[fse-esf] report of women's network meetings in Vienna

[Louise Hutchins]

REPORT OF WOMEN'S NETWORK MEETINGS

Key points of agreement and issues raised at the
Vienna EPA, 6th and 7th January 05


Prepared by Louise Hutchins, Abortion Rights, UK as
requested by the two women’s network meetings in
Vienna. 

KEY POINTS OF AGREEMENT:

1.	WOMEN'S ISSUES AND PARTICIPATION AT THE ATHENS ESF
-	The key issues affecting women must have a high
profile throughout the Athens ESF.
-	The advances made at the London ESF on women’s equal
representation on all ESF platforms must be maintained
and built on for the Athens ESF.
-	The ‘feminist alternatives’ axis (including
seminars, workshops, Assembly, Statement, and
representation in other axes) should represent the
full diversity of women’s experience including those
of disabled women, lesbian and bisexual women, black
women and poor women and should avoid excluding any
section of women in Europe. The ESF should be used to
discuss and debate key points of difference.
-	The Istanbul European Preparatory Assembly (EPA) had
agreed that half of the solidarity fund should be used
for women to attend and speak.


2.	SEMINARS
-	It was re-iterated that seminars and workshops are
autonomously organised by women’s organisations. 
-	The deadline for submitting proposals for seminars
and workshops is February 20th 05. 
-	There will be room for approximately 150 seminars
and 250 workshops in total at Athens.
-	The Women’s Network will encourage proposals from as
many different groups as possible before the deadline.

-	The women’s network will circulate to the Network
email list a list of seminars already submitted and
will work to encourage groups to work together and to
submit proposals on a full range of issues for women
including: 
§	migrant women
§	labour, poverty and precarity
§	women and war
§	violence against women
§	reproductive rights 
§	women democracy and power
§	women’s experience and resistance
§	disabled women and disability rights
§	lesbian and bisexual women and opposition to
homophobia
§	black women and opposition to racism
§	women and health
§	women and the family
§	women in the frontline of neo-liberal attacks
§	women and work.


3.	PROMOTING WOMEN'S PERSPECTIVES THROUGHOUT THE ESF
AGENDA
Strong links between women’s issues and other axes of
the ESF are encouraged. Women’s groups are encouraged
to submit proposals that include women’s experience/
analysis/ contribution under ‘feminist alternatives’
axis where appropriate. Women’s groups are also
encouraged to submit their proposals under other main
axes of the ESF where appropriate to promote the
integration of women’s perspectives into those areas.
For example, one might submit a proposal for a session
on women’s role in peace and war as part of the
anti-war axis.

4.	WOMEN'S ASSEMBLY
There will be a Women’s Assembly to provide a high
profile focal point for women’s issues at the ESF, to
bring together the outcomes of seminars and workshops,
and to produce a common Statement. The Assembly should
timed to follow most of the other women’s events and
to maximise involvement and profile at the ESF.

5.	STATEMENT / MANIFESTO OF THE WOMEN'S ASSEMBLY
The Assembly will discuss and agree a common Statement
to bring to attention the key issues for women to the
rest of the ESF and anti-globalisation movement. The
statement will outline the key threats to women and
women’s key contributions. It will also set out a
common agenda for action. An initial open draft of a
Statement will be started soon in order to allow
maximum involvement from women’s groups who are
already participating in the ESF process and those who
are not. The Women’s Network will widely circulate in
invitation to participate in the drafting of the
statement. The draft will be finalised at the ESF in
Athens in order to reflect the outcomes of the women’s
events there.

6.	HIGH PROFILE EVENTS
If high profile events to mark ESF priorities and
attract attendance are agreed, the list of topics
should include women’s liberation.

7.	PHYSICAL SPACE FOR WOMEN
It was agreed that a space should be made available as
a point of contact for women and also for information
exchange and display. The space would not be
controlled by any one group.



This report is an addition to the notes circulated by
Josette Rome Chastanet (IFE) and Sonia Mitralias
(Greek Committee for the organization of the
Parliament of the women).





		
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