Visiting Performance Artists from the Philippines

Babaylan Germany and friends with Performance Artists from the Philippines during their performance in Köln.

December 1. World Aids Day

World AIDS Day, observed on 1 December every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. (Wiki) Photo Source: RiseuptoHIV www.amfar.org

Reclaim the Night! Stop Violence Against Women - November 25

25 November was declared as a day against violence against women by the first Feminist Encuentro for Latin America and the Caribbean held in Bogota, Colombia, 18 to 21 July 1981. It originally marked the day that the three Mirabal sisters from the Dominican Republic were violently assassinated in 1960 during the Trujillo dictatorship (Rafael Trujillo 1930-1961). (Source: www.un.org)

UN 2010 Report on Violence Against Women

Violence Against Women A Global Phenomenon
Friday, 22 October 2010, 2:32 pm
Press Release: United Nations

Violence Against Women A Global Phenomenon – UN Report

New York, Oct 20 2010 4:10PM

Violence against women remains widespread across the world, exacerbated by traditions and customary practices that determine the way women are treated in families, places of work and communities, according to a United Nations report unveiled today.

The scourge “is an obstacle to the achievement of the objectives of equality, development and peace,” according to "http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/Worldswomen/WW2010pub.htm"The World’s Women 2010: Trend and Statistics, published by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs ("http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/index.shtml"DESA).
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“In all societies, to a greater or lesser degree, women and girls are subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse that cuts across lines of income, class and culture. The low social and economic status of women can be both a cause and a consequence of this violence,” the report, whose release coincided with the first-ever "http://unstats.un.org/unsd/wsd/"UN World Statistics Day, notes.

The publication also provides the latest data on the status of women in the areas of population, health, education, work, power and decision-making, environment and poverty.

“This 2010 report finds overall progress in many areas, including school enrolment, health, as wells as economic participation, but it makes it very clear that much more needs to be done to close the gender gap in public life and to prevent many forms of violence against women,” Jomo Kwame Sundaram, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, at the launch of the report in New York.

Other highlights of the report include the fact that there are approximately 57 million more men than women in the world, with some regions having less numbers of men and others lower numbers of women. Europe in general has more women than men, while the ratio in China is 108 men per 100 women.

“The trend of women marrying later and later continues throughout the world. This has obvious consequences for fertility which has declined globally to 2.5 births per women,” said Mr. Sundaram.

“But there are parts of the world where women marry early and bear more than five children on average. This has the effect of diminishing opportunities for women in education, employment and life chances,” he added.

According to the new publication, in the realm of health, women are more likely than men to die from heart diseases globally. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 270,000 maternal deaths in 2005 – half of the world’s deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth – were recorded, despite increases in the proportion of women receiving prenatal care.

Globally, the rate of girls of primary school age enrolled in school increased from 79 to 86 per cent between 1999 and 2007, with Central and Western African regions having the world’s lowest rates with less than 60 per cent of primary-school age girls enrolled.

The report also notes that while more women between the ages of 25 and 54 are working in most regions as compared to 1990, women’s wages represent between 70 and 90 per cent of the wages of their male counterparts.

Their participation in decision-making remains an area of concern, according to the report. In 2009, for example, only 14 women in the world held the positions of head of State or government, and out of the world’s 500 largest corporations, only 13 had female chief executive officers.

The publication also shows that households with single mothers with young children are more likely to be poor than those of lone fathers with young children, and that existing laws limit women’s access to land and other property in most countries in Africa and roughly half of the countries in Asia.

Srdjan Mrkic, head of DESA’s Social Statistics Section, noted that there have been improvements in the collection of data on the status of women around the world, but more needed to be done on that score.

“In preparing the World’s Women 2010 report, we were hampered by the fact that adequate and comparable statistics in certain domains are not routinely available for many countries,” he told reporters at the publication’s launch.

Also unveiled today was a UN Population Fund ("http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2010/web/en/foreword.shtml"UNFPA) report, entitled "http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2010/web/en/pdf/EN_SOWP10.pdf" State of World Population 2010, which found that discrimination against women not only exposes them to the worst effects of disaster and war, but also deprives their countries of a prime engine for recovery, according to a new United Nations report launched today.

“This year’s report is about the three Rs: resilience, renewal and redefining roles between boys and girls and men and women,” UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid said at the official launch in London of the report, which uses stories of individuals affected by conflict or catastrophe in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Haiti, Iraq, Jordan, Liberia, the occupied Palestinian territory, Timor-Leste and Uganda to bring home its message.

It shows how communities and civil society are healing old wounds and moving forward, while stressing how much more still needs to be done to ensure that women have access to services and have a voice in peace deals or reconstruction plans.

ENDS

Source: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1010/S00309/violence-against-women-a-global-phenomenon.htm

Indonesien Tag in Cologne: " Die Zweite Generation -Wo bin ich Zuhause?"

(Photo/Info taken from Deutsch-Indonesische Gesellschaft e.V
http://www.adtractive.de/dig/artikel/termine.htm)

INDONESIENTAG

Samstag, 4. September ab 11:00 Uhr
Bürgerzentrum Alte Feuerwache, Melchiorstraße, Nähe Ebertplatz, Köln-Zentrum


11:00 bis 20:00 Uhr
Pasar Senggol

Indonesische Snacks, Kunsthandwerk, Gebrauchsgegenstände, Literatur


15:00 Uhr
Seminar: „Die zweite Generation - Wo bin ich Zuhause?“
Konsequenzen der Globalisierung, Fragen der Integration und Migration - vor allem von Menschen aus Südost-Asien - stehen im Mittelpunkt der Veranstaltung. Analysen, Erfahrungen und Erwartungen werden thematisiert.

Im Rahmen der traditionellen Indonesientage widmet sich das diesjährige Seminar wie immer einem entwicklungspolitischen Thema – nämlich der Frage nach den Erfahrungen des Austauschs von jungen Menschen aus Südost-Asien mit ihren „Herkunftsländern“, bzw. denen der Eltern. Die Übersiedlung aus Indonesien, Philippinen und Thailand ist unter den verschiedensten Vorzeichen geschehen. Lässt sich hier Erlebtes und Gelerntes vermitteln, welche Erfahrungen und Lebensweisen können sich hier behaupten, welche lassen sich übertragen?

Ausgangspunkt ist die Tatsache, dass vor allem in den 1960er Jahren eine nennenswerte Gruppe einerseits von Studierenden, andererseits von Berufstätigen (vor allem im Gesundheitsbereich) aus Südost-Asien nach Deutschland kamen, die ihrerseits entweder deutsche Ehepartner gefunden oder mit Partnern aus den Herkunftsländern hier eine Familie etabliert haben. Darüber hinaus sind eine Reihe binationaler Ehen gegründet worden, weil Deutsche ihre Partner aus SOA mit nach Deutschland gebracht haben. Auch politische Flüchtlinge kamen in die Bundesrepublik.

Deren Kinder – aus den Geburtsjahrgängen 1970 und folgende – sind unterdessen im dritten oder vierten Lebensjahrzehnt und ihrerseits z.T. auch schon wieder Eltern.

Die Sozialisation dieser Gruppe unterscheidet sich im Zweifel von den Gruppen aus Süd-, Südosteuropa, die ursprünglich als „Gastarbeiter“ dem deutschen Arbeitsmarkt zugeführt wurden.

Die Themenstellung will nun erkunden, welche Erfahrungen die Südostasiaten in der Bundesrepublik gemacht haben und welche Erwartungen sie an ihre Zukunft in ihrem Zuhause – sei es in Deutschland, sei es in dem Herkunftsland der Eltern – formulieren. Was lässt sich transferieren, was lernen wir voneinander. Kulturelle, politische, zivilgesellschaftliche, wirtschaftliche Aspekte werden erörtert.

Durch einführende Schilderungen aus fachwissenschaftlicher und politischer Sicht sollen die Voraussetzungen und Rahmenbedingungen dargelegt werden. In folgenden Statements beschreiben Vertreter der „zweiten Generation“ ihre eigenen Erfahrungen, Hoffnungen, ihre gesellschaftspolitischen Forderungen.

Geplanter Ablauf:
Begrüßung, Eröffnung
Karl Mertes / DIG

Aspekte zum Ordnungsrecht und zur Integration
Dagmar Dahmen / Ausländerbehörde Stadt Köln

Wissenschaft als universelles Bindeglied
Prof. Frauke Kraas / Uni Köln / Deutsch-Thailändischer Ges.

Migrantinnen in Deutschland
Jae-Soon Joo-Schauen / agisra
Informations-, Beratungsstelle für Migrantinnen, Flüchtlingsfrauen

„Was mache ich in der Fremde“ - diverse Statements u.a. von
Carmela Balignasay Verceles - Philippine Women's Forum e.V./ Sonja Wagner / Ani Nangoy/ Dion Dahmono / Rosari Harlan / Dennis Hannemann

Jeweils mit Aussprache / Diskussion –

Kooperation zwischen Deutsch-Indonesische Gesellschaft / Deutsch-Thailändische Gesellschaft / Agisra / Philippine Women’s Forum


19:00 Uhr
Essen – Trinken – Plaudern – Singen
Asiatisches Buffet & Karaoke
„Salz & Pfeffer“ Sudermanstraße 4

IWD International Women's Day 2010

Some Images from the IWD celebration, March 8,2010 in Cologne.

Here is also the campaign for necessary financial support for
crisis centers for women in the whole NRW.

Schwere wege leicht machen!

Rough translation: Making the difficult ways easier!

For the whole background of the campaign, please
click the page:
www.schwere-wege-leicht-machen.de

December 10, Human Rights Day

I"m posting here a copy of the letter of the
International Federation of Journalists (Germany)
to the Philippine Ambassador to Germany on the Maguindanao
massacre.

Letter of International Federation of Journalists (Germany)
to Philippine Ambassador
9 December 2009

RE: Massacre in the Philippines

Your Excellency,

The German Journalists Union (DJU in ver.di) respectfully requests
your cooperation in ensuring the Government of the Philippines is
aware of the global outrage about the massacre of a confirmed
59 people in Maguindanao Province, Mindanao, on November 23.

We urge you to use your authority and position to impress upon your
Government that the global community is demanding immediate and credible
action to ensure that all parties responsible for this atrocity are held
accountable to the full limit of the law.

We are informed by the International Federation of Journalists and its
affiliate the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines that at
least 30 journalists and media workers were among those murdered. At the
time of writing, another four media personnel are unaccounted for.

This is the worst mass killing of journalists and media workers ever
recorded.

Journalists and the international media community are grieving and
distraught at the failure of the Government of the Philippines
to uphold its responsibility to protect our colleagues and to end
the long-running culture of impunity for the murders of journalists
in the Philippines.

During President Arroyo’s tenure, at least 75 journalists have been
killed in the Philippines. Almost all have been killed in relation
to their professional work. At last count, only four convictions had
been secured for these killings. Outside of Iraq, the Philippines
has become the most dangerous country for journalists this century.

The Government of the Philippines is obliged under United Nations
Security Council Resolution 1738 (2006) to actively protect journalists
and media workers reporting in conflict zones within their national
borders, in accordance with their status as civilians under
international law.

We call on you to ensure your Government and police and security
forces act on their responsibility to bring the perpetrators and
masterminds of the November 23 atrocity to account, without delay,
and to act now to end the culture of impunity that has plagued the
Philippines for so long.


Respectfully Yours,

Ulrike Maercks-Franzen
General Secretary of
German Journalists Union dju in ver.di

Nov. 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women

(Photo:Liza Tripoli taken from FB Justice for
Ampatuan Massacre Victims)

Statement of the Commission on Women
Mindanao
24. November 2009.

Women Outraged Over Maguindanao Carnage

No words can describe the bestial acts perpetrated yesterday in
Maguindanao Against civilians, mostly women. Together with the group
were two sisters and the wife of Esmael Mangudadatu, Vice Mayor of
Buluan town, who were on their way to file his certificate of candidacy
as provincial governor of Maguindanao when they were attacked in broad
daylight. They were murdered in cold blood and there were reports that
some of the women were also sexually violated, in a senseless massacre
that will go down in the annals of this country’s history as the worst
election-related violence. If unarmed women, lawyers and journalists
are not safe, who is safe?
From news reports, the Vice Mayor was quoted to have said that he
purposely sent his wife, sisters and female relatives to file his
candidacy without military escorts as he believed that they would not
be harmed being women and unarmed. But to his shock, the perpetrators
precisely took advantage of this position of vulnerability and succeeded
in committing those barbaric acts.

We, the Mindanao Commission on Women and the Mothers for Peace, express
our outrage at this new low in bestiality perpetrated by men on civilians
but most specially on women. If the reports that the women were violated
are found true, we condemn it. Sexual violence is an issue of power,
domination and control wielded by men over women. In times of conflict,
it is used by men to ensure utter humiliation of the enemy. This latest
incident by men, who are widely-believed to belong to a private army,
makes us shudder at what will happen in the days ahead if these criminals
and their principals are not brought to justice.
We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the Mangudadatu family.
Eden Mangudadatu, sister of BuluanVice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu,
and a Vice Mayor herself had attended activities of the Mindanao
Commission on Women. It is ironic that early this year Eden participated
in discussions of our project, “Women Healing Communities:Preventing
and Reducing Rido (clan feuds)”.
During the session, she shared her thoughts about rido and how
women played an important role in settling cases of clan violence.
The barbaric and brutal massacre in Maguindanao shows the total breakdown
of security in parts of Mindanao where many women and their families
live in dehumanizing poverty and violent conflict. We call on President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo – as President and as a woman - to do the
right thing: disband and disarm the private armies, bring down the
full force of the law on the perpetrators, and rid Maguindanao and other
parts of Mindanao of the scourge of warlordism. We also call on our
colleagues and partners in the development community to stand unafraid
to denounce this crime loud and clear. Let us continue to work for the
end of conflicts that divide us, so that our children will grow up imbibing
not anger, hatred and violence, but love,justice and peace.
As Mothers for Peace, we commit to continue our work for peace in the ways
of peace.

The Mindanao Commission on Women and Mothers for Peace Movement
121 University Avenue, Juna Subdivision, Matina, Davao City
Telefax: (082) 298-40-31

About MCW
The Mindanao Commission on Women was established in 2001
as an NGO by Mindanao women leaders. Its mission is to influence
public policy and public opinion. It advocates for a Mindanao peace
and development agenda from a women’s perspective. Area Core Groups
across Mindanao give MCW the ability to influence local, Mindanao
and national issues.
The Mothers for Peace movement is its grassroots base.

Tagung in Bonn

Evangelische Kirche im Rheinland
Tagung 8

"Tu Deinem Mund auf fuer die Stummen und fuer
die Sache aller, die verlassen sind"
(Spruche 31, 8)

Forum zur Aufnahme irakischer Fluechtlinge in
Deutschland

06. bis 07. Maerz 2009

Evangelische Akademie im Rheinland
Haus der Begegnung
Mandelbaumweg 2
53177 Bonn

Contact: 0228. 9523.205

www.ev-akademie-rheinland.de

Babaylan Germany/PWFe.V. celebrates Inter-Cultural Week

Babaylan Germany/Philippine Women's Forum e.V. celebrates Inter-Cultural Week

In celebration of the yearly Inter-cultural Week in Germany, Babaylan
Germany, Philippine Women's Forum invited women to two documentary
films about domestic workers in Germany and Hongkong.
One documentary film entitled Haus-Halt-Hilfe showed living situation of
German, Polish, Peruan and Filipino domestic workers in Germany. A short
version of the documentary film made by petra valentin gives insight to the
working situation of seven domestic workers; they take care of children,
clean, iron and do gardening. As cleaning women, domestic workers and
Au-Pair-Girls, they are doing jobs which are often not adequately honoured
and which take place in private households. While the employers and their
families can get off the burden of household chores, housework remains
often the only possibility for employment and living survival. Most of them
live separately from their families.

After the documentary film showing, guests treated themselves to German,
Filipino and Thai dishes and sweets followed by Karaoke singing with
intervals of tombola and dancing.

Babaylan Germany and PWFe.V. would like to thank the following
for their support for this event:

Hans Zarm for technical support, beamer, loudspeaker, etc.
Elda Weis for Karaoke and Music Equipment and coordination
Marilyn Hoehn for the main and other Tombola prizes
Vilma Koerperich, for non-stop help, tombola prizes and washing of glasses
And to the following Pinays for their help, cooking, driving, tombola
prizes,etc and usw at ibp.

Elsa, Helen, Christie, Vicky, Yvonne, Sol, Edna, Erma, Lillian,
Claire and Je.






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