many parts of the world, especially at the secondary level, and including at the tertiary level, owing to multiple discrimination and factors that impede girls’ participation in education. AGREED AD REF

17. The Commission expresses concern that the unequal sharing of responsibilities of daily life, including caregiving between women and men, girls and boys, has a disproportionate impact on women’s and girls’ access to education, training, science and technology, and on their economic empowerment and long term economic security. AGREED AD REF

18. The Commission underlines that addressing the barriers to equal access of women and girls to education, training, science and technology requires a systematic, comprehensive, integrated, sustainable, multidisciplinary and multisectoral approach with policy, legislative and programmatic interventions, and as appropriate, gender responsive budgeting, at all levels. AGREED AD REF

19. The Commission urges Governments, at all levels, including local authorities and national machineries for the advancement of women, and/or, as appropriate, the relevant entities of the United Nations system, international and regional organizations, within their respective mandates and bearing in mind national priorities, and invites national human rights institutions where they exist, and civil society, including non-governmental organizations, academia, educational, scientific research and funding institutions, the private sector, employer organizations, trade unions, professional associations, the media and other relevant actors, to take the following actions, as appropriate: AGREED AD REF

6.1 Strengthening national policies and programmes

20. Mainstream a gender perspective in legislation, policies and programmes within all governmental sectors, such as education, training, science and technology, academia, research institutions and research funding agencies, in order to address unequal access and participation of women and girls in education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women’s equal access to full employment and decent work; AGREED AD REF

20 bis. Strengthen capacities to ensure that science education policies and curriculum are relevant to the needs of women and girls so that developments in science and technology can directly benefit them; AGREED AD REF

21. Improve and systematize the collection, analysis, and dissemination of sex-, age-, and disability-disaggregated data; enhance capacity development in this regard; and develop relevant gender-sensitive indicators to support legislative development, policy-making on education, training, science and technology. AGREED AD REF

22. Encourage providing institutional and financial support to studies in academia that can produce gender-specific knowledge and feed into all policies and programmes on education, training and research, and support research, including longitudinal policy research, to identify specific gaps in education and career pathways, so as to promote the retention of women and girls in different fields of science and technology, and other relevant disciplines; AGREED AD REF

23. Strengthen monitoring and evaluation, and where appropriate, reviewing, of existing policies and programmes to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women in education, training, science and technology, and access to full employment and decent work, so as to assess their effectiveness and impact, to ensure a gender perspective in all policy and programmes, and strengthen accountability; AGREED AD REF

24. Encourage, and as appropriate, increase public and private investment in education and training to expand women’s and girls’ access to quality education and training throughout the lifecycle, including inter alia through the provision of scholarships for study in science and technology in secondary and tertiary institutions, and to ensure that research and development (R&D) in the field of science and technology directly benefits women and girls; AGREED AD REF

25. Incorporate systematically a gender perspective into budgetary policies at all levels to ensure that public resources in education, training, science, technology and research, equally benefit women and men, girls and boys, and contribute to the empowerment of women and girls in particular; AGREED AD REF

25 bis. Urge developed countries that have not yet done so, in accordance with their commitments, to make concrete efforts towards meeting the target of 0.7 per cent of their gross national product for official development assistance to developing countries and the target of 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of their gross national product for official development assistance to least developed countries, and encourage developing countries to build on the progress achieved in ensuring that official development assistance is used effectively to help meet development goals and targets and help them, inter alia, to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women; AGREED AD REF

25 ter. Strengthen international cooperation in the area of access and participation of women and girls to education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women’s equal access to full employment and decent work and the promotion of women’s participation in the exchange of scientific knowledge, and welcome and encourage in this regard South-South, North-South and triangular cooperation and recognize that the commitment to explore opportunities for further South-South cooperation entails not seeking a substitute for but rather a complement to North-South cooperation; AGREED AD REF

25 quat. Prioritize and encourage enhanced funding and capacity development efforts for the education and training needs of girls and women in development assistance programmes; AGREED AD REF

26 withdrawn

26 bis. Continue to strengthen policies relevant for women’s economic empowerment aimed at addressing inequality affecting women and girls, in access to and achievement in education at all levels, including in science and technology, in particular to eliminate inequalities related to age, poverty, geographical location, language, ethnicity, disability, and race, or because they are Indigenous people, or people living with HIV and AIDS; AGREED AD REF

26 ter. Strengthen national efforts, including with the support of international cooperation, aimed at addressing the rights and needs of women and girls affected by natural disasters, armed conflicts, other complex humanitarian emergencies, trafficking in persons and terrorism, within the context of access and participation of women and girls to education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women's equal access to full employment and decent work. Also underline the need to take concerted actions in conformity with international law to remove the obstacles to the full realization of the rights of women and girls living under foreign occupation, so as to ensure the achievement of the above-mentioned goals; AGREED AD REF

6.2 Expanding access and participation in education

27. Ensure women’s and girls’ full and equal access to quality formal, informal and non-formal education and vocational training at all levels, including to free and compulsory primary education, and providing educational opportunities, including in science and technology, from early childhood and throughout the life cycle, including lifelong learning and retraining, human rights education and learning, and adult and distance education and e-learning, including in information and communications technology and entrepreneurial skills, in order to promote the empowerment of women, inter alia, through enhancing and facilitating women’s access to full and productive employment, in particular to careers in science and technology; AGREED AD REF

27 bis. Improve and expand women’s and girl’s access to distance education, e-learning, tele-education, and community radio, including in rural and remote communities, due to their important role in women’s development, including inter alia in helping to overcome issues related to time constraints, lack of accessibility, lack of financial resources and family responsibilities; AGREED AD REF

28. Increase enrolment and retention rates of girls in education, inter alia, by allocating appropriate and adequate budgetary resources, enlisting the support of parents and the community, as well as through campaigns and flexible school schedules, providing financial and other incentives targeted at families, including access to free education at primary level, and at other levels where possible, scholarships, teaching, learning, hygiene and health supplies, as well as nutritional and academic support, in order to minimize the costs of education, in particular to families, and to facilitate parents' ability to choose education for their children; AGREED AD REF

29. Ensure that pregnant adolescents and young mothers, as well as single mothers can continue and complete their education, in this regard design, implement and where applicable, revise educational policies to allow them to return to school, providing access to health and social services and support, including childcare facilities and crèches, and to education programmes with accessible locations, flexible schedules, and distance education, including e-learning, and bearing in mind the challenges faced by young fathers in this regard; AGREED AD REF

30. Condemn all forms of violence against women and girls and take appropriate action to strengthen and implement legal, policy, administrative and other measures to prevent and eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence in order to, inter alia, ensure access and participation in education, training, full employment and decent work; AGREED AD REF

31. Improve the safety of girls at and on the way to school, including inter alia by improving infrastructure such as transportation, by providing separate and adequate sanitation facilities, improved lighting, playgrounds, and safe environments, by conducting violence prevention activities in schools and communities and by establishing and enforcing penalties for all forms of harassment and violence against girls; AGREED AD REF

6.3 Strengthening gender-sensitive, quality education and training, including in the field of science and technology

32. Improve the quality of education at all levels for both girls and boys, including in science and technology education, through improving learning conditions, continuous teacher training, teaching methodologies and curriculum development, implementing programmes to improve achievements for the most disadvantaged learners, as well as expanding recruitment and support for teachers, and particularly for women teachers in scientific and technological disciplines; AGREED AD REF

33. Ensure that education results in the acquisition by women and girls of literacy and numeracy skills, of knowledge and other skills that enhance and broaden their employment opportunities; AGREED AD REF

34. Expand and improve teacher education and training, and systematically integrate a gender perspective in such programmes, to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls and to overcome gender stereotypes; AGREED AD REF

35. Develop gender-sensitive curricula for educational programmes at all levels, and take concrete measures to ensure that educational materials portray women and men, youth, girls and boys in positive and non-stereotypical roles, particularly in scientific and technological subjects, in order to address the root causes of segregation in working life; AGREED AD REF

35 bis.

a. Remove legal, regulatory and social barriers, where appropriate, to sexual and reproductive health education within formal education programmes regarding women's health issues; AGREED AD REF

b. Ensure women’s and girls’ right to education at all levels as well as access to life skills and sex education based on full and accurate information and with respect to girls and boys, in a manner consistent with their evolving capacities, and with appropriate direction and guidance from parents and legal guardians, in order to help women and girls, men and boys, to develop knowledge to enable them to make informed and responsible decisions to reduce early childbearing and maternal mortality, to promote access to pre- and post-natal care and to combat sexual harassment and gender-based violence; AGREED AD REF

35 ter. Take steps to promote access for women and girls to education and training, including human rights education and learning at all levels, which can foster tolerance and mutual understanding and respect for all human rights, so that they can realize their full human potential by learning about the comprehensive framework of all human rights and fundamental freedoms; AGREED AD REF

35 quat. Provide quality education in emergency situations that is gender-sensitive, centered on learners, rights-based, protective, adaptable, inclusive, participatory and reflective of the specific living conditions of women, children and youth, and that pays due regard, as appropriate, to their linguistic and cultural identity, mindful that quality education can foster tolerance and mutual understanding and respect for the human rights of others; AGREED AD REF

36. Improve hands-on experimentation and collaborative work in science and technology classes, highlight the broad societal applications of science and technology in curricula and educational material, and expose girls and boys, women and men, to female role models in science and technology, in order to make science and technology, including engineering and mathematics, more attractive for girls and women; AGREED AD REF

37. Promote a positive image of careers in science and technology for women and girls, including in the mass media and social media and through sensitizing parents, students, teachers, career counselors and curriculum developers, and devising and scaling up other strategies to encourage and support their participation in these fields; AGREED AD REF

6.4 Supporting the transition from education to full employment and decent work

38. Address the different barriers women and girls face in the transition from school to work by: expanding the scope of education and training opportunities that are relevant to employment opportunities and aligned with rapidly changing labour market needs, particularly in emerging new and non-traditional fields; by helping women acquire business, trade, information and communication technology and entrepreneurship skills; by raising awareness of such opportunities and of their suitability to both women and men, particularly among parents, teachers, career counselors and other advisors; and by encouraging interaction between educational systems, the private sector, and civil society, as appropriate; AGREED AD REF

39. Adopt policies and mechanisms to recognize women’s prior learning and management skills, including those gained from informal and/or unpaid work, especially for women who discontinued their education or employment due to various reasons, to facilitate their access to education, training and employment opportunities; AGREED AD REF

40. Improve access to gender-sensitive career counseling, job search support services and include job readiness and job search skills in curricula for secondary and higher education and vocational training, to facilitate transition from school to work and re-entry into the labour market for women of all ages; AGREED AD REF

41. Work to eliminate occupational and sectoral segregation and the gender pay gap by recognizing the value of sectors that have large numbers of women workers, such as care and other service areas, improving career pathways and working conditions; as well as by undertaking, evaluating and where necessary reviewing legislation, policies and programmes, public awareness campaigns and other measures such as career management to promote women’s entry into non-traditional sectors; AGREED AD REF

42. Promote the reconciliation of work and family responsibilities for women and men, as well as the equal sharing of employment and family responsibilities between women and men, including by designing, implementing and promoting family-friendly legislation, policies and services, such as; affordable, accessible and quality care services for children and other dependent persons; parental and other leave schemes; undertaking campaigns to sensitize public opinion and other relevant actors to these issues and promoting measures to reconcile care and professional life and emphasize men’s equal responsibilities with respect to household work; AGREED AD REF

42 bis. Develop or strengthen policies and programmes to support the multiple roles of women in society, including in the fields of science and technology, in order to increase women’s and girls’ access to education, training, science and technology, while acknowledging the social significance of maternity and motherhood, parenting, the role of parents and other guardians in the upbringing of the children and caring for other family members; such policies and programmes should also promote shared responsibility of parents, women and men and society as a whole; AGREED AD REF

43. Encourage employers and research funding agencies to establish flexible and non-discriminatory work policies and arrangements for both women and men, such as time extension on research grants for pregnant researchers, leave schemes, quality care services and social protection policies, in order to improve the retention and progression of women in science and technology; AGREED AD REF

43 bis. Implement gender-sensitive policies and programmes for women migrant workers and provide safe and legal channels that recognize their skills and education and fair labour conditions, facilitate their productive employment and decent work and integration into the labour force, including inter alia in the fields of education, science and technology, and ensure that all women, including care workers, are legally protected against violence and exploitation; AGREED AD REF

6.5 Increasing retention and progression of women in science and technology employment
44. Encourage workplace environments and institutional practices that value all members and offer them equal opportunities to reach their full potential, ensuring that gender equality and gender mainstreaming are considered a necessary dimension of human resources management, in particular for the modernization of scientific and technological organizations and institutions, both in the public and private sectors; AGREED AD REF

45. Encourage the use of clear and transparent criteria for, and promote the achievement of gender balance in, recruitment, promotion and recognition in science and technology, both in the public and private sectors; train and sensitize leadership and staff, at all levels, to gender mainstreaming and gender equality issues and to prevent direct and indirect discrimination against women; and support leadership skill-building for women; AGREED AD REF

46. Develop career advisory, networking and mentoring programmes, including those that utilize information and communication technology (ICT), support role models, and facilitate programmes that link women scientists around the world; promote measures to improve female retention and progression in science and technology fields, with a special focus on women scientists in tertiary education and early-stage career, and women re-entering science and technology careers; AGREED AD REF

47. Take steps to ensure that science, technology and innovation policies take into account and address the specific constraints faced by women entrepreneurs, and facilitate their access to credit, training, information and business support services, including those provided in technology parks and business incubators centers; AGREED AD REF

48. Set concrete goals, targets and benchmarks, as appropriate, while supporting a merit-based approach, to achieve equal participation of women and men in decision-making at all levels, especially in science and technology institutions, such as science academies, research funding institutions, academia and the public and private sectors, and in the design of science and technology policies and research and development (R&D) agenda-setting; AGREED AD REF

6.6 Making science and technology responsive to women’s needs

49. Utilize the full potential of science and technology, including in engineering and mathematics and their innovations to deliver improvements in infrastructure and sectors such as energy, transportation, agriculture, nutrition, health, water and sanitation, and ICT, in order to, inter alia, eradicate poverty, promote social development, and achieve women’s economic empowerment; AGREED AD REF

50. Create awareness of the needs of women in science and technology, including by encouraging the media to sponsor popular science programming, and report on the differential impact of science and technology on women and men; AGREED AD REF

51. Encourage the integration of a gender perspective in the science and technology curricula throughout all stages of education and continuous learning, and the use of gender-based analysis and gender impact assessments in science and technology research and development (R&D), and promote a user-driven approach to technology development, in order to increase the relevance and usefulness of advancements in science and technology for both women and men; AGREED AD REF

52 deleted

53. Respect, preserve and maintain women’s traditional knowledge and innovation while recognizing the potential of rural and indigenous women to contribute to the production of science and technology and of new knowledge to improve their lives and those of their families and communities; AGREED AD REF

53 bis. Formulate and implement public policies that increase women’s and girls’ access to digital technologies, including through conducting local communications campaigns. AGREED AD REF

54. The Commission recognizes the need for compilation and sharing of good practice examples and lessons learnt in mainstreaming a gender perspective in science, technology and innovation (STI) policy and programmes with a view to replicating and scaling up successes, and in this regard looks forward to any steps or actions that relevant United Nations bodies, especially the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, could take. AGREED AD REF





Word lid van Vrouwenbelangen als je, met ons, vindt dat Gelijk Staatsburgerschap voor vrouwen in Nederland nog niet bereikt is. Kijk voor meer informatie op http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/vereniging/index.htm

Bij het overlijden van Tine Halkes

Een bijzondere vrouw, Tine Halkes. In mijn herinnering vooral moedig. Rustig, gewoon haar gevoel voor rechtvaardigheid volgend ging ze haar weg. En door die consequente houding trok ze met haar onderwerpen de aandacht in verschillende kringen. Niet alleen in de kerk(en), waar ze streed voor een plaats voor vrouwen. Ook als een ‘eerste vrouw’, die de door mannen gedomineerde kerk van binnen uit, als gelovige, wilde veranderen. Als strategisch denker koos zij voor een studie theologie waardoor zij de mannencultuur en vooroordelen in de kerk vanuit een gelijke positie kon bestrijden.

De manier waarop zij haar ideeën naar voren bracht had zoveel succes dat ze bijzonder hoogleraar werd aan de Katholieke Universiteit in Nijmegen. Vanuit die positie kon ze nog beter laten zien hoe belangrijk het was Feminisme en Religie te verbinden.

Nu ik terug denk aan die tijd betwijfel ik in hoeverre zij beseft heeft hoezeer zij ook fungeerde als het ‘geweten’ van de vrouwenbeweging. In de heftige jaren 70 van de vorige eeuw waren (sommige) feministen op een aantal terreinen net zo streng en hardvochtig als de kerken. Wie niet recht in de leer was kon het in de vrouwenorganisaties ook moeilijk hebben. Dat betrof onderwerpen als mannenhaat, huwelijkstrouw, abortus, maar ook godsdienst. Halkes werd niet tot de feministen gerekend, omdat zij trouw aan haar geloof en aan haar kerk bleef. Hoewel ik zelf al lang afscheid had genomen van de kerk waarin ik was groot gebracht, heb ik haar bewonderd om de vrolijke en vriendelijke wijze waarop zij verdedigde dat die twee, feminisme en geloof, konden samengaan.

Cock Kerling-Simons


 
 
Word lid van Vrouwenbelangen als je, met ons, vindt dat Gelijk Staatsburgerschap voor vrouwen in Nederland nog niet bereikt is. Kijk voor meer informatie op http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/vereniging/index.htm

Vrouwenstemmen: vraag en aanbod

De Nederlandse Vereniging voor Vrouwenbelangen, Vrouwenarbeid en Gelijk Staatsburgerschap (VROUWENBELANGEN) maakt zich al sinds 1894 sterk voor rechten van vrouwen op voet van gelijkheid met mannen. Zoals gelijke invloed van vrouwen in de politiek, herverdeling van betaald en onbetaald werk en gelijke beloning voor gelijk werk.

Inmiddels hebben we kiesrecht, zijn we handelingsbekwaam en is de ontslagplicht van vrouwen bij huwelijk opgeheven. Sinds het midden van de 20e eeuw zijn onder meer gelijke politieke, sociale en economische rechten erkend als fundamentele mensenrechten. Door goedkeuring van het internationale Vrouwenverdrag van 1979 hebben staten, waaronder Nederland, zich verplicht deze rechten bij wet te regelen en vrouwen het genot en de uitoefening daarvan in de dagelijkse praktijk te verzekeren.

In 1992 benoemde de regering evenredige deelname van vrouwen en mannen in de politiek en het openbaar bestuur als speerpunt van het emancipatiebeleid, dat in 2010 bereikt zou moeten zijn. Nauw daarmee samenhangend werden toen ook de herverdeling van de onbetaalde arbeid en het blootleggen en elimineren van onbewuste en onbedoelde discriminatie door stereotiepe denkbeelden, gewoonten en praktijken speerpunten van dit beleid.

Kennis en inzicht in de oorzaken en effecten van ‘vanzelfsprekende’ ongelijkheden tussen de seksen werden echter niet geïntegreerd in het hoger onderwijs en evenmin verankerd binnen de overheid met zijn vele adviescolleges en commissies.

Nog steeds is in onze samenleving de positie van vrouwen, in al hun diversiteit, gemiddeld minder rooskleurig dan die van mannen. Taken en rollen van mannen en vrouwen zijn nog niet herverdeeld op basis van gezamenlijke afwegingen en gelijke invloed van vrouwen en mannen. Nog niet de helft van de vrouwen is economisch zelfstandig, d.w.z. de meeste vrouwen hebben een inkomen dat kleiner is dan 70% van het minimum inkomen. Aanmerkelijk meer vrouwen dan mannen zijn door inkomensvoorzieningen en toeslagen langdurig afhankelijk van de staat. Vrouwen vormen een kleine minderheid in de top van bedrijven en maatschappelijke instellingen en in raden van bestuur of toezicht.

Het VN-Comité dat toezicht houdt op de naleving van het Vrouwenverdrag bracht in 2010 een zeer kritisch rapport uit over de naleving van het verdrag door Nederland. Het verdrag bevat resultaatsverplichtingen: het is niet goed genoeg dat de positie van Nederlandse vrouwen beter is dan die van miljarden vrouwen in andere landen. Deelneming van vrouwen op gelijke voet met mannen aan het politieke, sociale, economische en culturele leven van ons land is voorwaarde voor de volledige ontplooiing van de talenten van vrouwen.

VROUWENBELANGEN bevordert de deelname van vrouwen aan de politiek, maar is en blijft geheel onafhankelijk van de partijen. Politieke partijen en opiniemakers hebben de laatste jaren veel geschreven over de scheve man-vrouw verhoudingen in de top van het bedrijfsleven, de universitaire wereld, de politiek en het openbaar bestuur. Beleids- en bestuursorganen met een goede man-vrouw balans functioneren aantoonbaar beter. Niettemin is het aantal vrouwen in de huidige regering weer terug naar het niveau van dertig jaar geleden. Ook in tijden van crisis valt niet uit te leggen dat in een democratische rechtsstaat aan het realiseren van die balans eenvoudig wordt voorbijgegaan.

Politieke partijen laten horen dat ze de kiezers op 2 maart harder nodig hebben dan ooit (Vk 29 jan.). VROUWENBELANGEN heeft de tien partijen die in de Tweede Kamer zitting hebben de vraag voorgelegd waarom vrouwen op hen zouden moeten stemmen. Ze heeft daarnaast gevraagd welke speerpunten die een positieve invloed hebben op het vergroten van kansen voor alle in Nederland wonende vrouwen de partijen van urgent belang vinden. Hieronder volgen de negen reacties die zij daarop ontving.

VROUWENBELANGEN gaat graag het debat aan met de politieke partijen op 12 februari 2011 van 13 – 16 uur in de Idazaal, Juffrouw Idastraat 2, in Den Haag. U kunt daar ook bij zijn.
Graag aanmelden bij de secretaris, Freke Schoemaker, op tel. nr. 06 4045 2425.
Op http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/nieuws/PS-verkiezingen2011/statenverkiezingen.htm  vindt u meer informatie.

Leonie van Gils,
Nederlandse Vereniging voor Vrouwenbelangen, Vrouwenarbeid en Gelijk Staatsburgerschap,
voorzitter

Word lid van Vrouwenbelangen als je, met ons, vindt dat Gelijk Staatsburgerschap voor vrouwen in Nederland nog niet bereikt is. Kijk voor meer informatie op http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/vereniging/index.htm

newsletter IAW - januari 2011

Dear IAW-members,
 
Good news! In this first newsletter of 2011 we 
can announce the start of UN Women on January the 
1st, with a new website too. More good news is 
the nomination of the Women of Distinction Award 
for Dr. Kaosar Afsana, Bangladesh!
IAW is preparing for CSW - with two Parallel 
Events. There will be at least 17 IAW members 
attending CSW including those in delegations from 
several countries. The new IAW Executive team has 
been busy finalising the minutes of Congress and updating the IAW website.
The many natural disasters during the last year 
is very worrying. There should be more 
preventative measures, good governance and 
scientific research on climate change, yes, but where are the women?
 
Women of South Sudan are dreaming of 
independence. We found an interesting NGO on the 
internet, the Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and 
Development (APWLD). Highly recommended!
And the number of women in leading positions in 
the world is slowly but steadily rising; we even have more women on stamps!
 
With kind regards,
Joke Sebus

Zie http://www.womenalliance.org/newsletter.html

Word lid van Vrouwenbelangen als je, met ons, vindt dat Gelijk Staatsburgerschap voor vrouwen in Nederland nog niet bereikt is. Kijk voor meer informatie op http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/vereniging/index.htm

IAW Newsletter - november 2010

Over 'Geweld tegen Vrouwen' zal helaas nog vaak in de IAW Newsletter moeten worden gepubliceerd. Dit onderwerp staat centraal in het IAW Congres in Zuid-Afrika van 22 t/m 27 november 2010. Daarbij gaat het vooral om het misdadige geweld in conflictgebieden. Het is van belang dit te blijven signaleren en ook, wat deze verschrikkelijke massaverkrachtingen betekenen voor de slachtoffers. Langzaam komt de geneeskundige hulp voor onze Afrikaanse zusters op gang. En de roep om vervolging van de misdadigers wordt steeds krachtiger.

IAW-leden bereiden zich voor op drie belangrijke conferenties.

1. De conferentie over Klimaatverandering in Caucun, Mexico, van 29 November t/m 10 December 2010, onder leiding van Christiana Figueres. Op: http://unfccc.int/2860.php

2. Van 22 februari t/m 4 maart 2011 vergadert de Commission on the Status of Women in New York.
Het onderwerp is: De toegankelijkheid en deelname van vrouwen en meisjes in educatie, training, wetenschap en technologie. Dit houdt ook in: de gelijkwaardige toegankelijkheid van vrouwen in beroep en werkgelegenheid.
Te vinden op: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/csw55/onlinediscussion3.html

3. De Commission on Sustainable Development vergadert op 5 t/m16 mei 2011, ook in New York.
Hierbij gaat het om lange termijn oplossingen voor duurzaam landbouwbeleid en het bestrijden van de armoede. Meer op: http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/csd/csd_csd16.shtml

Verder in de IAW Newsletter:
* het installeren van de leden van de Board van UN Women, waarbij Iran op het laatste ogenblik werd uitgerangeerd ten gunste van Timor Leste;
* de evaluatie van het 'mensenrechtengehalte' van de Verenigde Staten van Amerika door de Human Rights Council, en best interessant om te lezen;
* de uitbraak van polio in Congo en cholera in Haiti;
* en de blijdschap van de mensen in Myanmar over de invrijheidstelling van Aung San Suu Kyi!


check: http://www.womenalliance.org/



In this newsletter we try to inform you on the Conferences which are coming next at the UN. The Conference on Climate Change in December 2010, CSW in 2011 and also the Commission on Sustainable Development.

Violence against Women will sadly stay a permanent issue in our news, but it is important to keep ringing the bell. The horrifying rape of women by criminal gangs in conflict areas have become known worldwide. We see a few rays of hope and action to help and to empower our unfortunate sisters.

The United Nations installed an Executive Board for UN Women and also agreed unanimously on three draft resolutions, including one on Violence against Women. The Human Rights Council asked the United States for a review of its human rights record. Interesting to read!

Cholera in Haiti and an outbreak of poliomyelitis in Congo demanded immediate action.

And: in Myanmar people were very happy with the freedom of Aung San Suu Kyi!




Word lid van Vrouwenbelangen als je, met ons, vindt dat Gelijk Staatsburgerschap voor vrouwen in Nederland nog niet bereikt is. Kijk voor meer informatie op http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/vereniging/index.htm

Regeringsverklaring

26 oktober 2010

Zo juist de nieuwe premier Rutte gehoord. Slecht nieuws voor allen die zich inspannen onze samenleving meer gelijk te maken voor iedereen. Geen positieve discriminatie meer! Wat zou hij er onder verstaan? Stoppen met elke inhaalslag voor vrouwen, meisjes, vluchtelingen, homo's, gehandicapten, zwakbegaafden, anderstaligen? En wie gaat dat uitvoeren? Komt het onderwerp gelijke kansen nog ergens voor? Toch nog maar eens kijken of ik misschien iets gemist heb, of even niet goed heb geluisterd. Dus:

Ik heb het hele verhaal opgezocht op internet: http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/regering/het-kabinet/regeringsverklaring en er een aantal trefwoorden op los gelaten.

Een snelle oogst:

- het woord vrouwen zag ik eenmaal en wel bij gezinsmigratie, die vooral allochtone vrouwen betreft en voor hen moeilijker wordt gemaakt.

- het woord positieve discriminatie komt niet letterlijk voor, maar er staat: 'geen diversiteitsbeleid en voorkeursbeleid met zwaar accent op geslacht en etnische herkomst'. Wat gaat dat betekenen voor organisaties als E-quality of Aletta, de NVR en andere door de Rijksoverheid ondersteunde organisaties, die in hun doelstelling gericht zijn op vermindering van achterstandsposities van vrouwen, ook of speciaal van zmv-vrouwen?

- en wat betekent het voor organisaties als Forum, of VON, overlegorganen van de overheid ?

- het woord emancipatie of vrouwenemancipatie heb ik niet gevonden, maar dat verbaast niet, want er is ook geen minister of staatssecretaris, die dit beleid in de portefeuille heeft. Wordt deze afdeling op het ministerie van Onderwijs opgeheven?

- mooi klinken de woorden: ‘ieder heeft een uniek eigen talent’ , maar dat betekent toch niet dat ieder ook gelijke kansen heeft dat talent te gebruiken of te ontwikkelen? Sommige mensen hebben alleen maar talent om kwetsbaar te zijn.

Tot slot: Er is wel een grote actie op touw gezet tegen het snijden in cultuurbeleid? Maar waar blijven de vrouwenorganisaties?

Rutte cs zegt wel te willen samenwerken met andere maatschappelijke partijen. Laten we ons melden!

Cock Kerling



Word lid van Vrouwenbelangen als je, met ons, vindt dat Gelijk Staatsburgerschap voor vrouwen in Nederland nog niet bereikt is. Kijk voor meer informatie op http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/vereniging/index.htm

International Alliance of Women - newsletter oktober

In oktober werd in de newsletter van International Alliance of Women het volgende vermeld (zie ook http://www.womenalliance.org/):


De voorbereiding van de Commission on the Status of Women, van 22 Februari t/m 4 maart 2011, is in volle gang. De onderwerpen zijn bekend en ook de deadlines, waarop 'statements' kunnen worden ingediend.

De recente CEDAW – rapporten geven interessante informatie over landen, waar IAW leden heeft. Zoals in: India, Burkina Faso, de Tsjechische Republiek en Uganda.

Interessant is ook de rangorde die is aangebracht in 134 landen, die gender equality toepassen, of menen dat te doen. Volgens het World Economic Forum. De uitslagen zijn soms verrassend, zoals dat van China met, nog steeds, een geboortewens voor jongens en niet voor meisjes. Of de plek van Frankrijk, dat omlaag is getuimeld in de lijst.

Verder trekken we met het nieuws de wereld door.

Met Vrede en Veiligheid, dat hoog staat op de agenda van het IAW Congres in Zuid-Afrika, van 23 t/m 27 november. Alle informatie is verstuurd en er zijn veel deelneemsters.

Met: ECSAP, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific;

met the World Health Organisation, WHO, een bijzonder belangrijke organisatie;

met de 'UN Climate Change Conference” in Cancun, 29 November-10 December 2010;

en met de Europese Unie. Alles met bijpassende links.

Tot slot:
de Algemene Vergadering van de VN heeft dit jaar enkele internationale dagen en jaren vastgesteld.
Zoals:
22 april als Moeder Aarde Dag en
8 juni als de Wereld Oceanen Dag.
Maar ook zal het ieder jaar op 19 augustus 'Humanitarian Day' zijn, om iedereen duidelijk te maken wat het betekent wereldwijd humanitaire hulp te geven, maar ook om de werknemers van de Verenigde Naties en al die andere humanitaire werkers te eren, die in het werk hun leven hebben verloren.

De maandelijkse newsletter van de International Alliance of Women is te vinden op http://www.womenalliance.org


Vrouwenbelangen is aangesloten bij IAW.
Word lid van Vrouwenbelangen als je, met ons, vindt dat Gelijk Staatsburgerschap voor vrouwen in Nederland nog niet bereikt is. Kijk voor meer informatie op http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/vereniging/index.htm

Vrouwen zijn geen minderheid!!!!

Sinds een kleine week weten we wie over ons gaan regeren, de komende periode. Een club van witte mannen van middelbare leeftijd, aangevuld met 3, pardon 4, dames. Drie vrouwelijke ministers is net teveel om van excuus-truus te kunnen spreken. Als er maar twee vrouwen in het kabinet zouden hebben gezeten zouden ze binnen de kortste keren na elkaar afgeserveerd worden. Laten we hopen dat deze drie ministers elkaar voldoende kunnen steunen in hun functioneren temidden van het donderdag geinstalleerde Old Boys Netwerk.
De aanval op de enige vrouwelijke staatssecretaris is al direct ingezet: Marlies Veldhuijzen van Zanten-Hyllner heeft een dubbel paspoort en Geert Wilders heeft al beloofd dat hij haar zal vragen haar Zweedse paspoort op te geven.

In de media werd en wordt druk gedebatteerd over het te geringe aantal vrouwen in dit kabinet. De tegenstanders van de kritiek vinden dat als je gaat zeuren over het aantal vrouwen, dan kan je ook wel over homo’s of over allochtonen beginnen. Deze opinie wordt overigens het vaakst verkondigd door witte hetero-mannen van middelbare leeftijd…
De denkfout die zij maken is deze: vrouwen zijn geen minderheid. Wij vormen de helft van de bevolking van ons land. Naast ons vrouw-zijn kunnen wij, net als mannen, homosexueel geaard zijn, of van allochtone afkomst zijn. Dat doet niets af aan ons vrouw zijn.
Het feit dat het aantal vrouwen, of beter gezegd het percentage vrouwen, een discussiepunt is is op zichzelf al een pleidooi voor een quotum. Stel het percentage vrouwen in organisaties verplicht op 50% en je hoeft het er nooit meer over te hebben. Zou dat geen oplossing zijn voor de energieverspilling die er plaatsvindt doordat vrouwen steeds opnieuw hun plaats moeten bevechten aan onderhandelingstafels en in beleidsbepalende gremia?
Freke Schoemaker

P.S.Onze politieke waakvrouw Annemarie Nijenhuis heeft in een grafiekje weergegeven hoe het de afgelopen jaren is gegaan met de man/vrouw samenstelling van de diverse kabinetten. U vindt het ook op onze website: http://vrouwenbelangen.nl/politiek/verkiezingen2008-2011/VR-in-opeenvolgende-regeringen.htm
Mijn conclusie: een plaatje zegt meer dan duizend woorden.




Word lid van Vrouwenbelangen als je, met ons, vindt dat Gelijk Staatsburgerschap voor vrouwen in Nederland nog niet bereikt is. Kijk voor meer informatie op http://www.vrouwenbelangen.nl/vereniging/index.htm

ouderschaps-verlof URGENT ACTION

Wilt u ook Europees gezien meer ruimte in Ouderschapsverlof?
Lees dan de oproep hieronder van EWL, de Europese Vrouwen Lobby:

 ADOPTION OF THE MATERNITY LEAVE DIRECTIVE BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 20.10.2010- ADOPTION DE LA DIRECTIVE CONGE DE MATERNITE PAR LE PARLEMENT EUROPEEN

Please contact your members of the European Parliament before Wednesday 20.10.2010
Merci de contacter vos membres du Parlement européen avant le 20.10.2010

Dear EWL members and friends,

The European Parliament will vote on the revision of the European maternity leave directive on 20.10.2010. A good proposal – the Estrela/ FEMM Committee Report- is on the table, but we need to mobilize more members of the European Parliament, in particular in the EPP (Christian Democrat) and ALDE (liberals) group in order to secure a majority for this report. You will find enclosed a model letter that we very much hope you can sign and send to your members of the European Parliament.

The main points of the letter are:
1. Full Pay provision during maternity leave (Amendments 40 and 64).
2. Duration: granting maternity leave of 20 weeks (Amendment 38)
3. Enhanced protection against discrimination for women returning to work (Amendment 52)
4. Paid paternity leave of at least 2 weeks (Amendment 50)

You can find the individual email addresses of members of the European Parliament using different criteria (country, political group..) on:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/expert/searchForm.do

This is a unique opportunity to influence European policy and ensure progress for women’s rights across Europe, please take a few minutes to send the letter!

Thanks a lot for your action!
The European Women’s Lobby



Hieronder de brief, die u kunt kopiëren, van de juiste gegevens voorzien en aan uw vertegenwoordiger sturen.
Haast is geboden: 20 oktober is de behandeling.




October 2010



RE: European Parliament Vote on the Maternity Leave Directive 20 October 2010

Dear ... name of MEP

I write to you in support of the European Women’s Lobby’s campaign to ensure adequate maternity leave provisions for all women in Europe. In view of the e EP plenary vote on revision of the European Union’s maternity leave Directive on 20.1.2010, I wish to make a final appeal for the goals of the European Women’s Lobby and the interests of women across Europe.

In a time of growing economic uncertainty and while we are facing demographic changes that Europe cannot ignore, it is vital that the European Institutions protect and strengthen the rights of pregnant workers, those who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding.

I therefore consider the following issues to be at the core of the reformed maternity leave directive that will be adopted by the European Parliament on 20 October in Strasbourg (Reference to in the Draft European Parliament Legislative Resolution):

1. Full Pay (Amendments 40 and 64): The full pay provision is the cornerstone of this directive. Ensuring that women are paid their full salary, free from ceilings or other restrictions, for the entire duration of their maternity leave, is the only way forward to provide women who have recently given birth with substantive equality and to ensure that they are not penalised. The issue of pay during maternity leave cannot be dissociated from the broader issue of the gender pay gap as reductions in pay during maternity leave (specific to women) contributes significantly to substantive gender inequality throughout the life cycle. In terms of costs (see also in the annex to this document), in most member states (apart from three), employers do not pay wages during maternity leave; indeed, social security systems do. While a worker is on maternity leave, employers save the cost of her salary, and can use that money to hire a replacement.

2. Duration (Amendment 38): granting maternity leave of 20 weeks comes closer to giving women the choice of following World Health Organisation and ILO recommendations on breastfeeding, and more generally empowers women to take as much time to recuperate as they choose to after giving birth, and does not curtail their chances on the labour market, indeed, the OECD found in 2006 that in countries where the maternity leaves are the longest, female employment rates were highest with over 80% in Iceland and over 70% in Denmark and Sweden -well above the OECD average of 57% .

3. Protection against Discrimination (Amendment 52): Protecting the rights of new mothers when they return to work should be at the centre of any new European legislation. The language in the proposal does this quite effectively, for instance by strengthening the rights of breastfeeding mothers, and protecting women from working night shifts, overtime, and from dismissal. This is as a central point of the new legislation, and an important step towards creating a working environment across Europe that takes the life-cycles and needs of women seriously.

4. Paid paternity leave (Amendment 50): The equal share of child care work between women and men is one of the conditions to realise gender equality and legal provisions for fully paid paternity leave of at least two weeks are one of the basic measures towards this goal.

The European Women’s Lobby considers any legislative discussion on improving the working conditions of women as part of a broader debate on how Europe can make equality between women and men a reality. The steps taken in this Directive are essential to ensure that women across Europe become part of a labour market that takes their life choices seriously, rather than marginalising when they have children, to contribute to a more equal share of family responsibilities between women and men, and ultimately to the goal of a more equal society.

Please find below in Annex additional information and arguments about the Common Myths on the Costs of Maternity Leave.
I, along with millions of Europeans, trust that we can count on your full support and good judgement in this matter.

Yours respectfully,
...Your signature and name



Annex:
Seven Common Myths about the Costs of Maternity Leave
The EWL invites policy makers to join European mothers in the real world!

MYTH ONE: “We cannot afford full-paid maternity leave, which would disproportionately affect small businesses and drive up wage costs, leading to more jobs being outsourced.”

FACT: Only in three European countries – the UK, Germany and Malta – is maternity leave financed directly through employers rather than tax or social welfare systems, and two of these countries – Germany and the UK – have a recuperation scheme, which applies to both SMEs and large corporations. Incidentally, these are also countries notorious for their high gender pay gaps and low female employment rates compared to their European peers.


FACT: In all other EU member states, employers do not pay wages during maternity leave; social security systems do. While a worker is on maternity leave, employers save the cost of her salary, and can use that money to hire a replacement. This is as it should be: just as we collectively pay for caring for our seniors or building our schools, we should share the costs of maternity leave.

FACT: When women are excluded from the job market, economies take a downturn; when women are further included, economies prosper. According to the European Commission, all EU member states could achieve double-digit economic growth as high as 35% in the UK, 40% in the Netherlands and 45% in Malta, by eliminating gender inequalities in the labour market.

MYTH TWO: “Implementing this Directive, particularly the full-pay provision, in the current economic crisis is irresponsible and will worsen the current recession.”

FACT: The tendency to put profit over people and short-term cost-cutting over long-term growth is what got us into the current economic crisis in the first place. Women have contributed more to global economic growth than the emerging economies of China and India and will continue to be invaluable as male-dominated sectors like the automobile industry and construction take hits and the importance of services and care increases. Ensuring women are included and protected on the job market will reinvigorate the European economy and reap long-term benefits for economies and birth rates.

FACT: European governments spent trillions of euros in the last two years rescuing banks, car and construction companies; the rescue scheme for UK banks alone cost taxpayers up to £850 billion. This is exactly the right time to invest a comparably low amount of money to empower half of the current population – not to mention the next generation.

FACT: Pervading glass ceilings in corporate Europe are a real problem, and nowhere more than in the financial sector. The EWL joins many experts in the conviction that a greater presence of women in financial decision making might have prevented the spin towards reckless, short-term profit-oriented banking that ultimately led to the current crisis.

MYTH THREE: “The costs of thisDDirective would cost British businesses a further £2b!”

FACT: According to the British Equality and Human Rights Commission, the cost estimate of 20 weeks of full paid maternity leave would, in fact, only amount to £1.3 billion. Additionally, this cost estimate is for the British government, not employers, as the employer in the UK is reimbursed by the state for the benefits paid to workers on maternity leave.

FACT: Maternity leave in the UK currently is drastically underfinanced: mothers receive a laughable – £123/month puts them below the relative poverty line – but comparatively long (up to a year) leave allowance. This is not cost-effective for employers and frustrating for employees: the longer an employee is absent from her work, the more it will cost employers to replace her during her absence and re-train her once she returns. A German study shows that prolonged absence from work can cost employers between €2,000 and €12,000 per employee.

FACT: The additional £1.3bn the implementation of this Directive would cost the UK would by no means be a large budget item. In fact, the UK currently spends six times that amount every year on the aftermaths of both smoking and obesity, and three times that amount on the effects of domestic violence, not to mention the trillions of pounds spent in the aftermath of the financial crisis to stabilise London banks.

MYTH FOUR: “Long, mandatory maternity leave keeps women out of the job market and does more harm than good.”

FACT: A Canadian study shows that high maternity leave payments in the 20 weeks after birth are a strong incentive for women to return to their previous jobs after maternity leave. Employers would actually benefit from this new Directive, because the female employees in whose training they have invested time and money would return from their maternity leave more quickly, ready to resume their old positions.

FACT: The provisions in this Directive would certainly not force women to stay at home should they want to return to work before the six weeks of mandatory leave have passed. The mandatory leave time simply assures that all European women have a chance to recuperate from the emotional upheaval and physical stress of giving birth before reentering the labour market.

FACT: The current draft of the reform Directive does not only provide for full pay, but also for strong legal protections, precisely to combat the kind of discrimination that still marginalises some women for having children.



MYTH FIVE: “Parental leave is just as good as maternity leave. Countries that provide some remunerated parental leave scheme are doing more than enough for mothers, fathers and families.”
FACT: Parental leave is an important tool for reconciliation, but it does not address the basic reality that women are biologically responsible for giving birth. While both generous parental leave provisions and the paternity leave clause in the current draft of this Directive are welcome measures, the two schemes are fundamentally different and should not be confused.

FACT: The reason many support parental leave is not just that it is an effective policy, but also because it is cheaper. Parental leave payments in Europe average at around €500 a month, much less than full pay for most workers, and some countries do not have any formal paid parental leave schemes.

MYTH SIX: “Being on maternity or paternity leave is like being on extended sick leave or a long vacation, and nobody expects employers to finance that.”

FACT: As the Commission points out in its Europe 2020 Strategy, Europe’s working population is shrinking while the share of retired people is growing twice as fast as it did before 2007. Europe will not have a sustainable workforce for long unless someone is giving birth to the next generation of scientists, teachers, voters and taxpayers, and claiming that women on maternity leave are essentially “inactive” or “not contributing” to societies undermines the fundamental sustainability of our workforce and of Europe as a whole.
FACT: Giving birth puts most women under serious hormonal, physical and emotional strain, and the first few weeks of newborns’ lives are invaluable in their development of trust, sensory-cognitive skills and a bond with both their parents. Policy makers should take care not to minimise or ridicule the strain and the rewards a new infant brings.


MYTH SEVEN: “China, India and other economic powerhouses don’t provide fully paid maternity leave; this will harm our competitiveness.”

FACT: Chinese manufacturing workers earn between $100 and $400 a month, and in India, 42% of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day. Europe will never meet these standards, and should stop trying to do so: the European welfare system and measures like this Directive that empower workers are a value, not a burden, in the global market.




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