APPEAL
From the International Conference:
“Peace and Security-Feminist Alternative”
Antico, A Women’s Civil Initiative from R. Macedonia organized an International Conference “Peace and Security-Feminist Alternative” on 05-06- Oct 2009 in Skopje, R. Macedonia.
Feminist activists, politicians, members of national parliaments, peace activists from the Balkans, Western and Eastern Europe, Mediterranean, Middle East, Iraq, Iran, United States met in Skopje for two days to analyze and share experiences, to challenge traditional concepts of peace and security and to discuss feminist alternative to the patriarchal world.
The discussions at the conference asserted:
We live in one world scarred by nationalisms and dominated by a privileged minority, using patriarchal, military, neo-capitalist and religious based system to oppress the disadvantaged majority in both the private and public spheres.
Fundamentalist movements of all religions across the world are launching unprecedented and increasing attacks against the rights that women gained through their hard struggles over the centuries. Religion is a private, individual matter. Secularism, based on the strict separation between religion and state, is a precondition to a real democratic society where all people are of equal value, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, origin, class, religion and other characteristics. Civil legislation should encompass family codes and people’s individual rights and freedom to practice or not practice religion should not be denied or oppressed. Public education should be civil and secular.
Women’s rights are universal human rights and should not be compromised for any reason, whether culture, tradition, religion, identity, specificity, or other. Out of urgency and facing the backlash against women’s rights, we as women must unite and together with all progressive forces say STOP and make change happen.
The Conference appeal to governmental, non-governmental, political and social organizations; to all the components of the civil society and all social justice actors to include in their agendas and strategies our demands for a secular and free of military and oppression world and unify our struggles in challenging the patriarchal system and the religious fundamentalisms.
The conference proposed to launch a wide movement for a secular world free of militarism, patriarchy, neo-colonialism and religious domination; free of any domination over human dignity and rights, starting with three steps:
1. Sending this appeal to United Nations,international, national and regional political organizations and elected bodies of all continents.
2. Encouraging the civil society globally to strengthen their demands for the implementation of international and national human rights documents related to women’s human civil, economic, social and cultural rights.
3. Organizing an international conference in 2010 to form a broad base and to network with other groups and movements globally and locally; to structure and consolidate our movement.
