Needed more than ever - an independent women's
WOMEN'S LIBERATION
AST DECEMBER women gath-
L
Tered in the Volksbühne theatre in central Berlin to set up an independent women's federation and adopted a "manifesto for an autonomous women's movement" (See p. 10). As Ina Merkel, an elected representative of this federation and author of the manifesto commented: "the first demand put forward is for the participation of women in every political decision."
In October 1989 a number of women decided, in the middle of the ferment, to get together to have an influence on events. For Ina Merkel: "If this time all the political decisions are taken without us, our chance to participate in the development of society will be lost for years".
After the mobilizations began, a rapid flowering of women's groups developed. They all stated, more or less in the same way, that in their country where "the equality of rights has been achieved" not only was the contradiction between rhetoric and reality no longer acceptable, but that even the vast democratic movement that had come into being would not automatically guarantee that women's demands would be met. Only their active participation, and above all their selforganization within the movement would be able to guarantee their rights and their place in the elaboration of "a new social order".
How March 8 became
International Women's Day
Whether by coincidence or historical irony, it was the German Social Democracy that was the first, at the turn of the century, to organize around it, in difficult political conditions, a movement of socialist women several thousand strong.? It was at the behest of the German socialists that, in 1910, the Second International Conference of Socialist Women decided unanimously to make March 8 an international day for women's right to vote and other demands. The following year in Berlin 45,000 women took part on March 8....
There can be no doubt that this year, 80 years later, March 8 in East Germany will be decked out in quite different colours, far removed from the customary official march past. It will regain its subversive 28 say, the dangers of German reunications quality. As the East German feminists International Viewpoint #180 • March 12, 1990 movememt
EIGHTY years after March 8 became an international day for women, even "formal equality" is far from being secured in most of the countries of the world. Feminism therefore retains a burning relevance, despite all the fashionable talk about its supercession.
### SOPHIE MASSOURI as it is currently being planned give them serious cause for concern about their rights and gains.*
Meanwhile, in the Third World coun tries, it is women who are bearing the brunt of the austerity policies imposed by the big colonial powers. They are also the first victims of religious phantasms. Attacks on the dignity of half of humanity
In some so-called "advanced" coun tries, like the United States, the right to abortion is being called into question, whether through simply being denied, or medicalized as if a woman's body belonged to all the world - apart from the woman. Violence, sexual mutilation, confinement...everywhere, many forms, the dignity of half of humanity, and thus of humanity as a whole is denied.
The most striking development of recent years is the more and more important organization of women in Africa and Latin America in the unions, the political organizations and in the struggles for defence of democratic rights. But this is not the only thing worth underlining. They are organizing more and more, and also more and more among themselves.
If, in 1889 the German socialists succeeded in working out and imposing a very concrete programme of demands aimed at women - which were taken up a short while after by the Second Internationai - this was not because the whole of the German Social Democratic Party was deeply convinced of the need to do this. It was, on the contrary, a product of the balance of forces constructed by the party's women militants. Even the most progressive forces of the international workers movement have never taken up "women's issues" by themselves. Everywhere women militants have had to take the initiative. In South Africa, in Brazil, in Nicaragua, in East Germany the various experiences of women inside their organizations show that it is sometimes difficult to stand up to the traditions of the workers movement on these issues.
In the United States, the strength of the mobilization of women in defence of their right to abortion has shown that it is possible to resist reactionary forces. At the same time, it has also shown that no woman's right is free from the danger of attack.
### Retreat of women's movement in some countries
In some European countries, the retreat of the women's movements, their incapacity to integrate new forces, above all young women, the absence in most cases of contacts with the trade union movement and with women in the labour market, makes the prospect of the new victories that are needed seem hypothetical for the moment.
But everywhere the mobilizations of women in mass democratic movements and in union struggles show that they have not ceased to fight and do not intend to be excluded.
At the same time, the rebuilding of a relationship of forces favourable to women needs new foundations. In this sense, the re-appearance of independent movements for womens rights in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union after decades of bureaucratic suppression (see articles in the dossier in this issue) represents a massive potential strengthening of the struggle for women's liberation worldwide. * 1. According to East German ex-President Erich Honecker at the 8th SED Congress in 1971. 2. Until 1908 women were not allowed to attend meetings. 3. Until now, March 8 has been an official holiday in East Germany. 4. Some 93% of East German women work. Social benefits and crèches are much better than those in West Germany, where, in addition, women's participation in the workforce is not so high.