A New Day in the Philippines In a rapidly unfolding series of events that took even most Filipinos by surprise, a popular uprising forced 20year-dictator Ferdinand Marcos from office on February 25, 1986 and installed in his place Corazon Aquino, the popular widow of Marcos' former political rival. The transition of power was remarkably quick and nonviolent " with last-minute intervention from the Philippine military and a shove from the US.

GABRIELA, a national coalition linking more than 45 Philippine women's groups, held its third national assembly and a "Women's International Solidarity Affair" from February 27 to March 8, 1986, just days after these dramatic events. While it was all rather "unsettling" for the assembly plans, GABRIELA organizers report in their summary of the meeting, the program proceeded more or less as planned.

GABRIELA is relatively young compared to other "people's organizations," which have grown into a formidable political force over the last decade. It was formally founded only in 1984, signalling the emergence of the Philippine women's movement after a long period when activist women had resisted the idea of setting up their own autonomous organization. Previously these women had participated in the mass movement according to "sectors" - the multitude of organizations of peasants, workers, students. tribal minorities, professionals, health workers, religious persons, etc. who organized around their own concerns and campaigns. But eventually a group of mainly middle-class women in Manila led a drive to establish GABRIELA as a national alliance of women's groups, lending organizational strength to women's concerns and demands. Despite its middle class origins, GABRIELA consistently identifies with the problems of poor urban and rural women in its analysis and programs.

Yet GABRIELA still places itself firmly within the broader progressive movement and much of its energy has gone toward promoting women's participation in the national liberation struggle. This occasionally causes tensions with some women's groups and individual women who believe that this approach inevitably makes women's issues secondary to national political issues. But certainly since the formation of GABRIELA, women have succeeded in gaining powerful positions within the national political organizations and in making women's concerns a priority. There are now five representatives from the women's movement on the governing council of BAYAN, the umbrella organization linking all mass movement groups, and recently even the New People's Army, Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front have indicated that women will be on the negotiating team in ceasefire talks with the new government.

GABRIELA members seem to be both excited at the prospect of a woman president of the moral standing and popularity of Cory Aquino and hesitant about the new government's ability to bring about meaningful change. On the one hand, there is a special sense of triumph about Aquino's victory since her candidacy had provoked Marcos and his allies to make such sexist remarks as "women belong in the bedroom."

"[Cory] has given an example that a woman is capable of leading. She's taken it upon herself to grow from a housewife to a really articulate and capable president. Other women will say 'Yes, I'm also capable of leading'," said GABRIELA's new secretary-general Nelia Sancho in a recent interview. GABRIELA's March 8 statement gives Aquino a surprisingly strong endorsement, calling her a "worthy living symbol of Filipino womanhood. We pledge her our wholehearted support.

"Yet most GABRIELA members qualify their enthusiasm with concern about the new government's responsiveness to the demands of people's organizations. "We see this as a good beginning, but we still aspire to basic changes," remarked Sancho, a former beauty queen who then spent time in the mountains with the New People's Army and eventually emerged as a feminist leader. The theme of the GABRIELA meeting, "A Nation Can Never Be Free Until its Women are Free," and other recurring statements such as "the struggle for true liberation has just begun" all seem to suggest that the real hard work lies ahead.

Still there were encouraging signs even as the GABRIELA congress took place. Most of the political prisoners were freed, and a former woman detainee was able to address the congress. Moreover, several former GABRIELA officers or activists were appointed to prominent positions in the Aquino cabinet, chief among them Dr. Mita Pardo de Tavera, once a GABRIELA chairperson and founder of the Community Based Health Program and now the Minister of Social Services.

Overall, GABRIELA's demands haven't changed. Its program of action formulated at the March assembly still repeats many of its earlier demands: 1.) an end to an economic system which makes women "cheap labor" or does not recognize their labor; 2.) an end to political repression and militarization which has brought special hardship to women; 3.) an end to prostitution and all other forms of sexual violence and abuse against women; and 4.) a change in all structures and institutions that culturally restrict women, perpetuate sexist images, or destroy their culture and traditions

The difference is that they are calling on the government in power to meet these demands through changes in national policy. To this end, GABRIELA has decided to set up a national center for women's organizations and the women's movement which will conduct education programs and mobilize women behind pressure campaigns. In addition, GABRIELA recently proposed to Aquino that she create a National Commission on Women's Affairs, through which nongovernmental women's groups could propose policies and programs for women's development. Nelia Sancho is even in favor of creating a political party for Filipino women. "We need a vehicle where women can give full play to what they can do...and with their creativity really engage in politics," she said.

Through all of these moves, the women's movement is taking advantage of the new democratic space to operate in an open, more institutionalized way, which would have been difficult or impossible during the Marcos years.

"Women Workers Are Getting More Organized"

One member organization of GABRIELA is the Kilusan ng Maggagawang Kababaihan (KMK), which means women workers' movement in native Filipino language. Cleofe Zapante, the secretary-general of the KMK, was attending a conference in Europe at the time of Marcos' overthrow, and visited the Isis International Rome office during her stay. Following are excerpts from our conversation with her.

Tell us something about your organization

KMK is an organization of women workers in manufacturing and agriculture. Some are already members of a labor union and others are not. Basically, we carry out programs of mass education to women workers, to promote awareness of each others' problems as workers and to examine the roots of "women's problems" in general. Where there is a union, the KMK members try to document specific women's problems and raise them within the structure of the union.

KMK was formally established only in February 1985. Over the past ten months, we have grown tremendously. We now have 112 chapters in factories or workplaces and have established contacts in 15 unions.

Why are you growing so fast?

Women are getting more organized in the factory because women in general are getting more organized. With the severe economic crisis over the last few years and increasing repression, women have begun to realize that they are being affected in specific ways. Women workers are now accepting the importance of fighting for better economic benefits, safe and decent working conditions, and are more open to discussing issues like sexual harassment at their workplace.

But this growth is outstripping the capabilities of our organization. We need to consolidate our membership through education and organizing. There are many women who want to be full-time organizers but we cannot answer to their financial needs. And we want to start our own newspaper but until now have not found the resources.

What specific programs are you carrying out?

We have a campaign against sexual harassment. Many women workers are subjected to a "lay down or layoff" policy of employers - sleep with the manager or lose your job. Others are forced to take a "virginity test" before they are hired to prove to management that they are not married and therefore won't take a leave because of pregnancy. We encourage women to report these practices to the union and ultimately to raise it with managers and the government.

We have another campaign for increased maternity benefits. Under Marcos, maternity leave was reduced from 14 to 6 weeks and is limited to 4 children - including abortions and miscarriages. The amount of maternity benefits was also reduced. KMK is pressing for changes in government policy and members are raising it in their own collective bargaining agreements.

Also, by law any factory with more than 50 women workers should provide a nursery for the workers' children, but no one implements this law. We are still researching this issue.

What changes for women workers do you hope to see under the new government?

Well, we hope the Aquino government will abolish the anti-labor laws and make laws for the benefit of workers, incorporating the demands of women workers.

Cory Aquino is the first woman president in the Philippines and we would like to see her set an example of what a real woman should be. She should assert herself. But at this moment, I'm still skeptical.

What can women in other countries do to support your efforts?

They can help us by giving us information and materials on companies employing women in the Philippines and organizing solidarity actions with our campaigns. Especially with this new government in power, they can begin exerting pressure to get it to respond to our demands.

They can also provide financial support " sponsor the salary of a women organizer or enable us to produce educational materials.

Women in Debt

"Poverty hits women first, and worst," say organizers from the British-based group War on Want. For this reason, the group has developed a special focus under its Third World debt campaign in support women in Latin America, the region hardest hit by the global debt crisis. T

The impact of the global debt crisis on women has been severe, according to War on Want. "Women earn less, own less and control less" as a growing share of country's national earnings are taking up be interest repayments on foreign debt. Rising unemployment, falling wages, and cuts in subsidies on basic goods mean that women face daily food shortages and health and education services are threatened. In many places, women are responding to these conditions through coordinated protests and demands, as in La Paz, Bolivia, where a Housewives Committee last year staged an 11-day hunger strike after a 5000% inflation rate pushed basic food items beyond reach.

The campaign aims to raise public awareness about the debt crisis, and to target the "Big Four" British banks - Lloyds, Barclays, Midland and Nat-West - for their role in the debt crisis. Suggested actions are leaf letting local banks, getting local councils to adopt resolutions on the debt crisis, and organizing other publicity events. For campaign materials or other information, write:

War on Want Campaigns Limited
Suite 4-6, The Hop Exchange
24 Southwark Street London SE 1 England

 

Toward Equal Rights for Indian Women

In India, each religious group has their own legal code that is respected by the ordinary legal system. In February 1986, the United Program of Christian Women presented to the Prime Minister of India a legal memorandum requesting the reform of Christian personal laws. The reforms are aimed at recognizing equality between the sexes, especially in matters of divorce and inheritance. This is the first step toward obtaining .standard civil laws for all Indian women that are recognized above religious codes.

     For example, there exists no uniform marriage law in India. "The dowry must be prohibited and no church must accept marriage practice when a dowry has been given. The divorce law must be reformed since today, for example, a man can demand a divorce on the basis of adultery while women can obtain it only if adultery has been aggravated by an act of bigamy, incest or cruelty. In addition, the laws of inheritance must be reformed and standardized regardless of a person's religion" said the Christian women.

Source:
Manushi no. 33, 1986
Cl/212 Lajpat Nagar
New Delhi H0024 India

Sterilization and Red Saris

In Bangladesh today, birth control is a political issue directly affecting poor urban and rural women. Bangladeshi women have recently reported that in order to fulfill the goals for the sterilization program fixed by the national government, some local Bangladeshi authorities are requiring sterilization of women who request food aid from state institutions.

Rohima is an example of the thousands of hungry and poor women in Bangladesh. At 20 years old, she is divorced with one son. She has no work as a result of floods in the rice growing areas. So she decided to seek food aid. "You must undergo the operation to receive wheat," was the response. Thousands of women who requested aid after the flood were sterilized beforehand and then received food only for a few months. Widows and elderly women who presented themselves for food aid received absolutely nothing, because their cases were not appropriate for the statistics. However, all women treated received a gift of a red sari, to allow them to be identified by the authorities

 

Ecuadorian Women Speak Out Against Sexual Violence

More than 60 women between the ages of 12 and 22 were raped and murdered by Camergo, an escaped convict who has dominated the crime pages of the daily newspapers in Ecuador throughout recent months. At the moment the women began to disappear, an assassination threat was directed against Robos, the ex-president of Ecuador. And in Quito, during the same period, a terrorist organization kidnapped an important banker close to the government.

The response of the government of Leon Febres to all these incidents was intensified police and military control, leading to increased repression. Moreover, the government proposed a law that establishes the death penalty for murderers, terrorists and drug traffickers. Eventually they proposed further legal changes aimed at eliminating habeas corpus, reducing the power of political parties and paralyzing the legislative process of parliament.

Faced with this situation, the House of Women in Quito together with CEPAM (the Ecuadorian Center for Women's Promotion and Action) called a National Forum on Violence Against Women. The occasion of the forum was significant because violence against women is still a little discussed and widely accepted practice in Latin America. The purposes of the forum were first, to analyze the proposed death penalty, making a clear distinction between the different murders, and second, to place the proposals of the government in a national political context, pointing out their totalitarian thrust.

Nearly 400 women attended the Forum, which was held on May 7 and 8, 1986. They met in workshops focusing on seven topics concerning violence against women: violence in the family, in work, in education, in the mass media, in prisons, through prostitution, and provision of shelters or rape crisis centers for women.

The resolutions of the Forum were:

1. To form a permanent tribunal on violence against women.
2. To create a shelter for abused women.
3. To initiate a national education campaign on violence against women through local and regional forums, workshops, and seminars that will culminate on November 25, 1986 (the International Day Against Violence Against Women proposed by the First Latin American Feminist Meeting in Bogota, Colombia).
4. To work toward the reform of laws concerning images of women in advertising and in the press.
5. To initiate research projects on abused women and to collect relevant statistics. For example it is estimated that 60 percent of abuses are reported and that only 20 percent of abused women take their case to court.
6. To submit editorials to the mass media denouncing the treatment of the Camargo case in the press, which could serve to encourage other violators.

For further information, contact:

Centro Ecuatoriano Para la Promocion y Accion de la Mujer (CEPAM)
Calle Los Rios 2238 Gandara,
Quito, Ecuador

Stop Sex for Soldiers

Sister Mary Soledad Perpinan, the "flying nun" from the Philippines well known for her international organizing against prostitution, has launched yet a new campaign: the Campaign Against Military Prostitution, or CAMP International. The campaign was formed in April 1986 at a gathering of peace, disarmament, women's and church groups.

The growth of prostitution in locations of US military bases around the world is a well-documented phenomenon. Often the military personnel directly facilitate or support the prostitution industry through ownership or regulation of bars, massage parlors, strip joints, or other "rest and recreation" facilities. Some of the most famous examples are in Olongapo, Philippines; Okinawa, Japan; Pattaya Beach, Thailand; West Germany, Honduras, and Puerto Rico.

Sister Sol, as she is known, and other supporters have called on women's groups, peace groups, churches, students, enlisted men and other concerned people to draw attention to this situation and to take action against it. Suggested activities include forming action or study groups, surveying veterans and enlisted men, and carrying out advocacy work on behalf of prostitutes. As a starting point for discussion, the organizers propose several questions: Do military institutions teach violence against women as a normal part of their training? Are there indications that military institutions allow, provide, facilitate and support prostitution for rest and recreation purposes? Are soldiers and prostitutes, many of whom come from impoverished backgrounds, both victims of the same system?

For further information, contact:

Sister M. Soledad Perpinan
Third World Movement Against the Exploitation of Women
P.O.Box SM 366 Manila,
Philippines

 

Wings for Distant Ears

"Most news about women, especially women activists, never surfaces in the US major media. What does is rarely reported in any depth... Most people in the US still do not understand what the situation is with women in the rest of the world." With this statement, a group of women based in San Francisco, California announced a creative new effort to respond to the problem: a weekly half-hour international radio program focusing on women.

Called "Wings" - short for Women's International News Gathering Service - the project will serve as a clearinghouse and production center for women radio producers and reporters worldwide. It is being developed under the sponsorship of Western Public Radio, a nonprofit audio production and training facility.

A premiere of the half-hour program was broadcast on June 10,1986 at the National Women's Studies Association in the US. At present, the producers are soliciting tape and telephone feeds in English from women radio reporters and producers around the world. "We are looking for stories on events that reveal the hard issues: economics, agriculture, legal rights, organizing for social change or to prevent destruction of the culture and environment," say the program producers.

If you want to contribute or want more information, contact:

Katharine Davenport or Augusta del Zotto
Western Public Radio
Fort Mason Center, Building D
San Francisco, California 94123 USA
Tel. (415) 771-1160

The Great Peace Voyage

The International Network for the Great Peace Voyage based in Upsala, Sweden invites all peace-concerned people to join in its efforts for world peace. The first stage of the international campaign, which aims to get governments to commit themselves to non-military, peaceful resolution of conflicts, was carried out in Europe during 1985. The second stage is now underway in Africa, Asia, Australia, North America and Latin America. Throughout the network, people are presenting five questions to their governments:

1. Are you prepared to prohibit defense forces from using your country's territory for military purposes, if all other member nations of the United Nations agree to do the same?
2. Are you prepared to prohibit the use of nuclear arms and other arms capable of mass destruction in your country, if all other members of the United Nations agree to do the same?
3. Are you prepared to prohibit the export of arms from your country, if all other members of the United Nations agree to do the same? 
4. Are you prepared to help guarantee that clean water, food, basic sanitation, and education is available for all the people of the world?
5. Are you prepared to resolve future conflicts with other nations through peaceful means and not through military actions or threats?

Among the 25 European governments approached, 16 responded affirmatively to all the questions. Three governments refused to receive the delegations, while others gave mixed responses. Those governments that responded affirmatively will be invited to participate in an international conference to determine how to convert the positive response into reality.

Various regional groups have formed in Africa, Asia, Latin America and North America. If you are interested in receiving more information, write the organizers in Upsala at the following address:

The Great Peace Voyage
International Secretariat
Box 228 S-751 04 Upsala Sweden