Gender Democracy

How has accession influenced gender equality in Slovakia? How has legislation changed and what has happened to the lives of women and men in the country? How has accession influenced the situation of feminist and women’s NGOs? These and other questions are raised in this analysis, which tries to summarise some basic aspects of the assessment of the Slovakia’s membership of the EU. The analysis is part of the international project “10 Years in the EU from a Gender Perspective.

Polish accession to the European Union, the election of female representatives, and existing European legislation raised high hopes for the possibility of legislative improvements for women and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) people. How, then, did the first decade of Polish female representatives in the European Parliament look? Has the presence of Polish women influenced the agenda of the institution? Have there been any issues with legislation concerning equal rights, equal opportunities, and anti-discrimination?

The Heinrich Böll Foundation in Warsaw is honoured to congratulate Professor Małgorzata Fuszara on becoming Goverment Plentipotentiary for Equal Treatment. May energy and satisfaction provide her with energy necessary to mainstream gender equality policies in Poland. Given our long cooperation, we wish to present again an interview with Professor Fuszara about the Congress of Women, political representation and quotas.

Politics and the activities of the government in the area of gender equality can be evaluated from different perspectives. For the purpose of this analysis Magdalena Grabowska, Ph.D. considered three aspects: the impact on legislative changes and the applicability of new law(s), governmental projects and activities focused on women and gender equality, and the impact of the EU on political debates in the area of gender equality in Poland. Find out wthat has changed in Poland since 2004.

Big Book Festival – a book lovers celebration. Two days, several thousands of readers, 150 guests, 50 events in an international company, discussions, literary walks, public readings, virtual meetings, dozens of places. From serious tone to tongue in cheek – extraordinary urban spaces, streets, authors’ private rooms. An up-to-date festival engaging its audience in literary activities. Surprising and created together. Fully open.

Women's cotribution to oposition movements in the Communist times deserves to be widely discussed and mainstreamed. Therefore Heinrich Böll Foundation supported the project reclaiming women's place in the history.

In Slovakia, as well as in Poland, there was a lack of women’s voices during the official celebration of the 20th anniversary of democratic changes last year. It was the reason why Ingrid Hrubaničová, a Slovakian actress and writer, who had been touched by the absence of women decided to publish an Open Letter to Potential Women of November in the main daily newspaper “SME”. She appealed to those women who participated in the Velvet Revolution asking them to speak about their experiences during the memorable events in November 1989. She also encouraged the female journalists to fill the gap and efface “white spots” of history and to present female engagement in the democratic changes.

The system of climate politics is based on the faith in market equilibrium, and on the economic theory of the right to pollute which assumes that competition on pollution permits market will lead to the optimalization of the costs of dealing with pollution, and eventually will lead to reduction of discharges to the environment. It looks great in theory but so much the worse for reality. Read the analysis and get acquainted with the whole English issue of the Green News.

The Second International Gender Workshop held in Kyiv in October 2013 focused on how Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Poland have been dealing with backlash. Organizers from various offices of the Heinrich Boell Foundation presented gender projects in the region. Invited experts discussed gender education, sexual and reproductive rights of women, and cooperation with regard to LGBT issues.You are invited to read the article by Magdalena Grabowska about gender education in Poland. Another Polish input by Elżbieta Korolczuk deals with the debate on assisted reproduction in the contemporary Poland.

Today, it is hard to believe that it all started with few dozens of young women, who had enough of discrimination and humiliation from the consecutive Polish governments.Women who started the 8th March Agreement wanted to „take over” the March 8th holiday – the International Women’s Day – and make it the day of the real celebration of women. They wanted to fight for the access to public space, and the right to speak loudly about women’s need for equality, and equal access to power.