Update september 2020 met inzicht door #corona

Mede door de corona maatregelen zijn mijn plannen (activiteiten en reizen) voor 2020 veranderd. Daarom ontwikkel ik een nieuw blog waarin ik drie andere blogs update met de stand van zaken in september 2020. 1. https://angermaneuropa.blogspot.com/2020/01/persoonlijke-preventie-als-leefstijl Persoonlijke preventie als leefstijl is vanwege corona (overgewicht) nog belangrijker geworden. Mijn gewicht heeft volgens het Voedingscentrum een BMI van 33. Anders gaan bewegen betekent sinds juni meedoen met 'Walk at Home' (via laptop) en anders gaan drinken tijdens de corona maatregelen betekent drie avonden per week thuis geen alcohol. Ik ontdek heerlijk 0,0 witbier! Ik realiseerde (tijdelijk) mijn belangrijkste goede voornemen voor 2020 op donderdag 10.9: 5 kg afvallen. Gelukkig zijn de 3 coronakilo's inmiddels ook verdwenen. 2. https://angermaneuropa.blogspot.com/2020/03/gendergelijkheid-sdg5-iwd2020. Gender gelijkheid heeft aan belang gewonnen in tijden van corona: zorg (care) en Black Lives Matter beweging (diversity). Bezig zijn met mijn maatschappelijke focus is vooral zichtbaar op Twitter @ArinaNoel. Immers Feminist (inclusief HeForShe's) in de politiek zijn is een marathon! Ik doe mee met de PvdA actie #Omdatikhetverdien voor (#equal pay). Bij gendergelijkheid (#sdg5) focus ik me op 5.5. besluitvorming (decisionmaking) en 5.8 gebruik van ICT technologie (enhance use). Mijn belangrijkste inzicht tijdens de COVID-19 pandemie is dat ik bijdraag aan de wereldwijde 'social justice movement'. 3. https://angermaneuropa.blogspot.com/2019/05/playlist-arina-angerman-pvda-nr-15"> Als professionele vrijwilliger vertegenwoordig ik de NGO IAW International Alliance of Women (in 1904 opgericht als Wereldbond voor Vrouwenkiesrecht) in het bestuur van de European Women's Lobby (EWL). Tijdens de eerste zes maanden van corona in Europa vergaderden we regelmatig online over de impact van COVID_19 en (online) geweld tegen vrouwen. Ik zag en sprak collega bestuursleden en medewerkers EWL vaker online dan mijn vriendinnen! Gelukkig is er Internet en Zoom. In 2019 was ik voor PvdA kandidaat nr: 15 voor het Europese Parlement. Een van de campagne activiteiten was een Playlist. Ik voeg daar een nummer van #17 Anouk en #18 Cyndi Lauper aan toe!

Gendergelijkheid #SDG5 #IWD2020

Op 8 maart publiceer ik regelmatig een blog (Noot 1). I write this blog in Dutch. Waarom? Drie redenen:

1. Mijn maatschappelijke focus in 2020 is Gender Gelijkheid (#SDG5) Economisch zelfstandig blijven is al decennia de ambitie waaraan ik als vrouw met leren door te doen als leerstijl werk. Eerder dit jaar ontdekte ik dat ik leef in een land waar 73% van de vrouwen 'experienced sexual harassment'. Ik behoor zelf bij die 73%. Als professionele vrijwilliger vertegenwoordig ik de NGO IAW International Alliance of Women (in 1904 opgericht als Wereldbond voor Vrouwenkiesrecht) in het bestuur van de European Women's Lobby (EWL). Als bestuurslid van de EWL lees ik bijna elke dag tweets en berichten in mijn tweede taal het Engels. Ook schreef ik sinds 2011 21x een blog in het Engels op angermaneuropa.blogspot.com. Onder andere vier blogs in 2015 toen we wereldwijd 20 jaar Beijing Platform for Action (resultaat van de vierde VN Wereldvrouwenconferentie in 1995 in China) vierden. (Noot 2)

2. De petitie Stem #gendergelijkheid van WOMENInc voor de Tweede Kamerverkiezingen in 2021. Ik ondertekende deze petitie en gebruik de hashtag #maakereenpuntvan. Immers 'vrouwen en mannen in Nederland hebben nog steeds niet dezelfde kansen.' Ik zet me graag in voor punten die staan bij Gezondheidszorg en Overheid. Vooral voor het punt 'We roepen de overheid op om daarom de kwaliteitseis 'Effecten op gendergelijkheid' toe te passen en al haar staand en nieuw beleid te toetsen op hoe dit uitpakt voor zowel vrouwen als mannen. Hiermee geeft Nederland direct invulling aan SDG 5 Gender Equality (foto). ... Gendergelijkheid moet worden belegd bij een apart ministerie van kansengelijkheid of anderszins goed belegd zijn bij alle ministeries.' Dit laatste - 'goed belegd zijn bij alle ministeries' staat onder andere in het VN-Vrouwenverdrag dat Nederland ratificeerde zonder voorbehoud in 1991!

3. Professionele ambitie is Gevraagd Worden als spreker. 
Het is in 2020 25 jaar geleden dat het NGO Forum in Huairou (in China) plaatsvond en vandaar stuurde ik mijn eerste blogs / e-mails. Mijn profiel bij ZIJSpreekt is geactualiseerd en op 6 maart deelde Marga Miltenburg mijn verhaal 'Elk nadeel heb z'n voordeel' citaat Johan Cruijff (1979) op LinkedIn. 

Omdat de loonkloof tussen vrouwen en mannen in Nederland nog 15% is, gaat de strijd voor Gendergelijkheid door! En vandaar dat ik vandaag - 8 maart 2020 - meeloop in de Women's March in Amsterdam!

Noten

Noot 1 welke 8 maart blogs publiceerde ik eerder?
2019 https://angermaneuropa.blogspot.com/2019/03/iwd2019-internationalevrouwendag.html
2017 https://angermaneuropa.blogspot.com/2017/03/doe-jij-mee-op-153-met.html
2016 https://angermaneuropa.blogspot.com/2016/03/van-datadame-tot-een-leven-lang-leren.html
2015 https://angermaneuropa.blogspot.com/2015/03/do-world-wide-women-connect-and-share.html

Noot 2 welke blogs publiceerde ik in het Engels in 2015
1. https://angermaneuropa.blogspot.com/2015/02/womens-economic-independence-and.html
2. https://angermaneuropa.blogspot.com/2015/03/do-world-wide-women-connect-and-share.html
3. https://angermaneuropa.blogspot.com/2015/05/equal-representation-of-women-in-online.html
4. https://angermaneuropa.blogspot.com/2015/12/do-women-social-entrepreneurs-use-it.html

Empowering women in the digital age with more #eskills in EU - lifelong learning

Lifelong learning of new eSkills is urgent in order to improve women's economic rights and independence. Financial independence for women is very important because one out of three women is a victim of sexual and/or physical violence in the EU!

On 16 March 2016 Arina Angerman attended the Conference eSkills for Jobs 2016 in The Hague (Photo). Marietje Schaake, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and eSkills for Jobs Ambassador, told us “We have to have a leadership that knows why eSkills are important.” Her key recommendation: “Invest in the eSkills of politicians and policy makers”. 

EP resolution on gender equality and empowering women in the digital age

On 28 April 2016 the European Parliament (EP) adopted a very important resolution on gender equality and empowering women in the digital age. The resolution of 19 pages was developed by MEP and Rapporteur Terry Reintke with help of many others. Arina selected three points of context and some recommendations to inform you: 

- “the study by European Parliament Policy Department C entitled ‘Study on Empowering women on the Internet’, published in 2015,

- the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention),

- the report of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality and the opinion of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.

C.  whereas only 9 % of developers in Europe are women, only 19 % of bosses in the ICT and communications sectors are female (compared with 45 % in other service sectors) and women represent just 19 % of entrepreneurs (compared with 54 % in other service sectors);

H.  whereas improving digital skills and IT literacy presents a unique opportunity for increasing the inclusion in the labour market of women and girls, but also of people with special needs, such as people with disabilities; whereas increasing the number of women in the ICT sector, which is one of the highest paying sectors, could contribute to their financial empowerment and independence, resulting in the reduction of the total gender pay gap;

N.  whereas women aged 55 and over are at a particular risk of unemployment and labour market inactivity, with the average EU employment rate for women aged 55-64 being only 42 %, compared with 58 % for men; whereas a low level of IT literacy and e-skills further amplifies this risk; whereas improving and investing in digital competences of women aged 55 and over would boost their employment opportunities and offer a level of protection against exclusion from the labour market;

3.  Calls on the Commission to exploit and better target the Digital Agenda and the Digital Single Market Strategy with a view to addressing the severe gender gap within the ICT sector and fostering the full integration of women into the sector, particularly in relation to technical and telecommunication professions, to foster education and training of women and girls in ICT and other STEM subjects, to increase the visibility of women in the digital arena, to enhance gender equality and participation of women through better access to funding, to systematically implement gender impact assessments and gender budgeting in its work on the Digital Agenda and the Digital Single Market Strategy so that the fundamental European principle of equality between women and men can be duly incorporated and to support civil society and women’s organisations in making an inclusive internet a reality;

5.  Urges the Commission to include in the upcoming Strategy for equality between women and men 2016-2020 specific actions to support the integration and participation of women in the information society and to strongly promote women’s networks online as they are the manifestation of a self-organised, bottom-up approach to female empowerment and should receive all the support necessary for them to become long-term;

21.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support lifelong learning as well as training and schemes which help prepare for a better adaptation or potential change of career path in accordance with the growing demand for e-skills in many different sectors, paying particular attention to women aged 55 and over, in order to safeguard them from exclusion from the labour market;’’

Conclusion

In the summer of 2015 Arina Angerman wrote ‘’Equal education of women and girls’’ in the IAW Newsletter August 2015 about results of the GenderEquality Index research by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE). Most (extended board) members of IAW and their member associations are digital migrants. My conclusion still is a valid opinion: lifelong learning of new eSkills by women or feminists of all generations has to improve in order to remain agents of change / policy-makers!!!

Arina Angerman (55plus) represents International Alliance of Women (IAW) on the Board of the European Women’s Lobby. Content of this blog is her contribution to digital IAW Newsletter - June 2016 (page 4-5). 
Arina is an Activist, Blogger and Consultant. Please read additional information at Social Media 4 Boomers website (in Dutch).

Step it Up for Gender Equality in EU #EU2016NL

The Netherlands is in the first half of 2016 President of the European Union (EU2016NL). Out of the draft EU Statement at the 60^th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women by minister (and feminist) Jet Bussemaker “The EU welcomes the commitments to gender equality, empowerment of all women and girls and the full realization of their human rights taken with the 2030 Agenda, including the Addis Ababa Action Agenda … We also applaud the inclusion of violence against women and girls in the 2030 agenda …The elimination of violence against women is a prerequisite for sustainable development … It is now time to implement what we promised … We need to fully implement SDG 5. We need to fully implement a gender equality perspective into all goals. Targets and indicators across the Agenda …For the EU, it’s of paramount importance to strengthen civil society organizations’ role as advocates for gender equality and women’s empowerment in the 2030 Agenda…
” 

Combating violence against women in EU 

A. prevention

Violence against women (VAW) is the most widespread violation of women’s human rights: one out of three women is a victim of sexual and/or physical violence in the EU. VAW is both a cause and a consequence of gender equality. The most unsafe place for women and girls is at home. Small arms like knives (which are classified as small arms), pistols and rifles are easy to buy and conceal. They give a sense of power to a partner, ex-partner, family member or acquaintance and are great threats to the safety of women and girls. Preventive measure saves states and civil society a great deal of money! Note 1

B. ratify Istanbul Convention

The European Commission has proposed for the EU to ratify the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention to fight violence against women. Link to press-release http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-549_en.htm The Istanbul Convention is the most comprehensive international treaty on combatting violence against women.  ‘’At 8 march 2016 12 EU Member States (Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden) had already ratified the Convention. ‘’ Note 2 

Nice to know too the European Commission wants to dedicate the year 2017 to ending violence against women. Note 3 Banning of small arms must be part of this European Year on Combating Violence Against Women too!

Notes 

1. Out of text of the adopted IAW emergency motion at EWL General Assembly 2015.05.31 http://womenalliance.org/banning-of-small-arms-must-be-part-of-european-year-on-combating-violence-against-women

2. EWL welcomes the European Commission proposal for the EU to access the Istanbul Convention 2016.03.08 Please read more information at http://www.womenlobby.org/EWL-welcomes-the-European-Commission-proposal-for-the-EU-to-access-the-Istanbul?lang=en 2016.04.27 26 EU Member States have signed the Istanbul Convention http://www.womenlobby.org/26-EU-MS-have-signed-the-Istanbul-Convention-Will-Latvia-and-Czech-Republic-be?lang=en

3. http://www.womenlobby.org/EWL-and-EU-Commissioner-Jourova-share-opportunities-for-women-s-rights-in?lang=en 2016.02.11

Author
Arina Angerman is living in Amsterdam and is representing IAW in Board of European Women's Lobby (EWL). Content of this blog is her contribution to digital Newsletter - April 2016 of International Alliance of Women. 
Arina Angerman is an Activist, Blogger and Consultant. Please read additional information at website Social Media 4 Boomers (in Dutch).

Do women social entrepreneurs use IT and social media in EU? #eskills

One of the strategic objectives of the Beijing Platform for Action '95 is 'Promote women's economic rights and independence ...' Social entrepreneurship can be a promising avenue through which women can empower themselves and others. The European Women's Lobby (EWL) published a Synthesis report WEstart. Mapping Women's Social Entrepreneurship in Europe (September 2015). The WEstart project is the first-ever research study on this subject and got support from the Fondation d'Entreprise Chanel. The report was prepared by WEstart Project Manager Emily Usher Shrair of EWL. Note 1 A social enterprise 'is a company that sells products or services on the market. ... and a portion of its revenue is reinvested in its mission.' (p 4) 

Do women social entrepreneurs use IT & social media?
How many women social entrepreneurs are using IT & social media in the 10 studied countries? These countries are France, Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Lithuania, Ireland and the United Kingdom (UK). One of the outputs is an electronic database containing information about 1,000 women-led social enterprises. In this blog I give a small answer about the UK after using this database. How many women-led social enterprises in the Information and Communication sector are there? I found in UK 16 Women-Led Social Enterprises (Social Mission, Woman Leadership, Portion made in market, portion of profit/surplus reinvested). Two of these have women or girls as primary clients/target population: Ogunte CIC and HighStreetFitFinder. They both use social media like Facebook or Twitter ...Yes!

Babyboomers in eSkills bootcamp
Women and men who are fifty-something learned how to use internet and e-mail in the 90's or 21th century. Even though they learned e-skills for job demands, business or other societal activities, navigating through new media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn can be challenging. That's why Digital Skills Workshop for Baby Boomers: Develop social media skills to transform your future was an official side event at the very inspiring Code to Change programme in Amsterdam (October 2015). The e-skills bootcamp and conference in Program Your Future are an initiative of ChunriChoupaal, a non-profit organisation, whose mission is economic empowerment of women through digital technology. Note 2

In the workshop I told my personal career story as ICT leader
- Projectmanager Vrouwen-Internet-Politiek site (1996-00)
- Director NSI Zuid-Holland (2004-08)
- Networker at LinkedIn & Twitter (2009)
NOW
- Blogger at angermaneuropa.blogspot.com (2011 - 55 blogs)
- Board member of European Women's Lobby, representing International Alliance of Women (2014)
- Entrepreneur Social Media 4 Boomers (website in Dutch 2015)
Conclusion: ICT for me is 4 x C in IT: Communicate, Connect, Content & Co-create with IT. Note 3

From words to action?
Let's connect & share in order to get more women from different generations and backgrounds involved in social entrepreneurship who are also using IT & social media in order to #worktoequality! 
My learning style is learning by doing and I'm at #55plus still an advocate of lifelong learning. Do you want to know more or connect? Please send an e-mail to arina.angerman[at]gmail.com

Note 1 
For more details about WEstart visit www.WEstarteurope.org  
Note 2
Many thanks to Rose Iffat Gill, her #codetochange team and supporters & participants.
Note 3 
And I learned at #eSkillsNL (16.03.16) C is also to Celebrate with IT (Information Communication Technology)
Blog in Dutch Meer vrouwen in #ICT betekent 4xC = kansen Babyboomers?! 

Arina Angerman is an Activist, Blogger and Consultant. Please read additional information at website (in Dutch).

Equal representation of women in (Online) Media? #Beijing20

One of the strategic objectives of the Beijing Platform for Action '95 is ‘Increase the participation and access of women to expression and decision-making in and through the media and the new technologies of communication.’ In 2015 the (inter)national community is celebrating the 20th anniversary of this fundamental human rights instrument for women and girls adopted in 1995.
Did you know that only 16% of photos in European newspaper show women over 45 years of age (according to the project “You can’t be what you can’t see”)? In the EU, women account for only 24% of people that we hear and read about in the news. Only 4% of the news coverage is against stereotypical portrayel. Note 1 In May 2015, European Women's Lobby (EWL) demands ‘Mirror, mirror on the wall …a fair and equal representation of women in the media in Europe’.

#Beijing20 & Twitter

During the past decade, advances in information technology have facilitated a global communications network that transcends national boundaries. One of the challenges is that women who write on the Internet and participate in social media, on blogs and other online forums, meet increasing hostility and harassment. This is a way to silence women’s voices in the public sphere.

At my public sphere Twitter account - @ArinaNoel - I retweeted an infographic of women in the media by UN Women. Note 2 There are around 2 Billion active social media accounts. Roughly half of social media users are women. Feminist hashtags - # - that have added to global conversations on gender inequality are #Beijing20 #HeForShe and #EverydaySexism The # symbol, called hashtag, is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. 

How Far are We from Gender Equality?
Representing Vrouwenbelangen I attended a China-Netherlands Dialogue event Paneldiscussion about Women's rights on May 20th 2015 in Amsterdam. Ardi Bouwers presented a report on behalf of Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW) on the (in)equality and representation of women in media. 
"Bringing media accountability into the struggle for gender equality was the original impetus for the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP)... Every five years since 1995, the GMMP has documented trends in the portrayal and representation of women and men in news media discourse and imagery." page 6

GMMP 2015 Preview May 2015, page 11

Summary of GMMP 2015 Preview ''women's presence in media hasn't changed much in the past 20 years, if this rate of change continues, it will take at least 40 years to reach equality." page 12

Do you want to help IAW at Facebook and Twitter?
International Alliance of Women (IAW) publishes and shares news in accordance with the focus at the website. At the time of writing this blog IAW has at Facebook 757 likes and at Twitter @Womenalliance has 354 followers. 

Part of flyer IAW

IAW is an international non-governmental, feminist organisation. It works for the empowerment of women, the promotion of women's human rights and gender equality globally. Founded in 1904 and based in Geneva. 
IAW has general consultative status to ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) since the beginning of the UN - 1947. 
Do you want to like, share, comment, follow or RT (ReTweet)? Please help us with small actions for gender equality!

Note 1 Read more in factsheet

From Words to Action 1995-2015 A European Women’s Lobby review of the activities of the European Union p 26-27 

Note 2 http://beijing20.unwomen.org/en/infographic/media

Blogger Arina Angerman 
is representing International Alliance of Women (IAW) in the Policy Committee of the European Women's Lobby (EWL). 
In 1995 Arina participated in the NGO Forum in Huairou during the United Nations 4th World's Women Conference in Beijing. During this NGO Forum she started sending emails as a reporter and learned how to use the world wide web as an activist. 
Arina is a consultant in how to use social media as a board member, entrepreneur or manager: Social Media 4 (Baby) Boomers

Do World Wide Women connect and share at social media? #Beijing20

On the occasion of International Women's Day 2015 I reuse content out of recent blogs at angermaneuropa.blogspot.com The (inter)national communities will celebrate worldwide the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, a fundamental human rights instrument for women and girls adopted in 1995. 

Big Plans ... Small Steps to goal 50/50 F/M
Thank you MamaCash and EWL!

Economic independence and austerity measures

One of the strategic objectives of the Beijing Platform for Action ’95 is ‘Promote women’s economic rights and independence …’ Women and the economy is one of the interdependent 12 critical areas of concern in this Platform for Action. 

After 20 years the gender pay gap remains a major issue within the EU as women workers on average earn 16% less than men. A worrying development is the widening gender pension pay gap which stand at 39% within the EU. 

Austerity measures have a huge effect on women, both as workers in the public sector and users of public services. Moreover, women bear a disproportionate share of tax burdens, as they use larger portions of their income on food and basis goods for the household. Did you see the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) video-clip “A she-(re)cession. What does austerity mean for women in Europe?”? (2013)

Do you want to help at Facebook and Twitter?

Lights at IAW Board Meeting in Sion, 2014

International Alliance of Women publishes and shares news in accordance with the focus. At the time of writing this blog IAW has 696 likes at Facebook. @Womenalliance at Twitter has 294 followers. IAW is a non-political and feminist organisation founded in 1904 and based in Geneva. Subtitle of IAW is Equal Rights - Equal Responsibilities. IAW has general consultative status in ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) since the beginning of the UN - 1947. 
International Alliance of Women as a NGO has a glorious past and works on getting a glorious future. Do you want to like, share, comment, follow or RT (ReTweet)? Please join us with activities - small steps - for Gender Equality and Equal Rights!

Developing digital skills in 1995 
In 1995 I participated in the NGO Forum in Huairou during the United Nations 4th World's Women Conference in Beijing. Before this inspiring event I travelled by train from Beijing to Xian where I bought this horse stamp. In Huairou I started sending emails (blogger) and learned how to use the world wide web (Internet): developing digital skills. 

Blogger Arina Angerman
is representing International Alliance of Women (IAW) in the Policy Committee of the European Women's Lobby (EWL). She is a consultant in how to use social media as a board member, entrepreneur or manager: Social Media 4 (Baby) Boomers

Connecting feminists by social media: IAW Board Meeting, EWL Policy Committee and #Beijing20

IAW Board Meeting: equal rights = equal responsibilities

logo of IAW is Justice Woman in yellow

In october 2014 24 members of the extended IAW Board met in Sion, Switzerland. The International Alliance of Women (IAW) is an international NGO comprising of more than 40 member organisations involved in the promotion of women's human rights and gender equality, and of the empowerment of women and girls around the world. 
IAW is a non-political and feminist organisation founded in 1904 and based in Geneva. Subtitle of IAW is Equal Rights - Equal Responsibilities. IAW has general consultative status in ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) since the beginning of the UN - 1947. Since October 2013 IAW has a new website www.womenalliance.org According to president Joanna Manganara the website is 'face and voice to the world'. (note 1)
 
Do you want to help IAW at Facebook and Twitter?
On Facebook news from IAW is published and news from other NGO's, newspapers or individuals is shared in accordance with the focus of IAW. At the time of writing this blog Facebook IAW has 550 likes. Womenalliance at Twitter has 240 followers. According to Lene Pind, head of Communications Unit, 'It is a rather informal medium, but very effective and very fast'.
Result of my inventarisation: 11 of the women attending the Board Meeting are using Facebook and 5 are using Twitter. 
International Alliance of Women as a NGO has a glorious past and has to work on getting a glorious future. The individual members and their organisations are encouraged to like, share, post, comment, follow and RT (ReTweet)! 'The board ... decided that the further development of these social media was to be pursued.'

New Policy Committee of European Women's Lobby 
130 ´Phenomenal Woman´ members of EWL, representing EU countries and European-wide organisations, attended the General Assembly in Lisbon in October. European Women's Lobby (EWL) is the largest umbrella organisation of more than 2000 women's associations in the European Union (EU), working to promote women's rights and equality between women and men.

Arina Angerman (left) of IAW an European-wide organisation from Amsterdam was elected as representative to new Policy Committee / Board of Administration and Marion Boeker (right), Vice-President for IAW European Membership from Berlin is alternate. Arina continues the representation at EWL of Joanna Manganara, president IAW, from Athens. The new Policy Committee of EWL has 38 elected members.

Beijing20
The international community will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, a fundamental human rights instrument for women and girls adopted in 1995. Marion and I attended the launch of EWL's Beijing+20 report in Lisbon.

EWL demands as actions a.o. women as agents of change for a sustainable people-centred world. IAW too wants emphasis on women as agents of change in their essential contribution to solutions of problems. European Women´s Lobby is posting or sharing every day at Facebook and already has 17500 likes!

Goal of IAW representative at EWL will be 
--- to share information and spreading knowledge by Twitter or Facebook in order to strenghten the visibility of IAW and EWL at social media by posting or sharing at least twice a week (social media mobilisation)

--- From Words to Action 2015 Beijing20 Calendar of EWL ...
let´s make 3 months to take action from words by writing a blog 
** European´s Women´s Voice publication on women´s Economic Independence in Times of Austerity (blog published at Febr 22th) note 2
** Connecting generations of feminists by using modern technology - blog published at May 28th (we work on capacity building and mutual learning = lifelong learning)
** Campaign For A Europe free from violence against women (International Day to End Violence against Women Nov 25th)

Call to a doable action!? Please join
 International Alliance of Women or European Women´s Lobby or Arina Angerman or Marion Boeker at Twitter in order to follow, share and engage with their activities for Gender Equality or Equal Rights = Equal Responsibilities F/M or Social Media + Women´s Rights = The Future!

   note 1. in Reports for IAW Board Meeting Sion, Switzerland 2014 Compiled by Lene Pind, head of Communications Unit

note 2. From Words to Action: launched on 26th of January 2015 a special edition of the EWL magazine 'European Women's Voice: Women's Economic Independence in Times of Austerity' 

I vote for a woman. Why? EWL's call for a strong commitment to gender equality - #EP2014

The European Women's Lobby, the largest umbrella organisation of women's associations in the European Union (EU), is working to promote women's rights and equality between women and men, and representing a total of more than 2000 organisations. (Note 1) The EWL calls for a strong commitment to gender equality in the European Parliament elections 2014. Gender equality is an essential part of democracy, social justice and human rights. 

Why is it important to vote? 
The European Union is a key player in terms of democracy and social change. By voting at the European elections, YOU decide who represents you in the European Parliament. The candidates you chose are your supporters for the next five years. 
The EU supports gender equality through legislative acts and support to national developments. European laws or directives call for equal treatment on the basis of sex and include equal pay for equal work. The Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee of the European Parliament plays a key role by sending out strong messages which determine policies in Europe.

The International Alliance of Women (an international organization promoting the human rights of women and girls around the world) is a member of the EWL and is represented in the Executive Board by the president of IAW, Joanna Manganara from Greece. 
As an active member of IAW I want to endorse and share five points of the EWL Manifesto EP elections 2014 'Act now for her future, commit to gender equality!' 

1. A comprehensive framework to achieve gender equality
Adopt and implement the EU Strategy for Equality between women and men 2015-2020. 
Such strategy is key to guarantee that the European Union sees the goal of equality between women and men as a core objective of its work.

2. Sustainable funding for gender equality
Guarantee adequate EU funding for programmes, policies and actions on women's rights and gender equality.
Budgets mirror political priorities. The EWL is also calling for gender budgeting to be incorporated at all levels, which consists in applying assessments of budgets, incorporating a gender perspective al all levels of the budgetary process (design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation).

3. Credible EU policies on gender equality at international level
Ensure consistency between EU internal and external policies, including at UN level and in the post-2015 development framework. 
And 2015 will see the 20th anniversary of the Platform for Action - Beijing+20. The PfA is an agenda for women's empowerment and delivers strong commitment to realise gender equality and promote women's rights. The review of progress on implementing this human rights instrument will be conducted at national and regional levels.

4. Women's economic independence, the key to all freedoms
Combat women's poverty, including in-work poverty, and put an end to the gender pay and pensions gaps. Statistics show that women on average continue to earn 16% less than men within the EU. In figures, women's employment rate - 63% - is nowhere close to the EU target of 75%.
The austerity measures, which have been introduced as result of the financial cricis, have undermined years of progress towards women's integration in the labour market: a she-(re)cession. Animated EWL video-clip on the impact of austerity measures on women in Europe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euIp9VdKzFk

5. A Europe free from violence against women
Establish 2016 as the EU Year to End violence against women, with substantial resources to raise awareness and support actions at all levels.
The results of the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) European wide survey on violence against women based on interviews with 42,000 women published in March 2014 show the wide and extremely high prevalence of violence against women: one in three women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence since the age of 15. Violence against women is far too high everywhere in Europe: urgent change is needed.

50/50 Campaign: No modern European democracy without gender equality of EWL

50F/50M I vote for a woman / female candidate
I'm joining the 50/50 campaign 'No Modern European Democracy without Gender Equality'. Only 35% of members of European Parliament and just 24% of members of National Parliaments are women. And only three out of 14 European Parliament Vice Presidents are women: Neelie Kroes, Viviane Reding and Catherine Ashton. I vote for a woman and for gender equality! Do YOU?

Note 1
This blog is a summary and is using agreed upon words from Manifesto, flyers and the website of the European Women's Lobby.

Voices storytelling of IAW Congress 'Safety - Voices - Choices' London 2013

IAW's ambition Equal Rights - Equal Responsibilities fits well with the historic venue of IAW Congress The Old Hall of Lincoln's Inn. The memorable Triennial 36th Congress of IAW was organised by UK All Pakistan Women's Association: Bashan Rafique and her team of Trustees, friends and volunteers. Sixty women from 21 countries and 16 organizations participated. IAW is an umbrella organization linking grassroots with UN policy.

Violence against women and girls
Since 1979 the IAW has used its influence to stop violence against women and girls in New York, Geneva and Vienna. Violence against women and girls is a plague in Arab Region, South-Africa, Zimbabwe, India, Pakistan, Europe, Israel and The Pacific. You can read horrible stories, inspiring strategies and ways to eradicate violence against women and girls in the Report for Congress which was compiled by Secretary General Lene Pind. 
Fight violence is on any organization's agenda (Safety); and gender equality in decision making at all levels (Voices) and education in a broad sense (Choices). Vision of International Alliance of Women's Action Programma 2014-2016 is: 'Every girl, every woman counts. They must be safe, have a voice in decisions and a choice over their lives.' 


Gender and the ongoing financial crisis
''The current crisis has a higher differentiated impact on women because their economic position at the start of the crisis was not equal to that of men. Women are more likely than men to be in vulnerable jobs, to be underemployed or without a job, to lack social protection and to have limited access to and control over economic and financial resources'' writes Joanna Manganara (2nd right), IAW Regional Vice President of Europe in the Report for Congress (p 104). 
Professor Diane Elson (left) was one of the speakers at the Panel Gender and the Financial Crisis. She wrote Budgeting for Women's Rights: Monitoring Government Budgets for Compliance with CEDAW (Concepts and Tools)

Why is the financial crisis according to Diane Elson still relevant? Because austerity measures are global and underway in 119 countries and will reach 132 countries by 2015! Hardest hit are a.o. single women pensioners and single women without children. There is a need to develop Gender Equitable Alternatives like raise more tax revenue from rich people & big business. In Voices of IAW Action Programme 2014-2016: Therefore government (including local government) should ...'Fight tax avoidance in particular of very rich people and (multinational) companies.' Austerity policies violate Human Rights & ECOSOC Rights (economic, social and cultural rights) and counteract efforts to diminish the Gender Pay Gap. 

Margunn Bjornholt (right) talked in 'The winner takes it all' about the 'oil' fund of Norway. She became a new elected Board Member. One of the positive effects of the financial crisis in Iceland is that people are looking better after their health told Treasurer of IAW Thorbjorg Inge Jonsdottir (2nd left).


Member Elections Committee
My role at IAW Congress was member of the Elections Committee together with 4 other women from USA, UK, India and Cameroon. We organised elections for President, Treasurer, Secretary General and 19 Board Members. Joanna Manganara from Greece (left) was elected as new President. She succeeded Lyda Verstegen (right) from the Netherlands. Both with banner of IAW.

Education - internet and social media skills
In three Reports of IAW member organizations: Women's Comfort Corner in Zimbabwe (p 24), All Pakistan Women's Association (p 31) and Lithuanian Women's Organization (p 85) is information about the way they use internet in training. The IT program of APWA in Pakistan has enabled 45 young women and 16 school teachers to use the internet.

Very few of the participants and organizations at IAW Congress use social media like Twitter, Facebook, Blog or Google + to inform, share and connect with members, networks or ... Now everyone is using the internet and e-mail at a computer, laptop or tablet. In order to improve the impact of their voices and to connect to other women leaders in a modern way women leaders of IAW have to improve their social media skills is my advice. 
An inspiring start is in the IAW Pacific Report by Sheila Byard (p 90). "Since the visit of IAW Board to Melbourne October 8-12 2012 a small group of members have continued to work with and encourage younger women, including the IAW media intern group, to continue with promotional work using blog, facebook and twitter." See http://iawmelbourne.wordpress.com/


To have a look on women's part in the history of computing I - historian by education - visited the Gallery opened by Dame Stephanie Shirley & sponsored by Google UK.

Women in Computing Gallery in The National Museum of Computing (Bleatchley Park)

Visual storytelling IAW event Towards Equality Melbourne 2012 #IAWMel

Entrance Queen Victoria's Women's Centre were International Alliance of Women Melbourne event was. Special of QVWC is the Shilling Wall.

More participants than earlier brought their own devices: laptops and tablets. And there was the first live reporting by Twitter #IAWMel

Helen L'Orange, WEL Australia Chair, inspired us by telling how Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL) recruits younger members (below 30) and uses Facebook and Twitter in a successful manner as networking tools @welaust 

Unique of IAW is 
Helen L'Orange: institutional sustainability: its consultative status and influence with the UN since 1948!
Lene Pind, Secretary-General IAW: a real NGO working from the grassroots level through national, to regional onto international level.

Speaker Susan Ryan has a strong focus on gender equality in politics and now is Age Discrimination Commissioner. Australia has to support a UN Convention on the Rights of Older People, including a right to information and to learn new digital skills. 

Melbourne Girls' College with the Purple, White & Green  - feminist colours - who want to lead & achieve. In 1993 I visited an exhibition with the same title about Suffragettes in London 1906-1914. 'Purple ... stands for freedom and dignity, white stands for purity in private and public life ... green is the colour of hope and the emblem of spring.' Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence, 1908

Sri Samy Candidate for Lightwood Ward of City of Greater Dandenong. She is a small business owner and one of 664 women candidates (just over 33%) in the local government elections in Victoria. I helped her door knocking. We spoke to 45 people, got 13 banners confirmed and distributed 350 flyers.

Last results: 34% of Councillors in Victoria are women ranging from 1 woman to 6 women. Unfortunately Sri Samy is not elected at 27th of October. 

Initiative by Victorian Women's Trust for women & girls: A switch in time restoring respect to Australian politics by Mary Crooks. Launched in September 2012 is a call to action in gender equality, strengthening democracy and climate change. See also blog Women in Politics

A contribution to 'she is young, she is fifty' are fiftyshadesof50.com.au/ She is 50+, confident, healthy and has a mid-life opportunity. Online? Of Course!