KARAT Coalition
A project in the framework of Promoting Development in Europe: Towards a Critical Mass and Beyond - POLAND
Mission
KARAT is a regional coalition of organizations and individuals that works to ensure gender equality in the Central and Eastern Europe/Commonwealth of Independent States (CEE/CIS) countries, monitors the implementation of international agreements and lobbies for the needs and concerns of women in the region at all levels of decision-making forums.
Targets
- To raise awareness in Poland and Slovakia about the economic rights of women and their role in the socio-economic development
- To undermine stereotypes about women from Central Asia and Eastern Europe
- To increase solidarity with developing countries
- To strengthen social awareness among the general public, decision makers and other stakeholders of the fact that development efforts will not be effective without gender justice
Activities
Awareness raising with postcards
November - December 2008
We prepared postcards with pictures about women from Central Asia and Eastern Europe. On the back of the postcard we printed one of the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and one or 2 sentences about the economic situation of women. The messages were very short and showed the link between gender, human rights and development. The postcards were distributed in shops, pubs and at events organised by KARAT. During those events we talked to participants.
Outcome
2000 postcards were disseminated in Poland and Slovakia.
Panel discussion
23 January 2009
A panel discussion on economic rights of women and HRBA to development was organised and were attended by students, representatives of NGOs and that of the World Bank.
The panellists were Katherina Milenkova (representative of Permaculture and Peacebuilding Centre Shtip, Macedonia), Zuzana Jezerska (Slovak Centre for Communication and Development, Slovakia), Jan Fiala (Minority Rights Group Europe, Hungary) and Ewa Pintera (KARAT) moderated the discussion.
The following issues were discussed:
- EU Development Aid: Assistance or Change? Some thoughts on women and human rights in Central Asia.
- The socio-economic situation of women in Macedonia in the framework of economic rights.
- What is the link between human rights and development? How respect for economic rights of women can contribute to the development of region?
Outcome
Around 40 people attended the panel. The conclusion was that at least in the New Member States the gender element is still not mainstreamed into development project/strategies. The participants of the panel expressed their interests in organising more panels on the subject gender in the context of development.
Work with a journalist
March - August 2009
A journalist from Newsweek went to the Western Balkans, conducted many interviews and prepared an article (link to Newsweekp1-3) about the economic rights of women and development. The journalist Tomasz Wojciechowski presented different stories of women from Kosovo who managed to work after the war and to run their own business against difficult condition in the country and patriarchal society. He underlined the importance of promotion of women's rights and contribution of women to economic development of the region.
Outcome
The Newsweek article was printed in 150 000 copies.
Download the full Newsweek Article (PDF)
Video on youtube
May - August 2009
Through a short video we encouraged women from Central and Eastern Europe to send us their opinions, photos and video records. After receiving all materials a 5-minute clip was prepared. In this clip 26 women assert their rights. The video highlights the importance of Millennium Development Goal 3 which is to "Promote gender equality and empower women".