Feminist Anti-austerity Protest!

To:
Citizens
National Parliaments
Governments of EU countries
European Parliament
European Commission
United Nations Women’s Agency for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

In these dark times of imposed austerity, we denounce the neo-liberal "answers"
that worsen women's labor and social vulnerability. With these measures, for
many people, particularly for women, there will be a rise in unemployment and its
duration, job insecurity, wage inequality between men and women, the gender
differentiation in terms of reforms and pensions . Given this, the scale and impact
of poverty will be even more overwhelming.

We protest against cuts in public investment, for example the budget cuts in
education, in sexual and reproductive health services, the dismantling of
equipment and care services for children and elderly people , the commodification
of access to housing. We do not underestimate the effects these measures have and
will have on women's lives.

We hereby state that austerity measures, in particular those that jeopardize the
economic empowerment of women and autonomy increase their vulnerability to
gender violence.

We protest against the worsening of inequality and the attack on labor rights, as
well as the rights gained with the experience of motherhood and fatherhood.
We denounce that problems that are specific to women’s situation at work, family
or social level may be considered secondary or even completely deleted in times of
crisis.

We call your attention to a worsening of inequality in time use of men and women
in the family, emphasizing the cultural attachment of women to the sphere of
reproduction and the detachment of men from care and responsibility in material
and emotional issues, in the tasks concerning house, children, the elderly and the
family

We denounce the neo-conservative thought of austerity, seeking to impose values
based on the "return of women to their home", and welfare policies of the family
and of assistance that promote the submission of individual rights to a single
family model.

We protest against the binary discourse on women: on one hand women as the
decisive agents in household saving, on the other hand the exclusion of women
from public critical discussion about the crisis, particularly in terms of the media,
and the search for alternative forms of facing it.

We call attention to a neglected dimension of the effects of the crisis on
subjectivities, generating feelings of insecurity, fear for the future, depression,
isolation and breaking of social links.

We alert people to the atmosphere of fear, insecurity and despair that prevails and
does not give any contribution to end this crisis.

We warn to the myths and hegemonic, complacent and self-defeating narratives
that address the financial markets as "neutral" and "innocent" instances and tend
to legitimate the current austerity policies which are based on a competition,
maximization and centralization of profit ideology, rejecting any social
responsibilities.

We protest against the dominant conceptualizations about economy and labor that
exclude women from the sphere of productive work, which is not put into practice
in the “traditional” spaces of work, such as factories, offices, etc..

We denounce the double, sometimes triple discrimination of which transgender
women are victims, as well as migrant women, lesbians, women with disabilities
and women whom basic citizenship rights are still denied and who are directly
affected by these recessive policies.

We protest against the lack of control of millions of people over their own
subsistence.

WE DEFEND


The constitution of citizens to audit public debt and austerity plans, and these
include an analysis of its impact on women's lives.


Alternative policies to imposed austerity - social justice policies, policies to
stimulate employment, non-discriminatory policies, emancipation, that ensure
social and labor rights and new ways to economic and social development.


Development, both at political and public level, of a culture to dignify work with
rights in all spheres of life.


Inclusion of the gender equality dimension in all policies.


Support to the development of economic alternatives that put the sustainable
development of human life, environment and collective wellbeing in the center of
the economic and territorial organization.

WE COMMIT TO


Provide visibility and contribute to women's participation in social protest
movements against a dehumanizing and inhumane policy.


Contribute to the creation of mechanisms of representation of movement of
citizens, namely women, to critical, moral and democratic scrutiny of political and
financial choices that are putting our lives at risk.


Subscribe critical perspectives that are contrary to the dominant narratives,
establishing a close relationship between the functioning of markets and
democracy.


Acting on social networks, feminist or others, in the process of dissemination,
information and cooperation about the problems of women as well as women's
struggles.


Reinforcement of feminism as an active process in the critical and strategic field
for change, in connection with other social movements.

SUBCRIÇÕES/ABONNEMENTS/
SUBSCRITIONS/SUBSCRIPCIONES
(07/03/2012)

COLECTIVAS/COLLECTIF/COLECTIVE A.S.T.I. - Association de solidarité avec tous les immigrés (France) ADAVAS - Asociacion de Ayuda a Victimas de Agresiones Sexuales y Violencia Domestica (España) AFEMEK - Association des femmes des medias du (République Démocratique du Congo) AFRICANDO (Gran Canaria, España) ALUDROFE - Association de Lutte pour la Promotion et la Protection des Droits de la Femme et de l'Enfant (République Démocratique du Congo) Antalya Centre de Conseil et de Solidarite de Femmes (Turkey) Asociación Contra la Violencia Machista LMD (Alicante España) Associação Clube Safo (Portugal) Associação Comunidária (Portugal) ADVAS, Association de défense des Victimes d'Agressions sexuelles (France) CADTM, Committee for the abolition of Third world debt (Global Network) Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir (España) Centre Evolutif Lilith association lesbienne féministe (France) Conselho Municipal dos direitos da Mulher de Lins (Brasil) Coordination de la Marche Mondiale des Femmes 26.07 (France) Demos Kvindegruppe /Demos Women's group / Grupo Mujeres –Demos (Danmark) Dones d'Esquerres de les Illes Balears (España) Dones x Dones (España) FASTI, Fédération des Associations de Solidarité avec les Travailleurs-euses Immigré-e-s (France) Feministes Indignades (España) Grupo de Trabajo de la Auditoría de la Deuda 15M Barcelona (España) IRIS Equality Watch (Türkiye) La Lune - Association de femmes homosexuelles à Strasbourg (France) La Secretaría Mujer PCE - Partido Comunista de España (España) les Alternatifs (France) Maison des Femmes de Montreuil (France) Maison des Femmes Paris (France) Marcha Mondiale des Femmes Cameroun (Cameroun) Marcha Mundial das Mulheres Galiza (Galiza- Espanha) Marche Mondiale des Femmes – Suisse (Suisse) Marche Mondiale des Femmes-France (France) Marcia Mondiale delle Donne- Italia (Italia) Marxa Mundial de les Dones de Catalunya (Catalunya) MARXA Munial de Dones València (España) Mauvais Françoise (France) Mujeres y Punto Asociacion Civil (México) Observatório da Mulher (Brasil) ONG UFELCI (Côte d’Ivoire) Panteras Rosa - Frente de combate à LesBiGayTransfobia (Portugal) Parti de Gauche - Commission féminisme (France) Parti de Gauche France (France) Patas Arriba (España) Precários Inflexíveis (Portugal) Quadernos Rouxos - Quaderni Viola (Italia) República das Marias do Loureiro (Portugal) Réseau Féministe "Ruptures" (France) SARILAYA (Philippines) Section française de la Ligue Internationale des Femmes pour la Paix et la Liberté - WILPF/LIMPAL (France) Secularism Is A Women's Issue (Global network) SERES, Portugal (Portugal) Si les femmes comptaient (France) Soldepaz. Pachakuti (Colombia) Solidariedade Imigrante (Portugal) Solidarité Femmes (França) SOS Sexisme (France) SOS-Racismo (Portugal) Syndicat Français Spuce-CFDT du Secteur Financier Semi-Public de la Région Parisienne (France) Ucan Supurge/Flying Broom (Türkiye) UMAR-Açores, Associação para a Igualdade e Direitos das Mulheres (Açores, Portugal) Victory Women of Vision (United State/England) ZEROSE – Association (France)

INDIVIDUAIS/INDIVIDUEL/INDIVIDUAL/INDIVIDUALES
Adriana Lopera Enfermeira (Portugal) Albertina Pena Professora (Portugal) Almerinda Bento Professora aposentada (Portugal) Ana Benavente Docente (Portugal) Ana Cristina Mateus Figueiredo Estudante (Portugal) Ana Heredia Plaza Desempleada (España) Ana Isabel da Trindade Cansado Mestranda em Relações Internacionais (Portugal) Ana Paula Maio Médica (Portugal) Anita Freudiger Enseignante retraitée (France) Anne Marie Alary Enseignante (France) Annie Chassing Artisanat d'art (France) Artemisa Maria dos Santos Coimbra Professora (Portugal) Beatriz Tato Salgado Técnico II-Unidade de Contratación e documentación (Galiza, Espanha) Benedikte Pryneid Hansen Leder/ Chair person (Norge) Bernadette Montmasson (France) Bouchra Tounzi Militante associative (Maroc) Bouclier Chantal Enseignante d'anglais pour adultes (France) Brigitte Ducloz (France) Brigitte Lehaque Psychologue (France) Carla Gisele Batista Estudante de Mestrado (Brasil) Carla Tereza Silva
Costa Estudante (Brasil) Carmen Sánchez-Contador Escudero (España) Carolina Naranjo Alemán (España) Cassilda Pascoal Estudante (Portugal) Catarina Moreira Socióloga (Portugal) Christiane Rondi Sociologue CNRS retraitée (France) Christine Plazanet (France) Claire Desaint Consultante en égalité professionnelle (France) Clara Carbunar Etudiante précaire (France) Clarisse Canha Reformada/ Activista feminista (Portugal, Açores) Claude Michel Chanteuse (France) Colette Besson (France) Concepcio Calafat Marí Bibliotecaria (España) Danièle Miglos (France) Eduarda Ferreira (Portugal) Elif Dumanlý (Türkiye) Elisa Clara Enfermeira de SMO (Portugal) Elisabeth Vitiello Documentaliste (France) Eugénie Kuffler, Musicienne (France) Eva Pedrochi Secrétaire régionale et porte-parole d’Europe Ecologie-Les Verts de Franche-Comté (France) F.Berard Militante sans- papiers Valence Drôme (France) Fernando André Rosa Sociólogo(Portugal) France Loirat (France) Gabriela Mota Vieira Enfermeira (Portugal) Gérardin Sigrid (France) Gina Coordinatrice - Planning Familial de la Région Centre (France) Gisèle Noublanche Retraitée, membre de la LIFP (France) Helena Romão Musicóloga (Portugal) Helena Santos Psicóloga Social/Investigadora (Portugal) Heloísa Perista Socióloga (Portugal) Horiya Mekrelouf (France) Hortensia Hernández Defensora Derechos de las Mujeres (España) Huberte Gautreau Retraitée et Vice-Présidente de la Coalition pour l’Équité Salariale (Canada) Hugo Evangelista Técnico de projectos (Portugal) Inês dos Santos Pereira Almas Rodrigues Trabalhadora-estudante/ mestranda (Portugal) Iolanda Toshie Ide Professora universitária aposentada da UNESP (Brasil) Isabel Justino Consultora (Portugal) Isabelle dos Reis Trabalhadora em movimento social (France/Moçambique) Isabelle Girau Enseignante-chercheuse (France) Jacqueline Heinen Professeure émérite de sociologie (France) Joana Manuel Actriz/Cantora (Portugal) Jorge Domingos Dias Andrade Professor (Portugal) José Soeiro Sociólogo (Portugal) Judite Marieta Canha Fernandes Gestora de Informação (Portugal) Karin Gomes Antropóloga (Cabo Verde) Kasereka Kakule Kastro, Charge de la documentation et Communicatio (République Démocratique du Congo) Leen Vandamme Syndicaliste et MMF (Belgique) Leïla Saliere Syndicaliste et conseillère à l'emploi (France) Lesage Elisabeth, Retraitée (France) Lídia Fernandes Desempregada/Psicóloga e Socióloga (Portugal) Luisa Sequeira Rego Jornalista (Portugal) Lupe Ces Rioboo Mestra (España) Magali Elequet (France) Magda Alves Socióloga (Portugal) Manuela Góis Professora Aposentada (Portugal) Manuela Tavares Professora aposentada (Portugal) Margaret Mayans Dickinson Pensionista (España) Margarita Roig Novell Jubilada (España) Marguerite Rollinde Chercheure et militante associative (France) Maria Antónia Lopes Historiadora/Professora Universitária (Portugal) Maria Helena Augusto das Neves Gorjão Professora universitária (Portugal) Maria Joana Almeida Psicóloga (Portugal) Maria José de Matos Docente de História (Portugal) Maria Magdala Porto Lopes de Gusmão Administração de Empresas (Portugal) Maria Olímpia Pinto Antropóloga (Portugal) Marie Ange Salou Asistante sociale-justice (França) Marie Christine Calle (France) Marie-Agnès Nataf (France) Maria-Josep Cascant Sempere Consultora desenvolvimento (España) Marie-laure Brival (France) Marieme Helie Lucas Sociologue (Algérie/France) Marije Nederveen Sociologist (Nederland) Marlène Tuininga (France) Martine Dutoit Directrice d'association (France) Martine Toulotte Retraitée (France) Meyta Guada Etudiante en art/musicienne (France) Moïra Sauvage Journaliste (France) Monika Claverie Militante au Planning Familial (France) Nadia Raquel Serrao Cantanhede Psicologa (Portugal) Nélson Alves Ramalho Assistente Social (Portugal) Nicole Nourigat Retraitée (France) Nicole Pradel Membre du PS France (France) Nuno Filipe Moreira dos Santos Carneiro (Portugal) Nyemba Godlive Journaliste reporter (République Démocratique du Congo) Pagona Kiakou Retired Gym Teacher (Greece) Patricia Cavallera Potiere decoratrice, militante (France) Paula Gil Precária (Portugal) Paula Gillot Demandeuse d'emploi (France) Paula Sequeiros Investigadora (Portugal) Payen Frédérique Conseillère à l'emploi (France) Pénélope Paicheler (France) Rebeca Torada Máñez Mediadora/ Gestión alternativa de conflictos (España) Rebeha Chougui Demandeur d’emploi (França) Rosa Torada Máñez Licenciada en Filología Románica e coordinadora Festival de Cin (España) Saleha Athar (Paquistão) Sandra Mestre da Cunha Socióloga/Investigadora (Portugal) Sandra Patricia Moreno Cadena Agricultora ecológica (España) Sandra Pimentel Aguiar Administrativa UMAR Açores (Portugal, Açores) Stella Montebello Enseignante spécialisée retraitée (France) Susana Boletas Bolseira de Doutoramento em Antropologia (Portugal) Sylvie Duverger Journaliste/ chercheuse indépendante (France) Tânia Oliveira Gestora - funcionária publica (Portugal) Telma Graça Psicóloga Clinica na Câmara Municipal de Mértola (Portugal) Teresa Perez del Rio (España) Valérie Bouillon Conducteure de car/ plasticienne (France) Vanden Daelen Christine ONG employee (Belgique) Vera Inês Costa da Silva Desempregada (Portugal) Vera Santana Socióloga, Investigadora (Portugal)