Monika Gaertner-Engel, Germany, European Coordinator 
Halinka Augustin, Netherlands – European Coordinator
Angélica Urrutia, Germany – Deputy European Coordinator
Maria Hagberg, Sweden – Deputy European Coordinator
August 2015
Dear worldwomen in Europe,
Today we would like to write you about the most important hot spots, which have arisen in Greece, the Ukraine, in the Middle East, in Rojava, Nepal and as a consequence of the refugee crisis as well as our preparation process of the World Women’s Conference and the special challenges for the women’s movement related with these hot spots.
In these countries women play an important role in the everyday struggle for democracy, for the people’s liberation, for the reconstruction of the country in Nepal and Rojava and against the fascist and extremely religious ISIS-forces in Syria and Northern Iraq.
The Greek people have sent a clear, courageous and militant signal against the Troika to the EU and world bank and there was enormous solidarity for the Greek people throughout Europe. Despite the immense media pressure against Greece, the people decided for a clear “No” against the enforced austerity measures. But now they shall pay the price and safe the banks nevertheless. We are really interested in how they will act and ensure our full support in fighting against the austerity measures in Europe.
Determined the Nepalese women and men have taken up the reconstruction of their country and regularly report about the situation after the enormous devastations in course of the severe earthquake. Nepal got a lot and quick international support, which however, could not get through to help the people fast enough because of bureaucratic hurdles and the ongoing corruption. The women in Nepal are determined to work on the Asian Conference and the worldwide Coordinator’s meeting now, taking place from the 15th -16th September (Asian Conference) and from the 17th -18th September (5th worldwide meeting of Coordinators). They also want to conduct the World Women’s Conference there, when the situation improves. We support this and collected more than 20,000 € within 14 days. Because of our work, this money could reach the Nepalese Coordinators very quickly and it was used to rebuild a school.
Worldwide democratic forces declare their solidarity with the fight of the Kurdish people against the ISIS and show their respect for the newly won structures for the further democratization of the region they have struggled for. Gender equality is one of the most significant achievements in the region of Rojava. Now the women play an important and decisive part in rebuilding the areas destroyed by the ISIS and recently also by the coward Turkish bombings of Kurdish areas. The fight for democracy and against patriarchal structures of the Kurdish people was successful in Rojava and the women have learned to defend these achievements, even with arms. At the moment the Turkish government takes aggressive action against the Kurdish liberation struggle and against revolutionaries as well as democrats in Turkey. Especially courageous women are targeted by the reactionary government. They have our complete solidarity.
Dear worldwomen, in face of these “positive” developments we are interested in your preparations of the World Women’s Conference planned for March 2016. In the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and France the women organizations conducted preparatory conferences and prepare the election of delegates, there are first applications for brigades to support the preparation of the World Women’s Conference in Nepal as well as concrete workshop registrations and songs for finding a hymn for the World Women’s Conference.
With this in mind we would be really glad to get to know about your activities for preparing the World Women’s Conference. It is really important to have solidarity activities, to connect the international women’s movement and to get new connections with women in Europe and other countries for the World Women’s Conference. We have to work closer together to profit from these positive developments.
We already would like to inform you about a seminar on how to successfully collect donations, which will take place on 5th September in the Workers’ Educational Centre (Arbeiterbildungszentrum) in Gelsenkirchen as well as the jointly decided seminar for translators and interpreters for the World Women’s Conference, which will take place from 28th-29th November in Germany, probably also in Gelsenkirchen. Girls and women from other countries are very welcome to join!
Warm greetings,
Monika Gaertner-Engel, Germany, European Coordinator
Halinka Augustin, Netherlands – European Coordinator
Angélica Urrutia, Germany – Deputy European Coordinator
Maria Hagberg, Sweden – Deputy European Coordinator
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