on 04.12.20 the BWF took part at the following conference in Vienna, Austria:
Women in Europe raise their voices
for women's rights, against gender-based violence and for freedom and democracy
No matter where you look: all over the world and everywhere in Europe women's rights are "trampled upon", severely curtailed or hardly taken seriously anymore. The increasing shift to the political right, patriarchal regimes, dictatorships, armed conflicts, human rights violations, poverty and financial insecurity generate fears, social unrest, insecurity, violence, hatred, xenophobia and divide societies. Those developments have a particularly negative impact on the living conditions of women and children.
The Covid-19 pandemic has made this situation even worse. Violence against women is increasing notably and significantly. In addition, there is no progress in implementing the Istanbul Convention. In Ukraine, Poland and Turkey in particular, there are serious plans to withdraw from the Convention by the Council of Europe, which is binding under international law. Furthermore, the planned abortion ban in Poland and the restrictions on women's fundamental rights and freedoms during the protests in Belarus are particularly alarming – for a long time now, women's rights and their protection against domestic violence have not been so endangered as they are now.
We express our solidarity with all women from Belarus, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey! We would therefore like to exchange, strengthen our communities and enter into a dialogue with these women and also with representatives of women's political NGOs.
We invite women from Belarus, Poland, Russia, Ukraine or Turkey who see their freedom and fundamental rights as women restricted, to share their views with us. We would also be glad to learn about women's projects or initiatives, that have been founded and want to be presented
Agenda:
12.00: Opening by Maria Rösslhumer, Executive Manager of the Association AÖF – Autonomous Austrian Women's Shelters
12.10: Keynote by Rosa Logar, Executive Manager of the Domestic Abuse Intervention Centre Vienna and former member of GREVIO “The right of women and girls to be equal and to live free from violence – Why are there and who are the forces against this right? Observations on Austria and Europe”
12.30: Inputs from the organizers Stephanie Futter Orel, Executive Manager of WAVE – Women Against violence Europe Klaudia Frieben, President of the Austrian Women's Ring (ÖFR) Aiko Kazuko Kurosaki, President of OBRA – One Billion Rising Austria
13.00: Reports about the Istanbul Convention Poland: Urszula Nowakowska, Vice Secretary of Centrum Praw Kobiet, member of WAVE Questions
13.20: Turkey: Ayşe Berktay, Tevgera Jinên Azad (TJA) Questions
13.40: Ukraine: “A dignified level of life for vulnerable women: myth or reality” Natalie Blinder, Bright Kids Charity in Ukraine Questions
14.00: Women in armed conflict situations in the Ukraine “VAW in Ukraine: Challenges in a new reality” Marta Chumalo, Gender Expert Center “Women’s Perspectives” Questions
15.00: Break
15.15: Women in dictatorial regimes in Belarus: Veronica Tsepkalo, Belarus Women's Foundation, Chairwoman of the Board, Women’s movement activist, Member of Belarus election opposition trio (Swiatlana Tsikhanouskaja, Veronica Tsepkalo and Maria Kolesnikova), Sakharov Prize winner, IAPC Democracy Medal winner, Nobel Peace Prize nominee 16.00: About the abortion ban in Poland “Backlash against reproductive rights in Poland and feminist abortion activism” Alicja Switon, Association AÖF – Autonomous Austrian Women's Shelters “Practical abortion activism” N.N., activist from the collective Ciocia Wienia
17.00: Outlook and concrete support measures
17.30: Conclusions and demands on politics, governments and the EU Maria Rösslhumer and Theresa Bender-Säbelkampf
18.00: End
Organizers:
AÖF – Association of Autonomous Austrian Women's Shelters, www.aoef.at
Austrian Women's Ring – ÖFR, www.frauenring.at
Alliance “Living without violence”, allianz@gewaltfreileben.at
Domestic Violence Intervention Centre Vienna, www.interventionsstelle-wien.at
European Network WAVE, www.wave-network.org
OBRA – One Billion Rising Austria, www.1billionrising.at