IVth Congress of the WIDF, Vienna, 1-5 June 1958 (Berlin edition): Conference on the Rights of Women

=== [PDF page 1] === OF THE WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FEDERATION VIENNA, 1,-5. JUNE 1958 1952 Conference on “The creation of conditions which will enable woman to fulfil her role in society as. mother, worker and citizen” === [PDF page 2] === a 4 Ni eee. IVth CONGRESS OF THE WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FEDERATION === [PDF page 3] === [Blank page] === [PDF page 4] === Conference on “The creation of conditions which will enable woman to fulfil her role in society as mother, worker and citizen” Published by the W.I. D. F. Secretariat, 13 Unter den Linden, Berlin W.8 === [PDF page 5] === Conference Presidium. showing Mrs Mary Lester, Australia, 5th from left, President; Mrs Shanta Dev, 3rd from left, who gave the main report, and members of the Presidium, from left to right, Israel, Austria, Secretariat of the W.LD.F, Pakistan, Yugoslavia and Mongolia. === [PDF page 6] === Bi. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Main Report Extracts of Speeches and material at the Conference Albania 26 Italy Argentine 29 Japan Austria 33 Jordan Belgium 35 Kirgiz Soviet Republic Brazil 37 Luxemberg Bulgaria 38 Netherlands Cambodia 40 Pakistan Czechoslovakia 40 Poland Chile 42 Rumania China 43 San Salvador Finland 46 Senegal France 49 Spain German Federal 51 Sweden Republic Switzerland Great Britain 54 Tunisia Greece 58 United Arab Republic Hungary 60 Uruguay India 62 USSR Indonesia 66 Viet Nam Israel 69 Yugoslavia Resolution on Rights of Women Statement of Nordic Countries 10 25 70 73 78 80 81 82 84 86 88 91 93 95 97 99 101 105 106 107 110 112 115 121 === [PDF page 7] === Women from different continents discussed common Problems. === [PDF page 8] === INTRO DU-ClLON dd conference dealing with “The Creation of Conditions which will enable woman to fulfil her role in society as mother, worker and citizen” was held during the IVth Congress of the W.I.D.F. The meeting was attended by 98 delegates and observers from 55 countries: 23 European countries, 13 Latin American countries, the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, 27 Asian countries, and 4 African countries. 26 countries submitted oral and written reports in the discussion. On the resolution drafted by a Conference Editing Committee ther2 was a thorough discussion. Many points of view and proposals were submitted to the editing Committee. The Resolution was finally submitted to the Congress as a whole and adopted unanimously. In this pamphlet we give the main Report and Resolution as well as extracts from the speeches of the delegates for the information of the entire women’s movement. The Secretariat of the W.I.D.F. hopes that this pamphlet will help to exchange experiences between the different countries and to deepen the knowlegde and understanding of the problems. The Conference documents show that in spite of the differences that may exist in approach and in the methods used in various countries, there was common agreement on the need to unite women and help find solutions to their pressing problems. The W.I.D.F. is anxious to further such co-operation with all organisations of women, to seek out all points of common agreement, so that the basic demands of women of all categories will be advanced. === [PDF page 9] === [Blank page] === [PDF page 10] === The report to the Conference on The creation of conditions which will enable woman to fulfil her role in society as mother, worker and citizen === [PDF page 11] === SHANTA DEV Secretary National Federation of Indian Women The main report to the Congress, dealing with “The role and responsibility of women in the world to-day and the task of the W.I.D.F.”. has revealed that in recent years the awareness of women as to their role in society and their contribution in all fields of life have reached unprecedented heights. Especially inspiring is the ever greater participation of millions of women in those countries which” have newly won their independence or are still fighting for freedom. Women have become acutely aware of their neec for equality, making their full contribution to the struggles of their people. The women in these countries are making efforts to defeat sex discrimination, to overcome backwardness in education and vocational training, and to eradicate those customs and traditions which conflict with the needs of modern life. Thus it is that the social, family and civil rights of women have become the broadest platform for united action and co-operation between women’s organisations. In many of these countries, the struggle for economic rights is generally supported by all women, but the economic situation is such that very few opportunities for work exist and women are prevented from realising their basic right to work. In the industrially advanced countries the economic and _ social problems have engaged the women’s movement in a great variety of activities. Broad unity has been established on such issues as: the right 10 === [PDF page 12] === to work; equal access to professional and vocational training; equal pay for equal work; the problems of women who are the sole support of their families. In countries where all discriminations have been abolished in law and in practice, women are full and equal partners of men in all endeavours. In these countries, women’s organisations help to solve outstanding problems and to secure the full implementation of all legislations regarding women and children. The problems and struggles in different parts of the world manifest themselves differently. However, in most countries the possibilities exist for united action to solve specific problems and to advance the rights of women. Based on the advances already made and on the growth and the strength of the women’s movement, this Conference has the task of exchanging experiences, of thoroughly discussing the position of the women’s movement on a number of problems in order to achieve greater clarity, and to ensure greater co-operation of women’s organisations on an international and national level. With this in mind the Bureau of the W.I.D.F. has proposed the following series of problems: Right to work; protection of motherhood; equal rights of women regarding marriage, children and property. Although a seperate report on the “Defence of Life” is being made at another conference, we would like to emphasize that the paramount need is to preserve peace for only in a world of peace can our gains be secured and our rights advanced. Before proceeding to the main points we would like to comment on the statuts of political rights since it is also organically connected. with all other rights. Although women in newly independent countries have greatly advanced their political status, there are still eleven countries in the world where women have not the right to vote, and millions of women in colonial and dependent countries have still no rights at all. The Political Rights Convention adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 1952, lays down the principle of equality in relation to the right to vote in all elections and access of women to all public offices without discrimination. This Convention has thus far received insufficient attention from many governments. Out of the eighty-two member States of the U.N., only forty-one have signed the Convention and out of these only twenty-nine have ratified it. It is clear that the women’s movement must take greater responsibility to insist that each member-state of UNO which has not yet signed or ratified the Convention must do so immediately and also see that it is implemented in practice. 7 We ate certain that the reports in this Congress will show the extent to which women have made use of their political rights. Many organisations have done a good deal to help masses of women to participate in === [PDF page 13] === the national and local elections of their countries and in electing women to public office. For example, the number of women elected to the Supreme Soviet of the U.S.S.R. in the last election was as high as 376 or 26 per cent of the deputies elected. In the People’s Republic of China, more than 90 per cent of the eligible voters went to the polls. The women elected to public offices are making a unique contribution towards women’s rights and towards the welfare of their own countries. In some countries elected women representatives, regardless of political parties, are fighting together for the needs of women and children. The struggle for democratic liberties has become very acute in a number of countries. The women of Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, German Federal Republic, Iran, Iraq, Cameroons, etc. have been fighting to maintain the legal existence of their women’s organisations. In many places women have gone to prison and have been persecuted for their participation in the struggle for democratic liberties and for national independence. The W.I.D.F. has given full support to these struggles and has called upon the women everywhere to protest and to express their solidarity. Right to Work and Associated Problems The right to work is a fundamental right which must be guaranteed to all people. The right to work does not only mean the right to earn a living, which is, of course, very important. But in a broader sense it means the right to participate in the economic and social life of society. Those who are denied this right are relegated to a position of inferiority. Women want to work for the same reason as men, i.e. to support themselves and their dependents. In addition, women must have the right to work to be economically independent, to break through the narrow confines of the home, to increase her authority in the family and ensure her full development as a human being. However, women are handicapped in their full utilisation of the right to work by numerous discriminations prevalent in many countries. Particularly women toiling in the fields, undergo untold hardships and are denied even the most elementary amenities of modern life. In recent years there has been a greater insistence on this issue than ever before. In order to fully realise the right to work, the women’s movement must effectively defeat all ideas and theories which justify discrimination, such as the false conceptions which fly in the face of reality, that woman’s work is temporary, that her place is in the home, that woman’s labour is more expensive because of her social needs. These conceptions are completely outmoded, do not correspond to the modern reality, and are being artificially maintained. Women have become a permanent factor in industry, agriculture and the professions. In fact, the economy of many countries is dependent on the labour of 12 === [PDF page 14] === women, and in many cases they are decisive. This is shown by the latest statistics which appeared in International Labour Review, March 1958. For example, in the U.S.A. the number of women in the labour force in 1957 was 33 per cent of the total; in the German Federal Republic, it was 36 per cent in 1950; in Japan, 38.5 per cent in the same year; in Poland, 44.8 per cent in 1955, and in the U.S.S.R. in 1955 it was 45 per cent. To these figures can be added a greater number who work in agriculture but who, in many countries, are not officially registered as workers. In some big agrarian countries they constitute as high as 95 per cent of the female labour force. Millions of women in colonial and dependent countries toil in the fields, market places and at handicrafts. Often in the technically under-developed countries the conditions are such that it is difficult for women to find employment. Therefore. in these countries as well, the demand is being raised for possibilities to work to be created for everyone in order that the right to work can be guaranteed. In the industrially advanced countries, the right to work for women and their permanent place in industry are being seriously challenged by the developing economic crises and the resultant unemployment. Due to this millions of families are suffering acute hardship. The automation and technical development in production has created new problems for working women. While in some countries these processes have opened up new opportunities for work, in others it has forced women out of employment. Reports from many advanced industrial countries show that the intense speed-up resulting from rationalisation has had disastrous effects on the health of workers, causing early invalidity, injuring the nervous system, etc. This applies even more so to women. But, automation and technical advance, if utilised properly, could make possible a shorter working day, greater leisure time, the production of abundance of goods at cheaper prices. To safeguard and extend the right of women to work in full equality is an urgent demand of the women’s movement around which united action must be increased. Education and Vocational Training The discriminatory character of education in general and vocational and professional training in particular, is one of the worst handicaps in exercising the right to work. It relegates women to unskilled trades, and limits their promotion in industry and the professions, continues the injustice of unequal pay and perpetuates their inferior position in society. It is most unfortunate that in an age of scientific advancement, unprecedented in human history, the technical and vocational training of women lags miserably behind. 13 === [PDF page 15] === This raises a question of grave concern to women and women’s organisations, that 1s, how to bridge the gap between rapid industrial. sation and the insufficient opportunities and facilities for girls and women to train in all professions and trades. A very good example of this may be seen in France where among the girls who get some vocational training, 94,3 per cent are trained for three branches only, i.e. dressmaking, 64 per cent; office work, 20.4 per cent; services, 9.9 per cent. In Italy also, where out of the close to two million young girls between the ages of fourteen and seventeen, 9 per cent continue to study, 17 per cent are learning a trade, and 74 per cent start life without any training whatever. Taking note of this backward condition, the Union of Italian Women has prepared a study calling this situation to the attention of the Government and public opinion, and has also held a whole series of provincial and national conferences to prepare proposals on this important question. In many countries women are confronted with similar problems; namely, general discrimination in training for skilled and qualified positions; discrimination against girls and women, both in regard to their admission to training and in the limited subjects taught; almost complete lack of training for older women, who, for one reason or another, break the continuity of their employment. Full utilisation of the creative potential of women labour, based on full equality, is seen in the U.S.S.R., where out of the total registration in special secondary establishments in the school year 1955—1956, 54.3 per cent were women, and in higher establishments, 52.3 per cent. The U.N. Seminar in Bangkok, dealing with Civil Responsibility of Asian Women in Public Life, showed that in many countries in that continent, unemployment, underemployment, and a distressingly low standard of living, makes it imperative for women to enter employment, but that they have neither education, trade or professional training, nor opportunities for work. In many Asian countries, governments, co-operative associations, and women’s organisations are beginning to take steps to prepare women for work. A vital part of this problem is the need to abolish illiteracy. The UNESCO Report entitled “World Illiteracy in the Middle of This Century” shows that about 700 million adults over fifteen years of age are illiterate, most of whom live in Africa and Asia. It is obvious that a greater percentage of this total are women, since the social and economic position of women put them in an inferior position in respect to education. For example, in India, although the general figure of illiteracy is 80 per cent, for women it is over 90 per cent. In Equador more than half of the women are illiterate. In Italy, 60.44 per cent of all illiterates are women. We believe that the overwhelming evidence contained in the UNESCO 14 === [PDF page 16] === /Conference Hall, 7Report, and the conferences and inquiries conducted in the various countries, show that the discrimination against women and girls in the ‘domain of education generally and professional training particularly, ‘fepresents a grave obstacle to the economic independence of women, and restricts their general cultural development and retards progress in every sphere. The WI.D.F. Memorandum to the Twelfth Session of the U.N. Com- Mission on the Status of Women, called upon the Commission to take the initiative for a closer working together of all U.N. Agencies, the “hon-governmental organisations and all persons interested in this pro- “blem, in order to find solutions. TEqual Pay for Equal Work - The denial of equal pay for equal work to women brutally reveals "the position of inferiority to which they are relegated, and it has been “universally condemned. This form of discrimination is not only a matter Of injustice to women, but it affects the living standards of the entire family and brings special hardships to women who are the sole support /Of their families. 15 === [PDF page 17] === In recent years millions of women have been demanding an end to discrimination based on sex. Women’s organisations and trade unions have been insisting that all member States of U.N.O. ratify Convention 100, that its principles be incorporated in national legislation, and that all existing laws be implemented in practice. That a great deal needs to be done can be seen from the fact that in spite of the urgency of the problem and its profound injustice,,out of eighty-two countries who are members of the International Labour Organisation, only twenty-two have so far ratified Convention 100. And a revealing feature of this is that among those who have not yet ratified the Convention are such highly industrialised countries as the U.S.A., Great Britain, Australia, Sweden, etc. Furthermore, in these countries there is no national legislation guaranteeing equal pay. As pointed out in the Memorandum of the World Conference of Women Workers, held in Budapest in 1956, “The wages of working women are still, in the majority of countries, lower than those of men who do the same work. They are lower by amounts which vary from 10 per cent to 65 per cent. The effective application of the principle of equal pay has been achieved only in countries with socialist systems.” The U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, all the International Trade Union Centres and many outstanding women’s organisations. such as the International Council of Women, the International Federation of Business and Professional Women, the International Alliance of Women, the Young Women’s Christian Association, etc. have repeatedly denounced the persistence of differentials in pay as a grave injustice. On the basis of this unanimous opinion, united movements have developed in many countries to insist on women’s right to equal pay. An outstanding example was the Conference held in Milan, Italy, last October, which brought together the national sections of many international organisations and outstanding public figures. The Conference formed a Permanent Committee for continued joint action to eradicate the differences in wages. In Australia, too, the official labour movement and the women’s movement are conducting activities for equal pay for Australian women. In Argentina, this question was one of the subjects under discussion at a Round Table organised by women’s organisations and participated in by a large section of the population. In France, a national conference on the problems of women who are the sole support of their families has stressed the demands for equal pay. The W.LD.F. and its national organisations have co-operated with the United Nations, with the trade unions in their countries in all efforts for ratification and implementation of Convention 100. This Conference will no doubt bring important experiences and new 16 === [PDF page 18] === voposals which will help intensify all action for a closer working together of all those interested in the solution of this problem. Another problem which is closely related to the basic right to work and upon which there is a good deal of discussion, is part-time work. The I.L.O. has prepared an expert study on women’s employment giving facts to prove that part-time work, which was very prevalent duriig the war, has again come forward as a phenomenon. It also shows that women working short hours are subjected to many “abuses”. jt is a fact that a part-time worker with fresh energy is required to do an amount of work disproportionate to the shorter hours of work and the amount of wages received. Even when covered by social security jaws, the reduced salary of a part-time worker means reduced unemployment, sickness, pension, family allowance and other insurance benefits; besides, many categories of part-time workers are excluded from social insurance schemes, since covereage is dependent on the duration of work or the amount of wages in the prescribed period. Where collective agreement with trade unions calls for paid vacations, ‘they usually do not cover part-time workers. The United States Women’s Bureau of the Departement of Labour admits that part-time jobs are “dead-end” jobs without promotion and ‘upgrading possibilities, and that even highly trained women are expected to work below their skill. These facts prove that millions of women entering part-time employ- ‘ment out of economic necessity or lack of ‘social facilities for their ‘children, are employed as marginal workers and discriminated against. i The W.I.D.F., therefore, reaffirms its position that it is the respon- ‘sibility of society to provide full and equal opportunities, without any liscrimination, for all women to work and contribute to the wealth and progress of society. It also reaffirms its principle that society must ovide adequate legislation, social assistance and other necessary faciities to enable the working mother to enjoy fully the right to work. Th cases where women are working part-time, they must be accorded all protection and social facilities on an equal basis with other workers. Pensions The situation among older women in many countries had become deplorable, creating many social problems. The development of technique and the introduction of rationalisation has had a very serious effect on older women workers. In many countries a women is considered unfit to take part in production when she is over thirty years of age. On the other hand, those women who had worked continuously for thirty to forty years, must wait too long for their pensions, or have Not enough continuous working time to comply with the pension regulations. 17 === [PDF page 19] === To meet these grave problems many organisations have insisted on appropriate legislation to protect older women. The demands vary in accordance with the conditions in respective countries. In countries where the retiring age for women is fixed at 65, the demand is for it to be lowered to 60 years, and where it is already 60, the demand is for it to be lowered to 55 years. Indeed the lowering of the retiring age is absolutely justified. And those women who have worked long years and who have to break the continuity for one reason or another must not be denied old age pensions. But at the same time everyone who wishes to and is able to work must be given the right to work, even if she is drawing a pension. Industrial Home-work Before the second world war, home-work in many countries was of an artisan character. But it has since developed very rapidly to include all industrial sectors, particularly textile and clothing. These industrics seeking cheap labour. found home-work very profitable, since the home-worker is not protected by any laws and is exposed to the caprices of every single employer. The majority of home-workers are women who either cannot find suitable employment in their locality or lack facilities for the care of their small children and for other reasons. The low wages paid for home-work and the tempo of work imposed upon home workers forces the entire family to work. Naturally under these conditions child labour is prevalent. Some countries have adopted laws for the protection of home workers, but little is done in most of them to punish anyone breaking these laws. Only in rare cases do the home workers know about these laws, Women’s organisations and trade unions have been conducting campaigns to make the laws known and to secure their application in practice. Many trade unions as well as governmental regulations have recognised home workers as an appendage of industry and have therefore stipulated the need to grant those workers the same economic rights and social provisions as those enjoyed by the factory workers. The responsibility of women’s organisations is to work together with the trade unions to protect home workers against all forms of abuse and discrimination, to help them secure facilities and opportunities for employment in factories where the working conditions are unquestionably better. Cottage Industry Cottage industries in the technically under-developed countries mainly consist of handicrafts and other articles of utility. in the production of which women particinate in great numbers. Their diffi- === [PDF page 20] === culties in earning a living at this type of work are twofold — primitive methods and the lack of an organised market. Many women’s organisations have concerned themselves with these problems and are taking measures to meet the pressing needs and demands for employment among women in their countries. With this aim, the National Federation of Indian Women hds established a number of training centres and cooperatives, and have received financial aid from the Social Welfare Board which is a semi-governmental institution. They are insisting now that the government take responsibility for providing work and marketing facilities. In the People’s Republic of China there are 1,500,000 women handicraft workers organised in producers’ cooperatives. They constitute 30 per cent of the total handicraft workers, and are especially numerous in embroidery, padding and drawn-thread work. In the handicraft producers’ cooperatives, the supply of raw materials and the marketing of products are organised according to the State Plan. In these cooperatives, women can learn better technique and are eligible for social welfare provisions. Protection of Motherhood To ensure that women with family responsibilities may enjoy the right to work and may carry out the double responsibility as mothers and workers, society must provide social facilities for the care of children, and enact laws protecting mother and child. Without these social guarantees, the working mother is victimised, the families suffer great hardship, and she is, in fact, denied the fundamental right to work. After a day’s work either in the factory, schools, offices or fields, women begin another day’s work at home, They have to see to their households, marketing, cooking, sewing, washing, bathing children. preparing food for the family, etc. This two-fold burden deprives them of any leisure time and hinders their political and cultural development. This state of affairs does not have to exist in modern society, which has the capacity to provide, at reasonable cost, modern, household appliances, efficient shopping facilities, adequate transport and a shorter working day, and for the care and education of younger children. The W.L.D.F., responding to the grave concern on this problem, has sent a memorandum to the Eleventh Session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, pledging cooperation with and support for all measures and resolutions of the Commission, so that it may better serve the interests of the millions of women the world over. To advance this work further, the W.I.D.F. sponsored Study Days in September 1957, in Potsdam, the conclusions of which state that, “The full participation of women in all spheres of life is conditional upon the removal of all forms of discrimination between the sexes and upon the solution of their special social problems. To realise this, society must assume responsi- 19 === [PDF page 21] === bility for the protection of motherhood as a basic right, and give full recognition to the contribution women are making to the wealth of society and their special role as mother.” One of the main themes of the Study Days was the legislation for the protection of maternity and its application. The Study Days showed that in many countries, where the laws for the protection of mother and child are applied in practice, the infant mortality has decreased and the standard of health and well-being of both mother and child has been raised. Furthermore, many forms of discrimination in application of laws have been revealed. Particularly aflected are the agricultural workers, women in domesic service and industrial home workers. Great hardship is caused in some countries by special discrimination against married and pregnant women. In Colonial and dependent countries there is no form of social security and legal protection for maternity. The provisions stipulated in the laws vary from country to country as to the categories of women who benefit, extent of maternity leave and medical assistance as well as time allotted for the nursing of babies, and protection against dismissal of pregnant women and young mothers. Another theme of the Study Days was the extent of social services and medical assistance. This showed that protection of health is not merely the absence of sickness in the individual. It means to create the proper sort of social environment, to give special consideration to the needs of motherhood. In order to do this, it is indispensable to have sufficient numbers of hospitals, clinics, trained doctors, midwives and nurses, etc. These are minimum requirements which unfortunately do not exist in too many countries. In order to promote cooperation with all those interested in the solution of these problems, the Study Days made the following recommendations: to secure the ratification of International Convention 103 and Recommendation 95 in all member States of U.N.O., of which only eighteen countries have so far ratified; to seek the introduction and implementation of laws on national and local level and to extend the international conventions and national legislation to millions of women working in agriculture and other categories now denied; to establish medical consultative centres as a minimum need to safeguard the health of mother and child; to make known to the masses of women the provisions of existing laws by working together with experts, social workers, doctors and lawyers to this end. Equal Rights with Regard to Marriage, Children and Property We have reason to rejoice in the progress made by women in -their efforts to secure a complete equality in society and in the family. Equality of rights between husband and wife in respect to marriage, 20 === [PDF page 22] === property, relation with children etc. is stipulated in law and is carried out in practice in countries like the U.S.S.R., the People’s Republic of China, and other countries which have recognised full equality of vomen with men in all domains. However, in many parts of the world, women are still weighed down by the archaic laws, ancient customs and prejudices which are perpetrated in modern times and deeply affect the status of women in the family and their private lives as human beings. Under these conditions they suffer deep humiliation and deprivation and are held back from the full development of their personality thus causing harm to the whole of society. In India, the social and civil rights of women have become the broadest platform around which women’s organisations have united. An outstanding achievement of this cooperation was the introduction of a new Marriage Law which, for the first time, liberated the Hindu woman from polygamy and granted her the possibility of divorce, as well a new law which granted equality in inheritance. At present a campaign is being conducted to secure a law restricting the dowry system and to rouse public opinion against this undignified and harmful practice. In other countries of Asia and Africa, the winning of national independence and greater participation of women in the liberation movement have also stimulated the demands for new democratic marriage laws on the principle of equality. The Tunisian Parliament has also enacted a law making it a criminal offence to practise polygamy and providing for the registration of all marriages before the civil law. The Union of Tunisian Women greeted this law with enthusiasm as it removes many obstacles to the advancement of the women of their country. The most inspiring development which had a great influence on ali the women in Asia and Africa, is the new marriage law in force in the People’s Republic of China. This law, based on full equality between the sexes, is being carried out in practice and has liberated hundreds of millions of Chinese women from conditions of semi-slavery in which they lived for centuries. However, such practices as polygamy, bride-price (payment to the bride’s family), child marriage, etc. are still in force in many countries in Asia and Africa. These practices relate to the status of women and are characterised as forms of slavery in the “Convention on the Aboiition of Slavery, Slave-trade, and Institution and Practices similar to slavery”. Even in those countries where women are and have been a permanent factor in modern economic life and have gained many important public positions, they are still subject to archaic laws and legal inequalities. === [PDF page 23] === In those countries where the civil codes are based on Code Napoleg there is a great need for reform to remove inequalities with res to parental and cther family rights and to property rights in mat mony. Although many reforms have been introduced, the clause st: lating that the husband must be considered the head of the fa is still in force. Legal discrimination against women as to the ground for divorce, property rights, rights to children, right to inheritang and rights to equal taxation, are the source of great suffering to wome; and children. ‘ Women can no longer submit to this state of affairs. They are insist ing on the demand to be free from these humiliating conditions, fo the respect and dignity due to them as full partners in life. i Women of Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, etc. are insigs ing on legal rights to divorce. In Austria, the women are protesti against the Civil Code which puts women on the same level as minors and treats them as persons incapable of taking care of their own affairs. The Democratic Union of Austria Women has long bee demanding the reform of laws on the family and matrimonial matters. a In Italy, members of parliament, who are also leaders of the Union of Italian Women, have introduced Bills to modify the existing legislation on marriage, which is based on Code Napoleon. They insist that the reforms conform to Article 29 of the Italian Constitution, which grants the legal and moral equality of husband and wife in respect to the family. In the United States of America, women’s organisations have long demanded that the grounds for divorce be liberalised and that the existing legal inequalities between men and women be removed. in Argentina, women are demanding an end to the tutelage in which a married woman finds herself in the administration of her property and the common property of the home; to make adoption easier by a reduction in the age required of prospective adoptive parents; for” a greater degree of justice for all children. 4 In countries like Belgium, Austria and the Netherlands etc. women are protesting against another aspect of discrimination relating to separate taxation. In these countries tax legislation stipulates that the wife’s income be combined with her husband's and taxed as the hus-— band’s whole income. Thus the family is obliget to pay tax at a high tax rate on the combined incomes. Since taxes are calculated progressively, a great part of the wife’s income goes to taxes. It is clear that to win social and civil rights the women’s movement is confronted with deép human problems which must be approached with sympathy, tact and understanding. That is why, while it iS necessary and urgent to secure just laws and see that they are put into practice, it is at the same time necessary for women’s organisations to 22 === [PDF page 24] === operate with lawyers, social workers and doctors, in order to inform women of their rights and to help aa solve personal and family problems. This report has tried to bring to the Conference, a short picture of the problems as they manifest themselves in different parts of the world. We tried to show how the women’s movement, including our own organisations, have reacted to these problems. We have selected espedally those activities which have been conducted in cooperation and unity with other organisations, and which have contributed to find solutions to some of these problems. We urge the broadest possible discussion from all points of view and expressions of opinion, on all questions before us. The discussion will give us a deeper understanding of the problems of varied categories of women. On all these problems, women’s organisations including the national organisations of the W.I.D.F. have been active and have important experiences to exchange. Such exchanges enrich our knowledge and stimulate new ideas which we can apply to the specific problems in our countries. Each country, depending upon the prevailing economic and social conditions, has its own definite problems, its own history and tradition, its own methods of work. However, the essential demands of the women of the whole world are common, It is up to us, the women, to find ways and means so that every woman becomes conscious of her rights and fights to obtain them. We have already learnt that it is through unity and cooperation that we can achieve our aims. The Conference therefore has the task of aiding the Congress to take a position and make decisions on these questions as a guide to our further work and to serve as a platform for cooperation on the broadest Seale possible. The W.I.D.F. at the World Congress of Women in Copenhagen, issued a Declaration on the Rights of Women, which became the rallying ‘platform for millions of women. At this Fourth Congress, we must go forward and strive to find common solutions to the existing problems. The women’s movement has entered a new period of advance in which it is possible to unite all forces of women to defeat all obstacles which Stand in our way to full equality of women in family and society. === [PDF page 25] === [Blank page] === [PDF page 26] === [Unreadable] es. Extracts of Speeches ¢ e and material at the Conference === [PDF page 27] === ALBANIA Mrs. Hoxha describes the progress made by the women of Albania in the field of production and culture and in family life. She also shows that NEDRET HOXHA coupled with the Government measures a consistent fight against backward conceptions must be conducted in order that women may attain equal status, Under the feudal systems of the past, Albanian women enjoyed no rights whatsoever in political and social life. Even her position in the family was one of complete subjection: at first to her father and after marriage to her husband. Article 17 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Albania guarantees full equality of women. The Constitution of our country furthermore implements this right by puealing conditions enabling its practical application 1n life. The right to work I should like to concentrate in particular upon the right to work; this is an essential right, allowing women to exercise their political rights in a more effective way, securing their economic independence, which establishes their authority in the family. The Constitution of the Albanian People’s Republic accords equal pay for equal work to women and men. Today the number of working women in Albania has risen to 32,327 which is 48 times more than in 1938. In the commercial sector, 36.3 per cent of all those employed are women. In the field of education the number ‘of women hina also increased considerably compared with the past. From 796 in 1939 the number of women teachers has increased to 3,135 by 1957. There are also women lecturers at Tirana University. In 1957 there were 1,400 women medical workers employed in the health services of the country, including 32 doctors; in the years before the liberation Albania only had 2 women doctors. With the establishment of the people’s government in Albania, women kegan to take a particularly active part in the administration of the country. 1,614 women were elected as members of People’s Councils. In addition there are women holding responsible government offices: 17 of them as deputies in the People’s Assembly and 3 Deputy Ministers. There are also 7 women judges and 651 assessors in the People’s Courts. Even peasant women, who-had a miserable life in the past, working for the landowners from dawn to dusk, today enjoy their full rights as citizens, Thanks to the Land Reform they have become the owners of the land which they cultivate. Now they can work for themselves and 26 === [PDF page 28] === for their children, and the fruits of their labours belong to their families. Women in our country now engage in all kinds of agricultural work. Many of them take part in the movement for higher productivity on the land. The People’s Assembly has awarded decorations to 341 peasant women for their good work. An increased number of women are agricultural workers, and they also take just pride in the fact that they have contributed 72 agricultural experts, zoo technicians, verterinary surgeons with a secondary or higher education, and 80 women are studying at the Institute of Agronomy or at agricultural polytechnical schools. The above mentioned facts go to show, that the women of Albania, a country with only 1,400,000 inhabitants, have achieved great successes within the comparatively short period of 14 years, in the exercise of their right to work, in taking part in the process of production, in the organisation of the economy and in the government of the country. The question must of necessity arise, as to how it was possible for these women, who were oppressed and for the overwhelming majority illiterate before the liberation, to obtain all these successes? The answer is this: it was only possible, because the people of Albania are the masters of their own destiny, and the rapid economic development and the abolition of unemployment. It is also due to the effort made by the state, the trade union federation and other organisations to help create the necessary conditions to enable women to work in any branch they choose. An important factor enabling women to take part in production is the extensive network of creches and nurseries, which allows mothers to work with peace of mind. Education Another important factor allowing: women to exercise their right to work is the availability of educational facilities, enabling them to widen their knowledge and to raise their professional qualifications. Mliteracy, which had previously affected 94 per cent of all women 'n our country, was completely overcome with regard to all persons above school age and under 40 by the year 1955. School-attendance for 2 period of seven years has been compulsory in most parts of the sountry. Measures have also been taken in the new industrial enterdrises to train skilled workers. In this way 2,000 girls and women at the “Stalin” textile works have become skilled workers. Health protection Men and women are entitled to an annual paid holiday of 12 to 48 lays, according to the nature of their occupation. Women enjoy the jame right to receive old age pensions as men do. They reach pensiona- 27 === [PDF page 29] === ble age at 55, and after 20 years of service. According to the Labour Code women and young people under 18 are not allowed to work under ground, or to do any work specified under respective governmen regulations as particularly exhausting or as detrimental to health. Considering their former. backwardness and the comparatively shor period which seperates us from those days, we must admit thal Albanian women have indeed made demarkable progress. The struggle against outdated ideas Women in Albania still come up against frequent difficulties on their road to progress. The new idea of the eauality of women has not taken root all at once, neither in the family nor in society as a whole; women are thus obliged to conduct an obstinate fight against bad old customs and residues from the past still prevailing in people’s minds. To quote an example, there have been cases of peasants, moved by fanaticism or by their traditional concept of women, refusing to let their daughters go to a secondary school in town. With regard to women working in production, there are similar difficulties; several years ago the lack of participation of peasant women in agricultural work constituted an important problem. A many-sided campaign of enlightenment proved useful to break down the barriers of customs preventing women from leaving their homes to go to work Another problem was to overcome the outdated conception that certain kinds of work are degrading for a woman; such as, “it is more respectable for a woman to work in an office, even as a simple shorthand typist, than to work in a factory”. Although such tendencies still appear from time to time, women have on the whole begun to understand this problem in the right way. This is proved by the large numker of women working in the factories. The respect accorded by society to all those who work well, regardless of the nature of their occupation, is one of the factors which persuaded women to regard work in the plants with due appreciation. Women shock workers have become the best agitators in this sense. The improvement of their economic situation is another stimulant encouraging women to work in production. It has also happened that certain factory managers have failed to | respect the laws protecting women, and that trade unions failed to. intervene in time. There are also certain factory directors who retard | the establishment of creches and nurseries at their works. The people of Albania are at present devoting all their energies to accomplishing the task laid down by the Second Five Year Plan of development for our national economy. 28 === [PDF page 30] === RGENTINA We present extracts from contributions of the Argentinian delegation on various aspects of the activities of the Union of Argentine Women, L ARA HELMA especially among peasants. | Mrs. Helma presents the general experiences of the women’s movement. Mrs. Monaco deals with the problems of the women of rural eas and specific activities among them. Mrs. Lopez de Faldkenberg ives an account of the activities to alleviate the conditions of the slum ellers. ' Alter 30 years of despotic governments and blood-stained dictatorship, the election victory of February 23rd 1958, in which the people ted for a genuinely democratic programme, has opened new proscts to the Argentina people. | The Union of Argentina Women fought for this programme during ie past ten years under extremely difficult conditions. Together with the other democratic and progressive forces in the country we, the women of Argentina, have been subjected to persecution and imprisonment, and illegality. Women in our country are taking an active part in every sphere of economic, political, social and cultural Life The percentage of women employed in industry and agriculture in schools and universities, in art and science, is very high. There are certain industries in our country, where the majority employed are Eatin American women celebrate International Women’s Day (the banner reads: For the wespect of the special rights of women). ecpat peer eoeuLn ee ae Teh ny OS LR. MUJER. | === [PDF page 31] === women, for instance, in the textile industry, women represent 75 3 cent of the total number employed. Unfortunately, however, there is still discrimination between men and women. The struggle for equal pay Ever since it was founded the Union of Argentine Women has been conducting wide campaigns against wage discrimination. In certain branches of production such as the meat industry, where 40 per cent of all workers are women, there is a difference of 20 per cent between the wages paid to men and women respectively. The draft of a law for equal pay has been presented to the Chamber of Deputies as early as 1948. It was accompanied by thousands of signatures of support. Thanks to the untiring activities of the UAW, the workers of different political groupings, a Law on Equal Wages for Equal Work was adopted at the last Convention for reforming the constitution. Against rising cost of living We have started a wide movement against the rising cost of living, condemning the enormous war budget of 23 million pesos a day. With a view to ensure the success of this action, we have set up a Commission for the Well-being of the Families and Children, which is doing very good work. We have furthermore obtained the support of the trade unions, and have in,turn given our support for all demands for higher wages raised by the trade unions and expressed its full solidarity with’ all those on strike. The Buenos Aires section of our organisation organised a protest meeting against the high costs of living, in which participated representatives of 94 of the most important trade unions in the country and a number of factory committees. Similar meetings were also held by other district branches of the U.A,W. Co-ordinating commissions for the well-being of families and children were formed at the meetings. We should like to express our whole-hearted support to the initiative taken by Mme. Cotton in proposing the setting up of different workin; commissions. We are developing our own work on the basis of commissions. We have commissions for womens’ rights; for the well-bein| of families and children; for cultural development; for the aspirations of peasant women, and a Commission of Mothers for Peace. 30 === [PDF page 32] === eee ee oe. SS eS Se LINA MONACO Problems of peasant women, women agricultural labourers and farmers’ wives I have the honour and the pleasure of conveying to you the greetings of the peasant women and women working on the land in my country They are a vast section of our population. Their lives are full of suffering and darkness, privations and grief. They are being deprived of the rights for which all Argentine women are fighting. The conquest of our rights, the winning of a life of dignity and happiness for country women in the Argentine is inseparably linked with the solution of the agrarian question not.only in our country, but in the whole of Latin America. Agrarian reform has been and still is an urgent necessity for the Argentine; it is a claim of long standing, widely supported by the people. The militant actions conducted by the trade union and cooperative organisations of peasant families bear witness to this fact. There are agrarian political parties. All resolutions adopted by workers’, cultural and students’ organisations, in the course of many years have included agrarian reform. At large meetings, organised by the U.A.W. all over the country in the past three years this demand has been raised by peasant women and women working in agriculture. Today the overwhelming majority of peasants are members of some organisation. Yet there are no peasant organisations who recognize women as members, except in the case of widows, even though this provision is not contained in Constitution of the organisation. Farmers” wives are lonely, isolated in the immensity of ‘plantations and deprived of even the most elementary necessities of modern life. They live in huts of clay or corrugated iron without floors or ceilings. They have neither hospitals nor maternity homes. There are no proper roads connecting the communities of peasant families. The children have no schools in the immediate vicinity of their home. Mothers live in a constant state of anxiety about their children who must go to school several miles away on horseback or by “sulky”. There are no places of recreation and no trade schools for the children. The women spend their lives working on land which is not their own. There are certain regions where the possession of a wireless set is considered a rare luxury! It goes without saying that 99 per cent of these farms have neither electricity, nor running water, or modern sanitation. Agricultural workers are no better off. Their housing is very uncertain, and they live more or less as nomads. They always wander in quest of work: either to pick cotion in the north, or cane sugar, or maize in other parts of the country, or else they simply go to do any job that 31 === [PDF page 33] === comes their way in towns or villages. As a result families disintegrate, children are left to themselves, or husbands are away from the family. These women are deprived of any opportunity to learn a trade, to live decently or to rest. The life of a peasant woman is equally hard. She toils side by side with her husband in the fields, looking after her children and the household, and tends her garden and farm-yard, the products of which are used to reinforce the family budget. Activities of U.A.W.among rural women Our U.A.W. has devoted much attention to the problems of women in the country. In May 1956 the Union of Argentine Women held a Meeting and Festival of Friendship between the Peasant Women and Women working in Agriculture. At this gathering women from all provinces of the country raised their problems. They did not only speak of their age-old aspirations and hopes, but above all they expressed their firm desire to struggle for the possession of the land they cultivate; for the recognition of their rights; so that they should no longer be the Cinderellas of society, but become the conscious architects of happiness for their children. It was at this gathering, that the Commission for the Aspirations of Peasant Women was set up and will be a department of activity within the U.A.W. This Commission has been very active in all parts of the country ever since its foundation. A Charter of Peasant Women was adopted at the gathering which summed up the aspirations and the rights of peasant women in the Argentine. The meeting was followed by gatherings in Bahia Blanca, Entre Rios, Villa Maria, Venado Tuerto and Reconauista. Mother's Commissions have also been set up. They encouraged women to take an active part in regional and national meetings of peasant organisations, and have succeeded in promoting the winning of concrete demands raised by women agricultural workers in the province of Buenos Aires. These Commissions launched an inquiry into the living conditions and the problems of peasant women. Good results were obtained by the survey which showed the conditions in different localities, and brought out the small specific demands for various agricultural regions, even though problems are fundamentally the same for the whole country. The Commission furthermore publishes a monthly bulletin to reinforce friendship among peasant women who are scattered throughout the vast solitudes of the Argentine countryside. A new wind is blowing across our native land and over the other countries of Latin America. Those who yesterday, only promised to give 32 === [PDF page 34] === back the land to those who till it, are today putting their words into action; laws have already been submitted to Parliament, which reflect considerable progress in this direction. A law prohibiting evictions —which was always the worst nightmare haunting peasant families in the past — has been adopied. AUSTRIA Mrs ECK WOLF Mrs. Eckwolf deals with a series of problems affecting working women, such as unequa! pay, increased workload, old age pensions, pli;ht of homeworkers etc., and describes the recent achievement of Austrian working women for protection of motherhood. Equal pay for equal work About 750,000 women in Austria leave their homes and children early every morning in order to increase the family income by their work and to earn their own livlihood. This is about one third of all the workers in Austria. I myself am a metal worker from Vienna. In the metal workers’ collective agreement there is a clause which lays down that equal pay has to be paid for equal work. But in practice it is different. Despite eaual work, women’s wages are lower than men’s. A short time ago the Austrian Institute for Economic Research published a paper on wage incomes and stated that in recent years men’s wages have risen more than women’s. In 1942 women’s hourly rates were 77 per cent those of men, autumn 1956 the hourly rates for women were only about 71 per cent of men. Conveyor Belt Work Women at meetings often recount in the most moving way that they are dead tired when they get home from conveyor belt work and fan only with the greatest effort make the necessary provisions for their children and do their housework. It is understandable that family life suffers as a result. These women sincerely regret that mental and cultural pursuits suffer considerably through lack of time. They seldom have time to follow their own interests. To counter-act this intense exploitation of female labour the claim for shorter working hours and the introduction of the forty hour week has been put forward recently With greater vigour. 33 === [PDF page 35] === Maternity protection laws But we would also like to show that the Austrian working class movement has achieved some success, especially concerning women Last year a new law came into force on maternity protection, guaranteeing paid maternity leave of 6 weeks before the confinement and 6 weeks after the birth of the baby. Payment for this period to be the average of the last thirteen weeks’ earnings. Heavy work, night work or work injurious to health is forbidden. Retiring age The law on pensions was revised and the retiring age for women, which for many was 60 years, was reduced to 55 years providing that one year’s unemployment benifit has been paid to the person in question. This is certainly an improvement for those older women who are unable to find work because of their age. Homework A large number of Austrian women perform homework in order to help raise the family income. This enables the woman to look after the children while working at the same time. The wages and working conditions are catastrophic. According to the law on homework for instance, only so much work may be handed out to a worker as can be done in eight hours work by day, without having to resort to night work. But since in many cases the wages are extremely low, the women also work at night, and even get the children to help, in order to earn something like a living wage. Vocational Training In general boys are provided with apprenticeships, but not girls There are hardly twenty trades open to girls, yet there are over 100 for boys. But even in the special women’s trades there are too few apprenticeship vacancies to accomodate the great number of girls coming into the trades. In order to be able to earn money quickly a large proportion of girls take on unskilled work in factories where no facilities are provided for training them and where consequently they can only aspire to an unskilled worker’s wage. The setting up of public apprenticeship workshops to train young people would be a guarantee that the girls as well as the boys would receive decent training, which would be of great importance for their whole development. === [PDF page 36] === BELGIUM Mrs. Lyna gives an interesting resume of the work done by the Belgian women’s Assembly for Peace and Well-being since the Copenhagen FRANCINE LYNA Congress. She reports important achievements in the fields of civil rights and equal pay for equal work, I would like to rectify an error which slipped in to the report concerning Belgium. In Belgium the incomes of husband and wife are no longer added together for taxation purposes. Since 1955 we have attained separate assessments for husbands and wives when both work, except for those engaged in the professions. In addition the provisions of the Code of 1800 concerning the reciprocal rights and duties of husbands and wives have been modified. The new clauses will come into force at the beginning of May 1958, and can be summerised as follows: ~ Civil Rights The provision called for the wife’s obedience to the husband has been replaced by a, clause providing that the husband and wife decide together all questions relating to their residence, and in case of disagreement the court decides. Before the new law was introduced, a wife was obliged to follow her husband wherever he pleased to set up his home. A wife no longer needs her husband’s permission to carry on a profession or occupation or to engage in commerce. When a husband does not provide for the needs of the household, the court now has much wider means at its disposal for determining the husband's income and making it possible for the wife to receive the sum necessary for her needs and those of the children directly from the employer. Various articles of the Code refered to those who have no legal standing, such as: minors, lunatics, convicts and married women. The term “married women” has now been deleted from these articles, thus fundamentally upsetting the Code Napoleon. A second bill is being drawn up and will come into force immediately, to reform matrimonial regulation along the same lines. It is also important to emphasise that in these countries which have ratified the Geneva convention women must be vigilant and demand that its provisions be put into practice. EQUAL PAY With regard to equal pay, we have obtained some improvements Since the Copenhagen Congress. For the first time in Belgium the question of equal pay is being studied systematically by more than forty commissions. This follows the ratification of Convention 100 and the issuing of formal instructions by the Manistry. of Labour. Although We have not achieved full equality and women’s wages are still 75 to 35 === [PDF page 37] === 80 per cent of those of men, we have succeeded in establishing a progressive improvement. In some branches we already have wage equality, for instance in the hairdressing trade. In some other fields the wages of men and women are very nearly the same, for instance those of clerks and catering workers. And in some other branches, the differences are being reduced gradually. Family allowances Previously mothers who remained at home received a seperat family allowances. Now it has been incorparated into the system of family allowances. This is unquestionably a matter of justice for working women. Family allowances have been increased according to the place of the child in the family, i.e. the third or fourth child receives a bigger allowance than the first or second. There is also an increase according to the age of the child: there are three grades of allowances: from 0—6 years, from 6—12 years and over 12 years. Vocational training for women We are fully in agreement with the remarks formulated in the report on the subject of the importance of vocational training for women. In the last two years schemes for the reform of our educational system on democratic lines have been worked out. A commission was set up for this purpose, which will report to the Minister on the types of work specially suited to women and on the importance of vocational training for women. Two members of our organisation, the Belgian Women’s Assembly for Peace and Well-being, are on this commission, Recently three new sections have been set up for girls in the existing technical schools, where they can get certificates as sales demonstrators, manicurists and beauticians. This is of course only a beginning, but it can be considered an advanc2 to have been able to interest the public authorities in the problem of vocational training for women. Several white books have been issued by a commission of the Ministry giving useful information on all the existing opportunities for vocationai training. These books are to be distributed, or perhaps they havi already been distributed, among families so that parents can help children in a wise choice of occupation. Creches One matter on which we have not made much progress since the Copenhagen Congress, is that of the establishment of creches. This has been one of our most urgent demands. We are asking for a sufficient number of creches with qualified staff. This is a summary of the most important problems we are working on and on which we have been * effective in securing improvement day by day. 36 === [PDF page 38] === BRAZIL MARIA PRESTES A contribution in the discussion ... Everything I see written in this draft resolution, about the right to work, about working to obtain laws and regulations to ensure the rights of working mothers and for the protection of married women and children... Most of these laws we already have in Brazil. But our country is a land of contradictions. The laws are not being applied. Women do not yet get equal pay in spite of the article in the Constitution guaranteeing every assistance to women and children. I would therefore like the following ad ied to the resolution: “to suggest to get laws passed and to see that they are carried out.” Every assistance for women and children is guaranteed in the Constitution, but the law is not carried out. Even the law on equality as regards work is not carried out: women cannot work as diplomats, ete. T should also like to say that there is no divorce in Brazil, and that we must work for divorce. However the law gives all the guarantees as regards children. It is forbidden to indicate that a child is illegitimate and it is even forbidden to say that the parents are not married. BULGARIA Mrs, Mintcheva presents a factual account of the position of women in the economic, political and cultural life of her country. Ske particularly VESTKA MINTCHEVA describes the measures taken to protect the 800 ii poman, Heroine of Socialist Labour peg eg Mae el The Bulgarian delegation would like to express its whole-hearted support for the work of the W.I.D.F. for the economic and political rights of women in every part of the world. For the past 14 years - women in Bulgaria have been enjoying full equality of rights. This acquisition did not fall from heaven, it was won by the heroic struggles of the Bulgarian women for their rights. We recently celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of the foundation of the first organisation of women in our country. The history of our womens’ movement is full of countless deeds of heroism by our sisters who went before us; many of them sacrificed the most precious of their possessions: their life, in the struggle to liberate themselves from exploitation and to obtain their equality of rights in every sphere of life. The People’s Republic, which camé into being, thanks to the efforts and sacrifices made by women among others, has not only adopted a law guaranteeing full equality to women, but has also taken measures to enable us to exercise our 37 === [PDF page 39] === newly acquired rights. A wide network of maternity homes and consultative centres for mothers and children, creches and nurseries have been set up in our country, so that mothers may go out to work untroubled, knowing that their children are being well cared for. Maternity leave Women working in industry, agriculture or in administration are assured of the best conditions in times of pregnancy and confinement, According to our legislation pregnant women and mothers of children under 8 months may not be dismissed. This year these laws were improved; the maternity leave is now not 90, but 120 days with full pay. Pensions Women and mothers enjoy a great number of privileges. They reach pensionable age at 45—50 respectively, after 20—25 years of service. Women who have brought up five children or more may draw a pension as from their 40th year, after 15 years of service. Pensions amount to as much as 75 per cent of their former average gross wages. In this way our people’s government proves, by the care it devotes_to its citizens, the profoundly humanist nature of socialist society. Women in production Many women have distinguished themselves as Best Workers in industry. They also play an important part on the co-operative farms and take a prominent place in agriculture. I myself am working at the textile factory “G. Guenov” at Gabrovo, where 80 per cent of those employed are women. Six years ago I was awarded the greatest distinetion in our country, the title: “Hero of Labour”. My pay is not only equal to that of the men, — I very often receive more, as a result of surpassing the plan. Every yard of material above the norm is paid at a higher rate. Women in political and cultural life A great number of women have been entrusted with responsible government positions, and play an important part in the social, political and economic organisations. The Bulgarian people have elected 41 women deputies to the National Assembly. A Vice-President of our parliament is a woman; and two members of the Presidium of the National Assembly. Furthermore we have one minister, one deputy minister and several directors of enterprises who are also women, etc. 38 === [PDF page 40] === The women of Bulgaria have begun to acquire the mastery of progressive science, art and painting. 22 per cent of all specialists with a higher education, and 52 per cent of all educational workers are women. In the fields of science and culture 38 per cent of all employed are women, and there are more than 300 working at the institutes of the Academy of Sciences in Bulgaria. There is no aspect of life in our country, where women have not found a place to apply their skill and knowledge. That is the reason why the women of Bulgaria are passionately fighting side by side with the men against the preparation of a new war. They are assured of their own future and that of their families and children. There are no rocket launching sites in our country. The people of Bulgaria are in the forefront of the fight to maintain peace in the world. “Bring down the price of butter” thousands of signatures were collected on a petition launched by the Union of Australian Women. === [PDF page 41] === CAMBODIA PUNG PENG CHUNG Mrs. Pung Peng Chung who was the personal envoy of the Queen of Cambodia in the Congress gives a brief account of the status of Cambodian women in the family. I note with pleasure that a great number of women in the whole world have obiained their complete independence from all points of view. Mrs. Shanta Dev, Secretary of the National Federation of Indian Women gave us a long account of this in her report to the Conference on “The creation of conditions which will enable woman to fulfil her role in society as mother, worker and citizen’’. They have won this independence as a result of their work and patience. As a deputy in the National Assembly of Cambodia, I will give you a brief idea of the life of Cambodian women in her family and in society. The Cambodian woman is absolute mistress of her home. She manages the family budget in her own way without consulting her husband. She looks alter religious matters very piously. Cambodian social legislation grants women many privileges: in all fields wemen’s demands are fulfilled first. In industry and commerce, the management of the establishmeni must pay a doctor for the care of mother and child, not to mention rest periods and paid holidays. J We have many women’s organisations for helping large families and for relieving poverty. Ail Cambodian women are interested in politics. All of us, rich or poor, in collaboration with men, will work, gathered around our “Father of Independence”, His Royal Highness Norodum Sihanou and cur Venerable King and Queen, for the prosperity and happiness of our country. CZECHOSLOVAKIA Mrs. Bruzikova describes the present status of women in her country and their role in all Spheres of social and economic life. She also Mrs BRUZIKOVA gives an account of the wide network of institutions to help the working mother with respect to their children and household work. In our Constitution it is laid down: — “Every citizen has the right to education, work, just pay for work done and to leisure. Social insurance provides for the care of the citizen in the case of inability to work”. 40 === [PDF page 42] === Thousands of women are in responsible positions in the highest state podies, in the National Assembly, in the government, in the Slovakian National Council and in the national committees. There is a woman’s committee with over 150,000 active members in practically every area in our Republic. The law guarantees women the right to education. The State provides equal opportunities for free study for all gifted children of either sex. Women in Production A broad network of institutions was set up to provide free evening school and postal courses for the further education of the working people. Increased efforts are being made to provide facilities for women working in industry and agriculture to improve their qualifications Only thus can the necessary conditions for achieving women’s equality be realised.: All the same we must say that in improving qualifications we come across old-fashioned prejudices with regard to women’s work not only among men, but also among the women themselves. Today nearly 40 per cent of all workers are women. For example, in the health services, in the consumer goods industry, in the schools, etc., women are in the majority. Women receive the same wages as men for their work. False ideas about the ‘inferiority of women’ have been proved by experience to be wrong, for women have shown ability to tackle all types of work.: The progressive mechanisation and automation of the production process assures to all workers future prospects of shorter working hours. Women play an important part in agriculture where they account for more than 50 per cent of the total number of workers. The Administration and Working Regulations of the agricultural Produciion co-operatives guarantees equality for women. In these regulations the position of the woman is stressed and protected. Child care Our society pays great attention to the children of working women by building creches, kindergardens and play centers for school children. |The number of these facilities is continually on the increase. In 1937 We had only 886 creches in spite of the high percentage of working women. In 1957 this figure had reached 1,167. And the number of _kindergardens has also grown in the same way. In 1937 there were 1,848, in 1957 there were already 8,262, in which one quarter of a million children below school age are cared for. The newest institutions are the play centres, completely unknown Some years ago, which are attached to the primary schools. Today we 41 === [PDF page 43] === have 2,157 such play centres attended by 145,000 school children. Ip the country too, creches are being set up for the children of women who work in agriculture. More laundries, cleaners, and repair céntres for clothes and linen are being organised, while the home helps service is being extended All this makes it possible for women to gradually free themselves from the drudgery of the household and to use more of their leisure time for education and to pursue their personal interests. Experience has taught us that great historical events, including the struggle for our own liberation, did not take place without the help of women. Equality for women offers hundreds of thousands of Czeckoslovak women the opportunity of using their wonderful creative abilities to realise the great aim which our people have set themselves — to strengthen the cause of world peace by completing the building of socialism in our country. CHILE MARIA VERGARA Mrs. Vergara speaks of the achievement of the new law regarding family allowance and empha- Sises the necessity of working for the implementation of all protective laws for women, On December 19th, 1956 and July 6th, 1957, a law came into force which granted payment of family allowances. Under this law all women who are wage earners are paid family allowances for every ue from the 6th month of pregnancy onwards. The purpose of this regulation is to provide financial spoon for the family who expect a child so that the pregnant mother can pay proper attention to herself and the new-born baby can be given at least a small measure of security. The mere fact that this law was passed is a triumph for the women of Chile, who had pesented a draft bill of this kind to parliament through the Chilean Women’s Union. Despite this step forward there is still a great lack of protective regulations in our country; we are especially in need of effective means of ensuring that the legislative measures are observed and carried out since they are often disregarded. This is often the case for instance. with labour laws covering women and juveniles who are not properly paid by the employers and whose rights are often abused. Numerous regulations exist to protect women workers, but are frequently violated by the employers. Pregnant women do not always claim their full rights as laid down by law. It also happens that mothers are not aware of the laws and go too late to the advisory centres, or 42 === [PDF page 44] === do not understand the purpose of the motherhood protection laws: they save up their maternity leave and continue to work until the end of their pregnancy, not realising that in this way they forfeit their right to part of their pre-natal leave. Protection from dismissal does not apply to all women during pregnancy. This is a very serious problem for women workers in Chile, and was the reason why women of Chile came to the Chilean Women’s Union to ask them to find an effective way to ensure that protective measures are not disregarded. Now the Chilean Women’s Union is working out a draft bill to protect from dismissal all pregnant women and mothers up to six months after the birth of the child. CHINA Mrs. Shih gives a factual account of the unprecendent advance of the Chinese Women in the SHIH CHIEN political, economic, social and cultural fields in the few short years since liberation. She shows Chairman of the Women’s how the new marriage law has helped to liberate Chinese People’s Republic women and make them equal partners in the Federation in Kiangsu Province family. We of the Chinese delegation have listened with utmost interest to the report on the rights of women made by Mrs. Shanta Dev of India. This report vividly told us about the efforts and achievements that our sisters of various countries have made in winning the rights of women. The Chinese women are deeply concerned about the conditions of our sisters in all countries. Now I would like to speak briefly on the equal rights that the Chinese women enjoy in their political, economic, social and home life. Unprecedented Advance In China, more and more women now take part in the political, economic and social life of the country. The scope of their activities and the number of women participating have reached an extent never known in our history. Take for example the administrative organ of the State. Quite a number of women hold the position of ministers, Vice-ministers and department of bureau heads in the State Council. the highest administrative organ of the country. There are also women governors of provinces, mayors, and heads of counties and townships. Over two thousand women serve as presidents, tribunal heads, judges and assistant judges in courts at all levels throughout the country. To mention one, Madame Wu Yi-fang, a member of the Chinese delegation to this Congress, is the Vice-Governor of Kiangsu Province. === [PDF page 45] === Mrs Chang Chih-hsiang, the first woman peasant research worker of China, workin; in the Institute of Agricultural Science in Shensi Province. By the end of 1956, the number of women factory and office worke: increased seven-fold as compared with the early years of liberatior A good many women now work in occupations which in the old days admitted very few women, or none at all. Women professors, lecturers and instructors in institutions of higher learning constitute 192 per cent of the teaching staff. Among medical and health workers, 41 per ceni | are women. In the fields of literature and art 27.4 per cent of stag and film directors, playwrights, composers, artists and photographer are women. Women in the rural areas of China who in the old days were bound as slaves to the landlords and the home, now join the farming cooperatives and take part in production in the same manner as men Their status at home and in society has thus been raised considerably Now, over 500,000 women co-operative members have been elected chairmen or vice-chairmen of their co-operatives. In our “Model Regulations for Advanced Agricultural Producers’ Co-operatives” it is specially stipulated that among the chairman and vice-chairmen of each farming co-op, there should at least be one woman. This shows that our government has always attached great importance to the training of women cadres. 44 === [PDF page 46] === We fully agree with what our Indian friend-said in her repord that men and women should receive equal pay for qual work. In China, the vinciple of equal pay for equal work has already been carried out in all the factories, enterprises and mines owned by the state or the cooperatives or jointly owned by the state and private interests. This rinciple is also implemented in the government offices and agriculral co-operatives. In accordance with the policy of improving step yy step the livelihood of factory and office workers on the basis of ineasing output and raising productivity, our Government has increased the wage level. During the First Five-Year Plan, the increase reached 3 per cent. Women workers in China, apart from the labour insurance and welfare benefits enjoyed by all workers, get special protection and benefits any factories take concrete measures to protect pregnant women orkers..To women factory and’ office workers and peasants, old-age tirement is no longer a problem. Nurseries and creches are also exanding by leaps and bounds along with the development of producion. In five provinces, nurseries and creches are available to almost li pre-school children who need such care. I now come to the fields of culture and education. The work ot iping out illiteracy has developed rapidly in cities and villages, under the leadership of our government, with the national and local women’s federations and trade unions doing the promoting and organizing work. Many women workers and young village women have thus shaken off their “letter-blindness”. Some of them have reached the level of a primary school graduate or a junior middle school student. Some have even entered colleges or specialized schools of college level. Universal primary education has become a fact in nine provinces and one autonomous region and it will be realized in all other parts of our country in the not too distant future. The number of college students is nearly four times as many as in the early days of liberation. In addition to colleges and universities, a large number of secondary technical schools have been established to train such personnel in large numbers. Many women have enrolled in these schools. In Kiangsu, Fukien and Honan Provinces, every township now has its middle school. According to statistics from 113 counties in Kweichow, Hopei, Kiangsi and Chekiang Pro- Vince, a total of 350,000 persons have received training as technicians and operators of improved farm tools and motor-driven machines. Thus, Within a very short time, the women of China will emerge triumphantly from the state of cultural backwardness. In China, marriage and the family are protected by the Constitution. A new social attitude towards marriage, the home, and mothers and children prevails. The feudal marriage system has been completely done away with. Women have acquired the right of making their own ‘decision with regard to marriage and divorce. Marriage is now based 45 === [PDF page 47] === on free choice, and built on mutual love and admiration where the husband and wife are both engaged in productive work for the comm, purpose of building socialism. Therefore, their marriage is happy ang satisfactory. Special care to mother and Child! The above-mentioned facts show that women of China do enjoy equal rights with men in all spheres of life. Our government gives enormous care and protection to women and children. We believe deep down in our hearts that the winning of our rights is inseparable from our national independence, the firm establishment of the socialist system in our country and the quick tempo of our peaceful national, construction. It is also inseparable from international peace, and our women’s own creative labour and active participation in socialist construction. That is why we Chinese women ardently love our country, fully uphold our socialist system, and love peace so fervently. Under the banner of the W.I.D.F., we Chinese women are ready to strengthen our close co-operation with all the peace-loving sisters of the world and to exert all our efforts to win a lasting world peace and defend the interests of women and children. FINLAND Extracts of an inquiry made The Finnish delegation submitted the following by the Finnish Women’s Demo- _""“/@T#@! to the Conference. cratic Union on “Employment, Women and the Home” The Finnish Women’s Democratic Union has completed an investigation of the effects of unemployment upon the life of women and on the home. The main result of this investigation was presented to the government. 3,121 persons, or 50 per cent of the total number of those who have sent an answer, are working. If women who occasionally work were added the total would be 3,883, that is 62 per cent. The other 38 per cent, are housewives and 1.4 per cent of them are housewives of farm families. The following groups of workers were represented: weavers textile, rubber and shoe industry workers and construction and food stuff workers. Only a few answers came from business, traffic, office workers, efce. The summary of the investigation shows that unemployment among women is considerably greater than the official unemployment cardindexes show; only 30 per cent of unemployed women had registered 46 === [PDF page 48] === (as unemployed, although most of the answers come from cities and big ‘industrial centres where the statistics include more women, and where registration is less difficult. The investigation showed that the number of unemployed women is more than three times the official figure shown. The number of female unemployed is alarming and much higher than the official figures show. As we see there were 1.585 unemployed of the total number of answers amounting to 6,222; this is to 45 per cent of the official number of female unemployed given for the whole country. The answer to the question “Would you like to have work” proves ‘that among women exists both manifest and latent unemployment and a great need of work. Only 34.4 per cent of the total number of answers came [rom women who did not seek work. Only 33.4 per cent of those who were willing to work were working at the time and the rest, 66.6 per cent, answered that they needed full-time or part-time jobs. Period of unemployment The period of unemployment for women has been rather long, approximately 13.3 weeks per person in the period from July 1952 to March 1st 1958, and many of them are still unemployed. This long period of unemployment has resulted in big losses of income calculated as approximately 80,000 marks per each unemployed, at the time of the investigation. 14.1 per cent of working women among those who had given an answer had been on compulsory leave during the above mentioned period amounting to 4.7 weeks per person. 24.3 per cent were on short working weeks for about 11 weeks. The only support of the family A good many unemployed women are the only supporters of their children, of disabled parents or other relatives. More than 30 per cent showed that approximately more than two children are entirely or partly dependent upon their earnings and 29 per cent showed that other members of the family were unemployed for approximately 10.2 weeks per person. ° The effects of unemployment upon the living standards of the family have been generally referred to as “weakening effect”, “depressing effect”, etc. A housewife from Perala village, described it clearly when She said: “starvation, misery and nervousness.” A worker’s wife from Kerimaki viilage says: “Our living is poor, of course, because only one member of the family is working for four.” Many of the people (212) had to refer to the Social Committee, although they did not want to do so. === [PDF page 49] === Danger of losing homes! 154 builders of private houses and owners of flats spoke of their diff), culties and the danger of losing their homes because they cannot Pay the loans and interests. 268 persons were in debt for food. Inability 4 pay rents cause great worries. A mother said: “The rent is 18,000 m! per month and we already owe two month’s rent. I only wonder ho we can get along.” The mother is working, she has been unemploy: 10 weeks, the father has been unemployed 4 weeks and there are 4 unde; age children in the family. The summary of the inquiry proves that thousands of working women, and working families are in great economic difficulties because of unemployment, and that unemployment of women is many times greater than the official figures show. Demands of the Democratic Union of Finnish Women The F.W.D.U. submitted the results of the inquiry on “Unemployment, Women and the Home” to the Government to make known th facts, and proposed that the Government should promptly take thi following measures: — All citizens to be guaranteed work and women workers to be ensured a full working week; — The wages are to be increased based on the principle of equality. This would increase the purchasing power of the people and open new possibilities for work. — The commercial policy should be based on reciprocity of tradé. A: far as we know the Soviet Union, for instance, is ready to buy fro Finnland more than she does at present, provided Finnland buy: correspondingly from the Soviet Union; — In order to safeguard the livelihood of the unemployed and thei families an unemployment law should be enacted providing benefi to be paid by the employer and by the state before the next general election; — To promote the establisment of new production plants in order t create additional working possibilities. Helsinki, May 24th 1958. 48 === [PDF page 50] === FRANCE ANDREE Mme. Capgras gives an interesting account of the MARTY-CAPGRAS main problems facing the French women in civil and economic fields and of the method of work adopted by the Union of French Women in dealing with them. A fact which has been propounded in theory and verified in practice is that women’s status advances in the same proportion as democracy develops. This has been our experience in France. Women in our country are not ignoring the deterioration in their status. The daily life of women in our country is becoming more and more difficult because of low wages, the consequences of a war policy, and the continuation of the war in Algeria, which absorbs a large part of our budget. Apart from this, serious attacks are being made on democratic liberties at the present time. All this creates an atmosphere in which progress with regard to law, the right to work, the question of mothers’ and childrens’ needs, are difficult to realise. In France we must intensify our struggle to improve the position on the following points: legal reform, wages, elderly women often left without means, women facing life alone with often one or more Conference against High Cost of Living in Paris. === [PDF page 51] === child to care for, to obtain equality for girls with regard to vocational training and for access of women to all careers without any restriction other than their ability to do the job. The Union of French Women has made great efforts to solve some of these problems. I would like to tell you something about the way we work. Within our organisation we have a National Commission for Women’s Rights and in the departments — unfortunately not in all — local commissions for women’s rights. Our National Commission is divided into two groups: a Legal Commission and a Commission of problems of work. Legal position of women We are ruled by the ‘Code Napoleon’ which despite some improvements still relegates women to an inferior position. We are presenting new drafts to parliament and making them known to public opinion, thus hoping to secure reform of existing laws to provide legal equality between men and women in marriage, in the management of common property, and in the rights regarding children. We are especially concerned about the tragic position of unmarried mothers who, having failed to register the child at birth, looses all legal claim to the child although she has brought it into the world. We are guided principally by the interests of the child. All children must be considered equal before the law, no matter under what conditions they were born. For the mothers we claim complete equality with the man, which is unfortunately far from being the case. The poblems of women’s work The question of women’s work in France is one of great importance. In our country there are 5 million women wage-earners who have to grapple with many problems. 1. Unequal pay. As to equal pay for equal work, our Government has ratified Convention No. 100, and of the countries of “little Europe” France has the smallest inequalities of pay, but all the same there is discrimination in a great number of trades and the differences are becoming accentuated by the arrangements of the common market. 2. Unequal opportunities for qualification: is the main problem, since women cannot claim the same wage as men if they are not qualified. In France there are far fewer vocational training schools for women than there are for men. More often than not girls are directed to “women's trades”, (dressmaking, fashions, etc.) and the doors of better-paid industry are closed to them. The continuously increasing campaign to influence public opinion that woman's place is in the home, and that their earnings are only supplementary, at a time when more and more are seeking ways to 50 === [PDF page 52] === the German Democratic iblic women work: ants, artists and women other professions we ong those to be decorated in 1958 with the highest state awards: the 2 prize and the Patriotic Seryice Order for outstanding creative work in building Socialism. ‘They included Anne-Margret Mielke, memper of the Agricultural Production Cooperative ‘Peace’ in Schdnermark (see picture above), and Charlotte Schlotter, Manager of the nationally-owned DEFA Film Service and Foreign Distribution, Berlin (picture below) === [PDF page 53] === earn a living, has unfortunately influenced many women. This is done to continue the special exploitation of women and to prevent her from making demands. To the above problems can be added home work and other forms of exploitation of women’s labour. Experiences of the Union of French Women The Union of French Women has tried to make women aware of these questions. On February Ist, 1958, we held a succesful National Meeting of Women on, their own in Paris. In France, out of a female population of 22 millions, 6 million face life alone. They are unmarried women, widows and divorcees. Many of them have children to bring up. They frequently have to cope with great difficulties. Women came to the Conference from the four corners of France to speak of these difficulties They included their claims in a statement: — “We do not want charity, but we want our rights to be recognised. We want our dignity as women to be acknowledged in law and in fact, and our children to be ensured a bright promise for their future.” ‘Madame 1958’ is not like her grandmother, no more than the world today resembles the world of a century ago. The legal, the economic and social conditions must be created so that woman, who is at the same time, wife, mother and wage-earner, is enabled to fulfil all her obligations smoothly. The conscious and dignified woman, who has found her place in society on an equal basis with man will not only find her own happiness, but will add to the happiness of her children and her home, while making a decisive contribution to the evolution of the modern world. GERMAN FEDERAL Mrs. Westphal discusses the situation in the German Federal Republic regarding inequalities REPUBLIC in pay between men and women and describes the harmful effects of speed-up on women. She HILDE WESTPHAL also deals with the much discussed question of part-time work. In the German Federal Republic there are a number of good laws protecting women. There is a new marriage law which is not satisfactory because the husband is still assured final authority in all questions relating to the marriage. According to the Constitution women have the right to work, maternity protection laws are fairly good. There is a law which grants a paid household day, and a law which forbids night work for women. Convention No. 100 on equal pay for equal work has been ratified by the. Federal Government. 52 === [PDF page 54] === However, there is no law to guarantee that the latter is put into practice. One of the main demands of working women which is also supported by the trade unions, is the realisation of equal pay for equal work. 37 per cent of the total number of employed persons in the Federal Republic are women. The greater proportion of these women work in order to help provide for their families. Only a small proportion of the married women work for an additional income. Problems of the movement for realising equal pay The majority of working women perform unskilled work or are employed as semi-skilled workers. On the whole women do not occupy prominent positions. The employers have not been sparing in their efforts to hinder the realisation on equal pay. For instance, they have set up new employment classifications for women’s work in order to jutsify the payment of lower wages to women. In the first place it depends on we women workers as to whether this justified demand for equal pay for equal work is put into effect. But there are various reasons why this just struggle is not given adequate support. The lives of women who work, especially when they are the sole support of the family, have been made increasingly difficult in recent years through rising prices. The cost of living has risen continually causing great hardships and worries and increasing women’s burden. In addition the continual rationalisation of work in the factories places such a heavy strain on women that they have little time or energy to press for their rights. Rationalisation should mean easier work. However, in the federal Republic, improved technical processes, on the whole, are based on raising the level of the output of the individual. Effects of the speedup The speed of the machines is accelerated and the obvious result is an increase in mental and rervous strain. This increase has had frightening results. Early invalidity and the sick rate among women has risen te an extraordinary degree. The percentage of early invalidity among women is 85 per cent, the average age of invalidity among women is 40 years among women office and factory workers and 35 years among women peasants and women agricultural workers. These are the facts, and it is not surprising that the Statistics Office of the Federal Republic has stated that the mortality figures for mothers and babies have risen to a frightening level. 53 === [PDF page 55] === Part-time work Another important problem is part-time work. The harm it does and the disadvantages it brings can be seen from the following example. In Southern Germany there are four textile factories which have introduced 4 hour working shifts for women. After four hours work at the machine the first signs of tiredness begin to show, then the day’s work is over for the first shift and another batch of fresh and rested workers take over. An average of 22 per cent increase in output is achieved by this method in a normal working day of eight hours. But this greater output does not in any way mean that the women workers earn 22 per cent more wages. On the contrary, they are paid less. According to the labour laws in the Federal Republic the employer is only obliged to pay social insurance for workers who work 30 hours per week. So these part-time workers are left without any social security. They are not only placed“at an immediate disadvantage, but their limited working time forfeits the right to old age pensions. Last but not least they represent a very real danger to all those women and mothers who are forced to work a full working day and a full working week in order to maintain their families. GREAT BRITAIN Mrs. Leigh deals with the many forms of discrimination suffered by the working women in Great Britain in economic, social and civil fields BESSIE LEIGH of life. She also discusses some prevailing misconceptions regarding women’s role in economic life and emphasises the necessity of combating these. Considering the question of women’s rights in Great Britain, it seems to me that the problems of our women differ only in degree and emphasis from those of women in many other countries, and that basically they are the same. Our country is highly industrialised and as a result our people enjoy many material advantages. Many advances have been made in the standard of life of our people in recent years. Therefore it has become fashionable to write and speak as though British women are in fact now imancipated, and have equality with men and full rights for themselves and their children. This is really very far from being the case. Since the war women in industry have become a permanent feature 1n our national life. Seven million women are now registered workers and there are probably several million more who do unregistered work, like domestic work and home work. It has become quite usual for mothers to get themselves a job once the youngest child reaches school age and there is little doubt that this practice will increase as time goes on, it being necessary to supplement the family income to meet the rising cost of living. 54 === [PDF page 56] === Discrimination in economic life Thus working mothers bear the double burden of being wage earner and home builder. In addition they suffer from the fact that all over the country, women’s industries are the worst paid and nationally women earn only 60 per cent of men’s earnings even when doing the same work. In many instances, although they have proved their capabilities to do highly skilled work only the less skilled jobs are open to them. There are some notable exceptions to this position and advances are being made towards equal pay and opportunities. Some government appointments carry equal pay for men and women, civil servants; teachers and local government employees are advancing towards equal pay by stages over the next few years. But it cannot be said that opportunities even in these fields are aqual for both men and women. For example, in 1953, whereas one in seven male teachers were headmasters, only one in ten women were appointed heads. Over the last few years many new schools have been opened for the increased population. In the new secondary modern schools the number of headmasters has increased by 236 while that of head mistresses has increased by only ten. Figures for 1955 show 1,759 head masters and 54 head mistresses, a ratio of 36 men to one woman. In recent months great publicity has been given to the need for many more scientists and technicians, and in a government White Paper of technical education special mention is made of the reserve of talents"in girls and young women. In spite of this whilst there are places in technical schools for one in three of our boys there is provision for only one in fourteen of our girls. Even expenditure for furniture and equipment in new A demonstratior. of the London Housewives against the Rent Bill. === [PDF page 57] === school buildings is allowed at £1 per head more in boys schools than in those for girls. In industry there are very few examples of equal pay and opportunity but there are some. Unemployment Unemployment is now growing in Britain and the situation is developing where it is no longer of any use for unemployed to look for work in the next town or district. A particularly bad situation is evolving in the new towns which were built after the war to take the overcrowded population off the big cities. Many young couples went to these towns to find work, a home and a chance to start a family. Now unemployment has hit them, and women are the first casualties. Home work and part time jobs are disappearing and when they work full time, if there has to be a choice, it is often the women who are put off before the men. Because women are not earners in their own right this pinciple is accepted by the Trade Unions and often by the women themselves although they suffer because of it. In fact they cannot see an alternative. As automation extends it will be women who get the many unskilled jobs at lower rates of pay while the opportunities of training in higher technical skills become less and less for them Misconceptions regarding women’s role Our women’s movement has to educate, not only public opinion but particularly women themselves on this question. They must fight for better technical training because it is a common misconception that it is a waste of money to train and educate a girl because she will only get married. This is contrary to fact and even if some women never have the opportunity to use their training, higher qualifications give women a wider outlook on life. Women obtain much from working outside the home which they cannot possibly get otherwise. We need to do a great deal of educational work on equal pay also. For many years. efforts have been made to get the help of the Trade Unions in this fight. But many difficulties have been in our way, because not only the \men, but very often the women themselves believe they are less important than men in industry and men have the right to earn more money. Activities for equal pay Just recently a big advance has been made in the decision of the Confederation of Engineering and Allied Workers to support the women’s wage claim. This Confederation covers 66 unions although women are mainly employed in the light engineering sections. But the claim of women at this time is not for equal pay. It is for a minimum wage) 56 === [PDF page 58] === equal to the male labourers rate. And in this industry women are doing.ome of the most highly skilled work. One thing is certain, when women do receive equal pay it gives them not only better wages but also selfrespect and confidence. Such an example is before our eyes in Britain today. In the London Transport system, due to the work of the trade unions, men and women do get equal pay. In the recent strike for a wage increase to compensate for the raise in the cost of living, 50,000 men and women came together on the picket line. Absolutely solid was their determination to defend the standard of life for themselves and their families. Meetings of busmen and their wives have been held at many garages, and in the collection of money for the strike fund, giving out of leaflets. etc, women have taken a full part along side the men. There has been one other feature of this strike which has the greatest significance for all of us. This is the unity of the men and women on the transport system. Thousands of coloured men and women from Africa and the West Indies have recently come to Britain to find work. Many have found it on the transport system. Today they stand united with the men and women born in Britain defending their common interests. Co-operation for improving the status of women We in Britain have a long way to go before we establish the right to work and equal opportunity of training for women. There are many women’s organisations who want this and we must find ways of bringing them together in order to achieve their objective. In August, 1956, a seminar was held in London on the Status of Women under a sponsoring committee of leading women of different views. Valuable research was done and information collected. Because of the work of the women’s organisations a Royal Commission was set up on divorce and changes are being made on divorce laws which discriminate against women. How tocombat misconceptions We want women to have the right to work. This is a principle which is generally understood among professional women. But there are millions of women outside the professions who are today overburdened with their responsibilities. We have to present this question _in such a way that they do not think that the W.LD.F. stands for every /Wwoman being forced to go out to work. Because so many mothers are ‘forced to go out to work now by economic necessity our programme will have no attraction for them unless they also understand that we Stand for freedom of choice in this matter. We want women to have a full family life as well and if they do work outside the home then they must have the social services they need to make family life complete. 57 === [PDF page 59] === We have too much propaganda against women taking part in publi, life on the grounds that the family suffers for us to be able to ignory this, and there is no doubt that some women prefer the home ang family to work outside. But there is no doubt also that given tact ang good will and organisation we shall be able to solve all problems an; advance on the road to full equality in the family and in society. GREECE We give a summary of a detailed study which the Greek delegation presented to the Conference dealing with the conditions of Greek women, More than 60 per cent of the working population are women, both in agriculture and in industry. Women working on the land and the peasant families in general live in a difficult situation. There are no laws to protect them, no social security and the protection of mother and child is almost non-existant. They are unemployed for the greater part of the year (on an average they work from 110 to 120 days a year). Although Greece has signed (but not ratified) I.L.O. Convention 100, discrimination against women and young people in relation to wages is considerable. The consequences of this practive are reflected in the poor health of the under-nourished women workers, as well as an increasing unemployment among men, who are very often replaced by women, especially in the tobacco industry. As a typical example of discrimination, the women employees in shops and offices could be cited: their pay is less than two thirds that of men who do the same work. A special chapter is devoted to information on home workers, dress makers, embroidery workers, flower makers, servants etc. They work long hours and receive between 15 and 20 drachmas. This is a starvation wage if one compares it to the minimum pay (in some contracts of 34 drachmas) already fixed which is discriminatory to women. To this must be added the fact that there is no legislation to protect them. Home workers, domestic servants, housewives, nurses and private school teachers are excluded from social security benefits. To qualify for an old age pension, a woman must be over 60. Legislation in connection with social security for women is getting worse day by day: “according to earlier legislation (law 6298/1934) the confinement allowance was payable on condition that the working woman had worked fifty days. The new law calls for 150 days work. Also in the past, according to the law of 1934, women were given a breast-feeding allowance for 60 days after the expiration of the confinement allowance. Under the law of 1951, this allowance is no longer given. 58 === [PDF page 60] === A remarkable distinction is made in the new bill which is about to pe introduced: for the same salary and the same period of employment, the pension of an insured woman is 30 per cent lower than that of a As regards the right to work, there is a great discrimination in Greece, and not only against women: “The mere fact of having played an active part in the national resistance against the Nazi occupation, er of having belonged to the national independence front. (EAM) or to the army (ELAS) disqualifies, and often the fact that the father or the spouse belonged to one of these is enough to cause the witholding of the certificate of legitimacy necessary for access to any post in public administration, in official institutions in banks and commercial companies and in local administrations. Therefore almost a third of the population is deprived of the right to work. All these people are obliged to do badly paid temporary work from time to time, and are reduced to a state of poverty. In order to get a certificate of legitimacy, a person is required by the police to sign an act of repentance, renouncing his political or social faith in writing.” As regards public and private law, Greek women continue to occupy an inferior position in relation to men: “She is in a position of inferiority, not only because the civil code is permeated with the idea of the “head of the family”, to whose authority the woman is subjected, but also because wherever the law is in force, whether it is private or public law, it is interpreted and applied by a judge or another public servant without lenience and with systematic prejudice against the woman.” Since 1953 women have enjoyed political rights: at present there are four women members of parliament and 243 members of local councils. Since 1955 they have been able to act on juries and they have access to all public functions, except in the church. In this study it is emphasised that even when laws favourable tc women exist they are interpreted in an arbitrary way so that women are deprived of many benefits they contain. There is still a clause in force which requires that a woman must have her husband's permission to join an association. === [PDF page 61] === HUNGARY EDITH ERDEI Mrs, Erdei describes the status of Hungariq, women, She also discusses the deep influeng of participation in social production on women She deals with the existing problems and urge, greater conciousness on the part of women themselves to fully utilize their legal rights. From the report made by Mrs Shanta Dev we can see how success. fully our great organisation, the Women’s International Democrati; Federation, fights on a national and international level for women’s rights, and against any and every discrimination. No one can fail to observe what a real force working women represent today, and that they are a permanent factor in the economic, cultura] and social life of every country. No discrimination: In Hungary the People’s Democratic Government guarantees women | equality and every kind of discrimination has been abolished. All jobs are open io women: in factories, administration, in science and in the sphere of the arts and culture. 17.7 per cent of the members of parliament, 16.3 per cent of ths mayors of local councils, 8.3 per cent of the executives in the state administration and 5.2 per cent of the factory managers are women. In a Hungarian factory, if you ask the young men and women workers who are doing the same work if they receive the same wages they will think it is an extraordinary question. For in our country men and women receive the same wages. The wage level is determined solely by the training and the type of work. With regard to specialised training, I quite agree with Mrs Shanta Dev when she says that women not only must be given the right to work, but they must also be given the opportunity for improving their qualifications and for working at an occupation of their own choice. Under the People’s Democratic rule the character of women’s work has changed. In former times in Hungary women were employed mainly in work which required no skill; in factories, in the building industry and in agriculture as day labourers. Now, with increased attention to education women are to be found not only in the most important branches of production as skilled workers, but also in work requiring higher education. 5.9 per cent of the constructional engineers, 15 per cent of the doctors, 5 per cent o/ the lawyers, 11 per cent of the judges and 59.3 per cent of the teachers in elementary and grammar schools are women. 60 === [PDF page 62] === special rights for women in order to ensure their eal equality There is only formal equality for women who work when biological differences between men and women are disregarded. Women are also mothers, who apart from their professional work also bring up the rising generation and thus make an important contribution to society. In view of this, full equality for women can only be brought about by guaranteeing them special rights. One of these special rights, is conjained in I.L.O. Convention No. 103 on protection of motherhood, supported by the W.I1.D.F. Hungary has ratified this Convention, and is putting it into effect. We find that our women have greater protection than is laid down in the Convention. The State helps working women to care for and educate their children by providing creches, nurseries, weekly homes and similar institutions. Why should women participate in social production? We are often asked why we insist in more women taking part in social production. It is true that we are doing everything we can to make it possible for women to take part in production for society. It would be false for us to maintain that the woman’s earnings do not play a role in this question. The woman’s earnings are important because they contribute to the prosperity of the family. But that is not the main reason. The human dignity of women is raised if she takes part in social production. It extends her horizon, allows her to develop and enables her to become free and equal. Existing difficulties Despite the successes we have achieved, we still have difficulties and shortcomings. For instance, son e factory managers disregard the Safety precautions for women, and the women’s movement and the trade unions do not always take action against such violations at the appropriate time. There are still too few places in kindergartens and despite the great efforts which have been made to build more houses, this is a problem which is still not solved. However, the greatest difficulty which is still to be overcome is the slowness with which people understand new ideas — slower than the earth turns round the sun. This slowness and backwardness are the reasons why many women are indifferent to the ultisation of their rights. It also reflects itself in the attitude of some families who will 61 === [PDF page 63] === hesitate to do something to help achieve equality for women. It is aly one of the reasons why the number of women in leading positions is no; higher. The women’s movement and the trade unions are working togethe to get women to make use of their legally guaranteed rights. It is im. portant that women know what rights they are entitled to. For this reason the women’s movement issues pamphlets, organises talks ang opposes every violation of the law. INDIA Dr. Dwarakabai raised the question of family planning, which is engaging considerable attention among women in India. We also print Dr. DWARAKABAI extracts from the materials turned in by the National Federation of Indian Women because it bears an account of the new legal status of Indian women, Problem of family planning I wish to raise a special point in relation to the protection of motherhood. A rapidly increasing population has created a problem in India in particular, undermining our already strained economy of today. This may not be so in the western countries. About 80 per cent of the population of India live in the rural areas, and due to the lack of education, ignorance and age old customs, as well as lack of facilities only 15 per cent of our women in the villages have their deliveries in hospitals or maternity centres, although in the urban areas about 6 per cent of the women can take advantage of the hospital facilities. Because of this we have a very high infant mortality rate, as high as 108 for every thousand births in 1956. The death rate is about 10 per cent in rural areas as compared with 2.4 per cent in the urban areas. The other important factor is that the health of most of us is substandard as a result of the old colonial legacies. There is a great deal of maternal ill-health due to the above causes. In some families we find that a woman of 30 has about half a dozen children to look after with probably a couple of twins who have to be fed on artificial milk as she herself is a physical wreck and unable to breast feed the babies. As a result of this burden of having to look after the house, the children and the husband, she hardly gets any time for receation or for participation in social activities. The rising prices of preserved milk products has created another problem for the housewife, leaving unhealthy and rickety children in its wake. Frequent childbirth, as we all know, leaves the mother with shattered health which she is often unable to overcome. To help combat this the Government of India has a family planning programme. This idea has 62 === [PDF page 64] === on the support of almost all women’s organisations. Family planning ntres are located in all the big hospitals in the cities as well as in the ospitals and the primary health centres in the rural areas. The xpenditure during 1956—57 was 9.12 hundred thousand rupees and a of 25 hundred thousand rupees is provided for 1957—58. All ate governments are implementing this programme in our country nd it has made notable progress during this year. The response in the yban areas is very satisfactory where mostly educated working women ike teachers and office workers live. In rural areas there is much less esponse because of the lack of education and the difficulty of breaking way from age old customs and superstitions. The woman believes that od has blessed her with offsprings, that it is part of her destiny and hat she has no power to alter it. Besides, we have great opposition om the Catholic church and the priesthood who influence their ongregations very strongly against these ideas. Family planning in country is being done according to the needs of the individual. ome are interested in the spacing of children and they get advice on ie benifit of contraceptives. In cases where there are a great many children or where the mother, due to frequent childbirth, is chronically ll, or in cases of infection where there is tuberculosis or leprosy, terilisation of the wife or the husband is advised, whichever is inlicated by the circumstances. Therefore as a medical women, I request this august body of women of all walks of life to help towards the propogation of family planning in the over-populated countries like India. Women’s march for cheaper food prices in Calcutta, India. === [PDF page 65] === Marriage and Family Rights One of the tasks facing the Indian woman in her struggle for emanc). pation was to overcome her feudal bondage and unequal status jy the family and in society. The entire upbringing and code of sociaj behaviour prescribed for a daughter was steeped in the ideas of feuda| subjugation and inequality. The prevalent ideas are that a daughte; does not need to be educated and that the parents’ only duty is to ge; her married. She must observe seclusion and the parents must get a bridegroom by paying money. The bigger the dowry the more eligible the bridegroom. Hence not love or free-choice but the power of money must decide a daughters fate in marriage. The system of child marriage, the tyranny of caste and subcaste in marriage, the habit of polygamy for men and strict observance of the indissolubility of marriage for women, resulting in the banning even of widow re-marriage, the social infliction of tyrannical superstitions on widows, the complete prohibition of divorce showed how women had from their earlier freedom become completely subjugated and oppressed. It was from such a society that women had to free themselves if they wanted to advance one step forward. The participation in the freedom struggle was a lever to free women from bondage but this was not enough. After the Independence of India, the need for a new political and social outlook was keenly felt. Naturally, therefore, the demand for a uniform Hindu Code governing marriage, succession, adoption and like matters could no longer be ignored. Although free, the Indian women were still backward educationally and not selfreliant economically. The struggle to achieve these rights and establish the equality of women in family life, marriage and succession etc., by law was taken up by the first parliament of India elected by general adult franchise. The Bills of Hindu Code was passed separately to avoid concentrated attack, the Hindu Marriage Act was passed in 1955, the Hindu Succession Act and the Adoption and Maintenance Act in 1956. Social legislation passed after independence consists mainly of an attempt to bring the personal laws of Hindus into conformity with the Constitution. The Hindu Marriage Act The Hindu Marriage Act sought to achieve: (a) Monogamy as an essential rule. Anyone contravening this can be legally prosecuted and the marriage can be declared null and void (b) Neither party can be an idiot or lunatic at the time of marriage. (c) Marriage of a boy under 18 and a girl under 15, is liable to be criminally prosecuted although this does not invalidate the marriage. 64 === [PDF page 66] === (d) If a girl under 18 marries without the consent of the parents, the persons concerned are liable to criminal prosecution, although the marriage does not thereby become null and void. Divorce The most revolutionary change and greatest departure from ancient law was brought about by allowing the right of divorce. The Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 makes provision for both divorce and judicial separation. According to the law as it exists today, if either the husband or wife refuse to live together without legal permission for separation being granted by a court of law, and if either of the parties applies, the court may grant a decree for restitution of conjugal rights. Formerly force could be applied for carrying out this decree. But now the decree cannot force them to live together if they are unwilling to do so However, if the decree is not acted upon for two years or more, the aggrieved party may apply for a divorce. The chief grounds for divorce are: — (a) Adultry (b) Conversion to another religion c) Suffering from a virulent form of leprosy or veneral disease in communicable form for three years. (d) Unsound mind for a continuous period of three years. (e) Renunciation of the world by entering any religious order. But no petition of divorce can be made before the passing of three years from the date of marriage. The right to inheritance The most important social law passed is the women’s right to inherit property. In Hindu Society everything passed to the sons. All a woman could claim as her own and which she could pass to her daughters were her jewellery and other things she received at the time of her marriage and which was known as “Stridhan” or the “woman’s property”. Therefore it was the right of inheritance which roused even greater opposition than the marriage laws. However, unity of women prevailed and the victory was won. It was only with the passing of the Hindu Succession Act that women in general were given the right to inherit the father’s property. For the first time in a thousand years, a uniform law of succession, applicable to all Hindus, has now granted the right of inheritance to a daughter, but even here there are complicated systems of inheritance and under some laws the woman has not yet been ensured an equal share with the son. But with the passing of the Hindu Succession Act of 1956 a step forward was made, in that now the woman will hold her property 65 === [PDF page 67] === with absolutely full rights to sell, mortgage or give away. As far as dwelling houses and family businesses are concerned, some special provisions limiting her rights have been made. A woman cannot ask for partition of the business unless the male heirs wish to do so also... In India today large sections of women of all shades of opinion are united that this fight for equal social, civil and economic rights is needed. The broadest united platform of activity can be built in Asian countries on this struggle for social and civil rights. The question of economic rights, though it gets support from all women, is complicated by the fact that tremendous unemployment exists among men by the employers insistence of cheap labour from women. The task of finding employment for women through cottage industries is another source of common activity among women’s organisations. r Thus it is that the fight for social, family and civil rights of women is one the broadest instruments of united action paving the way for common activity on the widest possible scale. INDONESIEN Mrs MUDIKDIO Mrs. Mudikdio raises the necessity of special emphasis on the peasant women and proposes Vice-Chairman of GERWANI and tne nolding of a seminar on this question by the Head of the Indonesian Delegation witn.F. She also presents the activities of the G.E.R.W.A.N.1. for reforming the marriage law “I welcome the report given at this Conference and I am of the opinion that all the items in it are correct. In fact, they picture the conditions of women in the modern world. Discrimination still exists in all fields, especially in colonial and underdeveloped countries. This is because of the remnants of feudalism, imperialist oppression and conservative ways of thinking. All these cause the backwardness of women in all fields. Look, dear friends, women in colonial and dependent countries usually do not receive a good education, and moreover, the percentage of illiteracy is highest among the women. In some of the technically advanced countries, women are not allowed to arrange their own property. In short, discrimination still exists, except in people’s democracies and socialist countries. More emphasis on peasant women is needed The discrimination in one country differs from that in another. according to the situation in each country. However, for dependent and 66 === [PDF page 68] === colonial countries, of an agricultural type, without a developed industry, there is a group of women which suffers the most and most strongly feels the effects of discrimination. This is the women peasants. For us women from an agricultural country this question of women peasants is very important.. I understand that it is not possible to discuss each group in society, and that we are only mentioning the general lines of the struggle of women. In the report, the interests of the women peasants have not been sufficiently mentioned and stressed. The right we are claiming for equal wages for equal work does not apply to the women peasants, because this only refers to women workers. For women workers the Indonesian Parliament has ratified Convention 100, and now we have only to fight for its implementation. The highest figure of illiteracy is also among the women peasants, and is 50 per cent in Indonesia out of an overall percentage of 15. May be the situation in your countries is different from ours, but in our country, the problem of the women peasant has not been solved. That is why I would like to propose to the W.IL.D.F. that they study this problem of women peasants thoroughly and try to find a way to solve this problem. Perhaps we could arrange for a seminar to be held after receiving a complete report on this matter, or propose that this conference should make a draft law to be presented to the government in each country concerning the protection of women peasants. Third Congress of Gerwani (Indonesian Women's Movement — membership over 600,000). === [PDF page 69] === It is true that the position of the women peasants is difficult. They are workers, but not factory workers, not harbour workers, not indus. trial workers. Their working power is however a decisive one, espe. cially in agricultural countries. Because those who cultivate the pady are women, the ones who bring in and take care of the harvest are women, and the ones stamping the pady are women ioo. In addition they fulfil their duties as mothers, and run the household. They have no rights and no protection. The distribution of the land is given to the head of the family and not to the women. The second problem: The Marriage Law. Under Dutch colonialism, the Indonesian women struggled for 30) years for national independence and for a democratic marriage law, but they did not succeed. Now, after 12 years of independence, this is about to be applied and a draft Marriage Law has already been presented to the Indonesian Parliament. Discussions on this matter have not yet taken place. In 1954, GERWANI forwarded a draft to its members to be discussed. The main points are based on the principle of the article 15 of the Human Rights Convention, a Marriage Law should be enacted on the following three points: 1. Equality in marriage, which means, a young girl should not be compelled by her parents or by anybody else to marry, because of economic questions or others. She should marry according to her own wish. 2. During the marriage, in the household and in society, there should be no difference between the rights of the wife and the rights of the husband. They should have the same right in the education of their children and to property rights. 3. The same rights in the case of divorce, for instance the grounds for divorce to be the same for women as for men. At present, in marriage, in the household, in divorce, the rights are those of the husband, so that they are often used in a despotic way. Although we are not satisfied with the draft Marriage Law which is now in Parliament, and the GERWANI has not handed in its own draft, because of the less favourable balance of votes in parliament. we the GERWANI and ten other women’s organisations, welcomed this draft and wish that this should be ratified as soon as possible during the next session of parliament. The 5 members of the GERWANI in parliament will forward ow proposals and the changes we would like to have. Because there is still no democratic marriage law in so many. countries and not enough protection for the interests of women, I fully agree to adopt principles for a more progressive marriage law at th¢ Conference, to be put before our countries through women in parliament for their ratification. 68 === [PDF page 70] === The third problem: The protection of motherhood In this case, because there is only limited social security for women, and in some underdeveloped countries, none at all, I agree to appeal to all countries, for the ratification of Convention 103 and Recommendation 95. We women’s organisations must not remain passive; these righis vill not just be handed to us without a struggle. We have to work hard for these rights through many channels, through parliament, the government, organisations of workers and peasants, and especially in co-operation with other women’s organisations. Do not forget the intellectuals, who are now a considerable number, but who are still not paying enough attention to the sufferings of women. In our activities we must invite them to come and use their capacities for the defence of the rights of women in the broadest sense. Above all, along with our own activities to claim laws for social security, and to work for good @o-operation with all strata of the society and with all women, there is a difficult task for all of us, that is “to prevent war”. Because only in peace, undisturbed by war or war-preparations, only then we will be able to work, to struggle for our rights, to defend the rights of children, democracy and gain our independence.” ISRAEL LYA COUBLANOFF Mrs. Coublanoff speaks about the position of women in Israel rearding the right to work, social securities and their backward civil rights. More than 7 per cent of the women are engaged in professions as doctors, lawyers or scientific workers. In our agricultural communities women have reached absolute equality with men. They are working in all spheres and in all trades and they have all rights, but the same conditions do not exist in other trades. Almost 12 per cent of women work in industry where there is no equal pay for equal work. A big problem facing women who work is the lack of qualification. They begin to work at the age of 16 or 17, married women resume work after some years if the husband has some difficulties. In such cases they lose their skill and employers are reluctant to allow women workers to improve their skill. The second problem is that of night work. We have achieved some progress in the law which does not allow night work, protecting women from dangerous and unhealthy work. It is forbidden to dismiss a pregnant woman. Taking advantage of a time when women cannot work employers continue to dismiss them. We must find a 69 === [PDF page 71] === solution to this problem. I must also mention the laws on nationaj insurance which grant working women three months pay before and after confinement. Every woman whether she works or not receives an allowance of 86 punds for a birth. This law has helved lower the infant mortality rate. Women and children receive free medical care. There is also an organisation called Women Pioneers and Working Mothers who take care of children’s nurseries by day and by night making it possible for women to work, but there are not enough of them. In Israel there are also laws on free compulsory public education for children up to the age of 14. The problem of unemployment is very acute especially among young women and girls. Another problem which is very important for us is the survival of archaic customs which still persist, concerning divorce, inheritance, the right of a mother in relation to her child. Women members of parliament are continuing to struggle for women’s rights in Israel. ITALY Mme, Mezza gives an interesting account of the many sided activities carried on by the Union of Italian Women on women’s rights, e. g. the MARIA-VITTORIA legal recognition of the work done by housewives MEZZA and women working on the land, on equal pay, for modification of civil laws and implementation of all existing laws. She presents a valuable experience of the broad co-operation achieved in the Italian women's movement. Union of Italian Women, Minister of Parliament The discussions. at this conference have confirmed once more that the problems of women and the struggles conducted assume different forms in the different parts of the world. They have furthermore confirmed, that the emancipation of women, which is the basic content of our activity and the justification of our existence as an organisation, nowhere in the world represents a problem in itself. It varies according to the different national structures and social systems and has its specific features. This applies to the underdeveloped countries as much as to countries with the new type of society. It is this fact, which to our mind makes it possible to conduct such exchanges of views and experiences as were mentioned in the introductory report, to which we fully agree. It is this unity in presence of the whole diversity, of circumstances and demands, which enables us to bring out the essential features of our organisation with increasing clarity, its character is well defined and its action original, allowing it to fulfil its important function of differentiating and encouraging the solution of different problems in accordance with the specific-situatior 70 === [PDF page 72] === in each respective country. Despite our satisfaction with successes already achieved, we must not overlook the fact, that the emancipation of women constitutes one of the most many—sided, complicated and urgent problems of modern times. The IVth Congress of the Union of Italian Women underlined the principle aim of our association and its main purpose: to achieve the emancipation of women in Italy. It also showed the concrete aims, and the methods and forms of actions to be conducted. Italy has a constitution which is based upon very advanced democratic principles; on the other side the social and economic structure of the country is extremely backward, which is also reflected in the customs and usages. These contradictions, which are evident in all spheres of national life, are even more marked in all matters relating to the emancipation of women. The activities of a womens’ organisation are possible and necessary because the womens’ question is far from being solved in our country. The womens’ organisation must stand above the various political and religious diflerences, and become the representative and the instrument of the women fighting for their demands. In Italy, a country with a capitalist and clerical regime, these demands are, to a greater extent than elsewhere, not confined to women alone, but represent problems of concern to society as a whole. The right to work; legal recognition of the work done by housewives and women working on the land. By virtue of the fact that we have made the struggle for the emancipation and for the rights of women the main aim and purpose of our organisation, we have been able to go beyond the limits of general activities, we have stopped being a vague and supplementary aid to other movements. Even though the conditions for the forming of alliances between different trends of opinion are not favourable in Italy, above all due to the weight of the influence exerted by the church, our endeavours for co-operation have underlined the universal character of our organisation, and have opened the way for alliances, which, we believe, will be extended in the future. The Union of Italian Women has taken firm roots despite all obstacles, as an indispensible factor in the life of women in our country. This must be considered as an important success in our political development, which the forces of reaction continue to discredit wherever they can. We have tried to define and solve the problems of our women, taking into account the general conditions prevailing in the country. We have 71 === [PDF page 73] === tried to do this in such a way as to make our own uniaue contribution to the endeavour to ensure the practical application of the constitution. That is why our struggle for the right to work is in fact a struggle for the application of reforms envisaged by the constitution. Our efforts to obtain legal recognition of the work done by housewives and women working in agriculture have mobilized and roused the awareness of women. The same applies with regard to the struggle for equal wages equality of women in the family, for better social services. etc... Results achieved We consider the ratification of Convention No. 100 of the ILL.O. by the Italian Parliament as an important achievement. We must continue to fight in order to ensure the guarantees which we consider essentia! in this connection. We have also obtained some success with regard to obtaining a reduction in the wage differentials paid to men and women in several factories. The law presented by the W.I.D.F. Vice President Deputy Maria Rossi, which provides for the admission of women to the popular and juvenile courts has come into force. For the first time domestic work is now protected by a special law in Italy. After ten years of refusal and stubborn resistance, the Merlin Act, which puis an end to the disgrace of officially sanctioned prostitution — has been passed. Apart from these particular victories, we also consider of great importance that we have on many occasions been able to mobilise certain section of public opinion to take action in support of women’s demands, including associations and organisations which have in general been very far from or even opposed to us. Two national congresses: on the reform of the Civil Code, andonequal pay for equal work Another event which gave evidence cf the value of our line of action was the national congress organised by the Federation of Italian Women Lawyers held a few months ago, where some of our proposals fo: amendments to the sections of the Civil Code dealing with structur: of the family were discussed. The existing laws are based upon extremely conservative principles. Also we are proud of the importance which Mme. Cotton gave to the interest aroused by a national conference on equal pay for equal work, which was held in Milan. We are aware of all the difficulties which still stand in our way, hindering us from making an even closer study of all the aspects oi the struggle for the emancipation of women in Italy. The inquiry on the professional qualification of women, at present being held, is intended to show the extent of the problem. We believe that this problem 72 === [PDF page 74] === js not only a matter of concern to Italy, but also to countries with more \dvanced social systems than our own. We hope therefore that the ongress will give some attention to this question and make a valuable ontribution. _ This was brief survey of the struggle waged by our organisation for the rights of women, and on which it will continue to report in an even nore effective way in future. We shall continue to stimulate the awareess of the broad masses of women in our country, always engaging vider sections and calling them to struggle and to co-ordinate their tivities for the emancipation of women and for their rights with ie fight for peace in Italy and in the world — a connection which nust be made clear to the majority of women in our country. TOKO IUCHI Mrs. Iuchi and Mrs. Ogasawara in their comi prehensive account of the situation of wor'cing Head of the Women’s Department women in agriculture present many interesting the General Council of the sacts and experiences. So we print extracts from jpanese Trade Unions SOHYO both the speeches. The problems of women workers _ Today, it is understood that the Japanese women’s claim for their ights coincides with their demand to live. The fact that the maiority of he Japanese population is forced to remain very poor as a result of their country’s subordination to foreign domination, which makes her an atomic base, has become widely known among Japanese women. _ What will really emancipate the Japanese women? They are learning through their own lives that their real emancipation will not be attained mly by expansion of women’s rights, but is closely connected and pends upon the recovery of their national independence and presertion of world peace. Life has shown that the Government's reactionary policy for rearma- ‘tment reduces to worthlessness their constitutionally guaranteed rights women’s rights to work have been hampered and the majority of ie people are thrown into poverty. 2 _ The number of women workers is on an increase year by year. @specially from 1955 to 1957 it increased by 890,000 representing 19.1 Per cent in the field of women’s employment. The total of female laboui has reached 5,550,000 level, or cauivalent to 41 per cent of the total Male workers. Let us look into the actual conditions of the female ; The productivity promotion campaign which was started from 1954 and sponsored by the capitalists and the government, in parallel with 73 === [PDF page 75] === their rearmament policy, has resulted in a high capital accumulatio, rate. At the same time female workers have been subjected to many forms of discriminatcry treatment. The low wage system and long working hours are such as are rarely found even in underdevelopeg countries. While the discrepancy between total production and. actual wage; grows wider, it is especially noted that women’s wages which stoog as low as 44 per cent of that of men’s in 1955, has dropped to 42.4 pe cent or an average monthly wage of 8,600 yen, or about twenty Us dollars approximately. In the textile industry, women’s wages are fay lower than the average, namely 38.2 per cent of the male workers. This means that they can earn a monthly average wage of less than 6,00) yen or about 16.50 US dollars. Effects of automation Women are greatly effected by the introduction of automation. Examples are seen in such industries as textiles, in electric communications employing automatic telephone switching system and teletype. in banking-and security business where electronic calculation machines are introduced. Large-scale dismissal of employees is being carried on by means of “temporary lay-offs”. New employment is suspended by many large enterprises. Married women are the first to be discharged and those women who are to marry are forced to resign in exchange for special allowance retirement money. In the face of various oppressions, women have fought to strengthen their activities within the women’s departments of trade unions under the watchwords of “Let us unite for the defence of our life and rights.” For instance, the workers of the Tele-communications Workers’ Union and the National Railway Workers’ Union have come eut to fight against mass dismissal caused by automation. They have been fighting to obtain favourable labour contracts so that more workhands can be obtained, temporary workers be promoted as a workers and their working hours be shortened. The question of “equal pay for equal work” is tackled parallel with the demand for a minimum wage system. In the face of pressure on the side of the workers for the legislation of a minimum wage system, thé government has had to set up a minimum wage system, but worked out only on enterprises agreement, which is far from meeting the real demands of the workers. For protection of motherhood Protection of motherhood has been particularly demanded by wome? workers in Japan. For instance, there has been a strong movemen! === [PDF page 76] === among women workers uniting with the General Council of Trade Unions of Japan (SOHYO) which included approximately half of the total organised workers. They have come out for the protection of motherhood as part of their movement for the better living conditions and their rights. They are raising their demands for nurseries and insisting thal managements include their demands in their labour contracts. Women workers of the All-Japan Medical Workers’ Union, the Japan Teachers’ Union and the Municipal and Local Government Workers’ Union are demanding legislation to guarantee them the right for maternity leave. Another question is that of married women workers who are increasing in number recently. It is reported that 35 per cent of the total women have to support their families. This comes from the fact thai the wages of Japanese workers are very low, on the whole, and women have to help their husbands financially. At the same time, this is a proof that more and more women who started working after the war have become aware of their rights as working women. Therefore, one of the most pressing demands of the working women in present Japan is the question of nurseries. They demand a condition in which they can continue their work after they have become mothers. The claim for more nurseries, particularly for creches, which has spread widely, not only among workshops but on regional level, is supported by housewives and the workers in small enterprises, they have persuaded local governments to build nurseries. Some working women are uniting together to build nurseries independently. The difficulty confronting them is that when the working women get together to make nurseries or creches it is difficult for them to run them financially for a long period of time. This means that they have to press the government or local governments for their demands. However, the authorities try to take as little responsibility as possible in meeting their demands, or even when they accept it, they prefer to build nurseries where babies are taken care of en masse. Women workers have become aware of the fact that without the help of women in the household, it is imvossible for them to win their demands. The fact that women workers have participated actively in the campaign for a Mothers’ Congress held both nationally and internationally, shows that they are trying to conduct actions in unity with housewives for their common demands.; === [PDF page 77] === SADAKO OGASAWARA President of the Hokkaido Women’s Peace Association Problems of women in the villages The number of farming households in Japan amounts to 6,000,000 and that of the farming pcpulation to 16,000,000 of which well over 8,000,000 are women. The proportion of female workers of this counti'y stands as high as about 53 per cent of the total farming population, this means that about one half of the total women workers of Japan are engaged in agriculture. An average cultivated area of a Japanese farming household is only about 8 “tan” 6 “se” (or about 2 acres), and the verage family is 6.03 persons. It is necessary in farming households for the husbands or grown up sons to go out to work at a job other than farming, and consequently women or the elders of the family do the farming. This position-increases yearly. On the other hand because of growing difficulties in making both ends meet by cultivating rice and wheat alone, as they have been doing up to date, many farmers are switching over to dairy farming, fruit and vegetable cultivation which makes it easier for them to get a cash income. An average working week for a farming woman in this country is & hours for farming, plus 5 hours for her housework... a totai of thirteen hours a day. A mere comparison between her working hours and that of women workers in urban districts may show rather a small difference. However, the farming woman has very little regular rest and in the busy season especially, she has to work for more than thirteen or fourteen hours for farming only, auite apart from her work for the household. Not only are farming women placed under such unfavourable conditions, but they are more or less deprived of their liberties and rights as human beings. Status of the farmers wife in the family The position of a wife in a farmer’s household is always the lowest and the least respected. For instance here is a case of a farmers wife who is thirty years old She has two children aged six and three. In her family there are her husband’s parents and a brother and sister-in law, both adults. It is always the job of the farmers wife to be the first up in the morning and prepare the breakfast. It is also up to her to clear the table after supper. She is the last one to take a bath and go to bed. She is bound 76 === [PDF page 78] === to work the longest and the only rest she can find is when she sleeps. Furthermore she receives no pocket money for her own daily necessities from her husbands household but has to ask for it from her own parents. It is customary for her to ask for this from her parents for as long as ten or even fifteen years after her marriage. For about ten years after marriage she has to ask her mother-in-law about the daily menu and the amount of rice to be cooked and distributed among her husband’s family. She has no voice in her childrens education and no freedom to go out. She is not allowed to give her opinion on the management of the farm. Activities of various organisations among village women Faint light — the light of emancipation of human beings — has been thrown on the darkness surrounding farming women both from inside and outside. Today there are various organisations run by women or connected with women in the rural areas. Parents and Teachers Association, Women’s Association, Young Men’s Association, Women’s Department of Agricutural Co-operative Association, 4-H Club, Living Improvement Club, Meeting of Mothers and Women Teachers, Mother’s Association, Meeting of the Right to Live. Agricultural Research Meeting etc. Women’s Association is a regional women’s organisation which has its branches in rural towns and villages. In its earlier stages of existence its purpose was to agitate for holidays for farming women and now thanks to its efforts, farming women enjoy a holiday once a month in order to hold a-meeting on that day in each small community of towns or villages. j The activities of P.T.A’s, meeting of mothers and women teachers. schools for mothers and women’s schools, which are to be held in the off-seasons of the rural areas, have caused young mothers to take a positive interest in their children’s problems and in awakening and stimulating their aspirations as a mother. With a view to improve the way marriage is conducted in rural areas, Young Men’s Associations made a positive call upon Women’s Associations and organised discussions in which both sides exchanged their opinions frankly. In this movement they launched “Discussion between parents and children” and “Discussion between young men and women’. Thanks to these efforts, marriage in the rural area is gradually improving democratic marriage respecting the will of the couple is taking the place of the hitherto prevalent old style marriage which is forced upon young people by the will of their parents. === [PDF page 79] === Self-awakening of young women to their position as wives or young mothers is markedly observed in the rural districts of Japan these days and it is showing itself in the formation of young wives’ associations, who are showing their creative energy for bettering their position. In parallel with women’s associations we must also note the activities of the women’s department of agricultural co-operative associations whose membership covers widely all over the nation. The organisation aims at economic improvement of agricultural life. Hence they concentrate their efforts on encouraging savings, the introduction of planning of agricultural household economy based upon budget and employment of book-keeping for household economy, ete. Although the position of farming women who were once referred to as “silent labouring oxen” is making a gradual change for the better, Wwe must admit that their social and political consciousness is still low and this is the problem which is connected with the Japanese farmers, the majority of whom are forced from morning till night to such hard labour that they can hardly find time even to read a newspaper. JORDAN FATIMA BUDEIRI Mrs. Budeiri speaks of the difficult conditions under which the women and especially the peasants of Jordan have to live. She particularly mentions the absence of mother and child care. The condition of women in the Arab world is eneven. In the United Arab Republic women have won the right to vote and to be elected. However, in Jordan and Iraa, women are still striving for franchise. They are deprived of their rights so that half the nations capacities are wasted, in a land suffering from imperialist oppression. As to Saudi Arabia, Yeman, Kwait and Bahrain; the status of women has remained as it was centuries ago. Their scope of activity does not go beyond house-work and care for children, and they are prevented from entering any field of public work, except in Kuwait, where illiteracy has almost been eliminated and some girls are being sent for education abroad. As to the right to work this has been to some extent achieved in the United Arab Republic. In Iraq and Jordan, the number of working women is increasing, although their wages are less than those of men, and the attitude of employers towards them is discriminatory. The main difficulty facing women who work outside the home is that they have to carry two great burdens, there is first their job outside the home, and secondly they have the care of the family. This places a great responsibility on them. 78 === [PDF page 80] === protection of Motherhood essential for realizing the right to work. While the socialist and some technically advanced countries have provided suitable conditions for women, such as kindergartens for their babies, other countries have completely ignored this aspect. It remains for the women to find a method of solving these problems if they are o enjoy the full right to work and to lead'a normal home life. I know many women who are not fortunate in having a mother or relative to care for their children and they work always in a state of uneasiness with their minds unconsciously with their children. Furthermore, married women workers are always accused of doing poor work but no consideration is given to the fact that many married women carry out two big responsibilities. These conditions affect women workers in government offices or elsewhere. In addition a pregnant woman worker in Jordan cannot get an additional day to her official annual leave of two to three weeks. Should she take additional time off during the pregnancy period for “any reason the state does not pay her any salary. I myself remained at work until 3 p.m. and gave birth to my second child at about 8. p.m. The same happened to many of my female colleagues. Life is harder for women in the countryside But the fate of women working on the land calls for great concern. The village woman who works on the land side by side with her husband gets very little rest. Her home is very primitive, she carries water to her house, sometimes from a far away spring, and collects wood for cooking and heating. All this requires hours of continuous toil. Besides she has to help her husband in the work on the land, doing the job of Weeding, sowing, ploughing and harvesting. Very often the babies are left under a tree or sleeping in a hammock exposed to the elements. We therefore find that the rate of deaths is very high among children in this group of women and the rate of disease is very high among the Women themselves. I have given a short review of the state of women workers in Jordan, Which is to a great extent similar to that in most of the other Arab Countries, although in the United Arab Republic the state of women is Much better as a result of sincere cooperation between the Government and the people, and a general concern for the welfare of the population. I regret to say that women in Jordan were about to gain their polilical right to vote which would have helped them to improve their Conditions. But due to the political setbacks suffered by the people of Jordan a year ago they did not succeed. Yet we have hope that the Conditions in our country will change for the better and that women Will gain their full rights as mothers, citizens and workers. 79 === [PDF page 81] === KIRGHIZ SOVIET SOZIALIST REPUBLIC, U.S.S.R. APPAL APYSHEVA Mrs. Apysheva recalis the backward condit of the Kirghizian women under the colon regime of the past and contrasts those with striking advances made after the establishm of the Socialist Republic. The Past Many of the things I have heard at this Congress, vividly remindeg me of the stories told by Kirgizian mothers about the difficult life thi led before the October revolution. Women were slaves. The birth of a girl meant despair for the famil Women were ruled first by their father and then by their husban I frequently recall the stories of my mother. She was born in a pi family. She was forced to marry a rich old man without having bee; asked. Women were not in a position to dream about love or happine The life of Kirghizian women was dark and dull. They enjoyed rights. They were denied all elementary rights in society and famil Women in New Kirghizia The first laws and regulations of the Soviet government declar the full equality of women in all spheres of economic, political an civil life... However, declarations of rights alone cannot make wom equals. It demands that women should take part in productive labour. Realising this, the Kirghizian people, together with the entire Sovi people, started the tremendous work of helping women to beco valuable members and builders of the new society. Here are some facts showing the role of the Kirghizian women in th life of our Republic. Ten Kirghizian women are elected deputies of the USSR Supre' Soviet — the highest legislative body in the country. One hundred ant twelve women are deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the Kirghi republic, 6,182 women are deputies on the local councils. Kirghiz women hold high posts in governmental and scientific est® blishments. Ten women are ministers and vice-ministers in the R public. Women combine this valuable and responsible work with thei duties as mothers and wives both of which are equally honoured. You may want to know how our women manage to do both the! jobs. The needs of mothers in our republic, as everywhere in the Sovit Union are provided for. Maternity leaves and a broad network 80 === [PDF page 82] === children’s institutions (creches, kindergartens, boarding schools and out of school activities) are of good help to women in bringing up healthy, educated children. _ In addition, in our Republic, a great number of good canteens, restaurants and cafes, social services and laundries are being built. The output of cheap, electric household appliances has been considerably increased, But we think that much more needs to be done. We are proud to say that in Kirghizia, which was a backward colony in the past, there are no longer illiterate people. About 3,000 women are engaged in the work of scientific and cultural establishments. 85 women have the scientific degree of masters and doctors. More than 10,000 women are teachers and more than 8,000 women are doctors. LUXEMBERG YVONNE USELDINGER Mrs, Useldinger speaks of the inferior legal status of women and various forms of discrimi- Pnion of Luxemberg women nation in relation to working women. In respect to their legal rights the women of Luxemberg have an inferior status, Our legislation covering civil rights is based upon the “Code Napoleon”. Article 213 of the Constitution lays down: — “The husband must protect his wife. The wife must obey her husband”. The word ‘obey’ is a term of ‘complete subjection’. The three K’s, Kinder, Kirche, Kuche, (children, church and kitchen) Still constitute a widespread attitude towards women. This is also illustrated by the fact that there are no women members in parliament or on the municipal councils. Only very rarely are women nominated by the parties as candidates. Economic Rights In Luxemberg, 18,000 women are in paid employment. Not all employed women are included in this figure, for it does not include girls apprentices, business women and women peasants. Two thirds of them are covered by legal wage agreements, which lay down that they must receive 90 per cent of the minimum wage paid to men. A third of the employed women are women and girls working as domestics. There is no social legislation covering these women with regard to wages, holidays and working hours. 81 === [PDF page 83] === Despite the fact that a legal minimum wage has been laid down fo; female workers, it is not always adhered to by the employer. This is especially true in the textile industry and in small-scale production, Another form of discrimination is that employed married women are taxed twice. The social and legal position of women peasants and business women urgently requires improvement. Most of them work without enjoying any social rights. Legislation concerning pensions for all women in our country is an urgent necessity. For example, the widow of a worker who dies as a result of an accident only receives 40 per cent her husband's annual earnings, and the children get 20 per cent. Out of 6,000 widows pensions paid out, 4,000 are less than 2,000 francs per month and only 250 reach the level of 4,000 francs. NETHERLANDS HANNA MOLIN Mrs. Molin raised the problem of joint taxation and the restricted scope for training and education, She also discusses the influence of inequality in wages for women on the general wages level. Compared with many other countries, the number of women employed in our industries is not very large. Only 14 per cent of all married women are officially registered as gainfully employed outside their own homes, working as charwomen, factory workers, agricultural workers, etc. Women employed in industry only receive 65 per cent of the wages paid to a man doing the same work. Against joint taxation the disgraceful practice of imposing an additional tax on the earnings of married women forces many of them to take on registered work. The pay of a married woman is considered as a second income in one household; the earnings of man and wife are added up and taxed as one, the rate of taxation becomes so high, that a woman would have to work for three months every year for nothing in order to pay her tax. Several women’s organisations, including, of course, the Netherlands Women’s Movement, have protested to the government and to Parliament. Convention 100. Our Government did not sign the Convention No. 100, passed at the Conference of the International Labour Office in Geneva, to enable it to maintain the differential in wages between men and women in our industries. 82 === [PDF page 84] === Insufficient measures for child-care Amsterdam, the largest town in the country, has more than 6 creches for a total of 500 small children. In addition to being insufficient, all of these establishments are closed for one month in the summer thus considerably increasing the burden of women with small children who go to work. Until a few years ago, children did not even have facilities to eat the meals brought from home. All the existing facilities were provided by the voluntary work cf local women. The Netherlands Women’s Movement very actively took this matter in hand and has been successful in that now municipalities are paying subsidies for proper school meals. Restricted scope for training and education The prospects of education are far more limited for girls than for® boys. There are 64,000 girls of 14 and over who receive no education or training, while the number of boys in this age group only amounts to 36,000. Secondary schools are attended by 98,876 boys and only 37,434 girls. As for university study, there are altogether 4,887 male and no more than 64 female students. There are no grants paid to students in our country, and the few scholarships that there are, in the first place go to boys. At Edam, a small town, which has become a big industrial centre in recent years, womens’ organisations succeeded by their activities to obtain scholarships also for girls. Effect of unequal pay in the generai wage level The underpayment of female labour represents a great danger to the wages of men; our delegation feels that this factor is not sufficiently emphasised in our resolution. At a period of industrial regression and crisis, women are always used to hold down the general wage level. We could quote a particularly eloquent example in this respect, which applies to our country. On one occasion men refused to dig up potatoes for a certain sum offered to them. Women, who receive only 65 per cent of a man’s wages, were then employed for this job. In other words the men were faced with the alternative of either losing their work, or doing it at the rate of only 65 per cent of the pay which was actually due to them. We believe that our resolution should not only express the fact of discrimination being made against women, but also point out that - women should fight against being used — consciously or not to depress wage levels. 83 === [PDF page 85] === PAKISTAN ALYS FAIZ AHMED Mrs. Faiz Ahmed acquainted the Conference with the demands worked out jointly by a number Of women’s organisations in Pakistan. These demands relate to the status of women in political, social, economic and civil life and are to serve as a platform for campaigning in the coming general elections. A united platform against discrimination During the coming year General Elections will be held in Pakistan. Constituting as they do 47 per cent of the full national electorate, the women of Pakistan are increasingly aware of the vital role which they can and should play in determining the type of Government which e will follow. The women of Pakistan are fortunate in that they have full-and equal franchises with men, reserved seats in the National Assembly and the chance to vote into power a Government which, if they so choose, will do something towards eliminating descrimination against women in social, political and cultural spheres. I would like to acquaint you with the latest development in this sphere. On May 23rd, 1958 a Women’s United Front was formed in Lahore and a common platform formed by the following organisations. Awaz i Niswan (Voice of the Women) All Pakistan Muslim Women’s Federation. Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Pakistan Federation for Women’s Rights. Binat i-Pakistan (Women of Pakistan) Muslim Women’s League,* Republican Party, Girl Guides Association, Awazi League, Press Club of Lahore, Punjab Union of Journalists. The following demands were agreed upon and an ad hoc Committee appointed to formulate a plan for action: 1. The Constitution to be amended to give all the citizens of Pakistan, irrespective of sex, an equality of status, of opportunity without any reservation for any type of service and equal pay for equal work as was provided in the Constitution framed by the dissolved Constituent Assembly. 2. The principle of equal vote for men and women recognised by the ‘Constitution be guaranteed and provided in the elections to all the local bodies, District boards, Municipal Committees Corporations and Cantonment Boards. Equal right to vote and contest in all the general constituencies be provided for women and in addi-— tion a certain percentage of seats to be reserved for them for two elections only in order to ensure their representation. 3. The recommendations contained in the Marriage and Family Laws Commission be given legislative shape soon after the elections and 84 === [PDF page 86] === special courts for questions relating to women be set up with women representatives as members of \these courts. The Muslim Personal Law of Sheriat relating to inheritance be strictly enforced and Revenue Officers be instructed to see that women get their full share in property. Women and children’s bureaus be set up in the departments of Health and Labour. Suitable legislation be enacted to ensure for all working mothers maternity leave with full pay, creches, kindergartens and schools for their infants, old age pensions, social security against sickness, accidents, bonus and gratuity, and free medical aid. A Women’s Section be set up in the Ministry of Information to collect statistics, data and information about the position of women belonging to all strata of society and to act as consulting bureaus for all Government departments. This should be placed in charge of women. Women members be appointed on the provincial and Central Public Services Commissions. Appointments, selections and promotions of women not to be made without the consultation of women members. The sums of money sanctioned for beneficient departments and activities every years be spent equally on men and women and adequate facilities, medical, educational and economic, be provided for women. All Jirga trials (local trials held in frontier areas by_the chiefs) which encourage the sale of daughters, sisters and wives be abolished forthwith. Legislation be enacted to abolish prostitution and to provide speedy punishment for all the bad elements of society, people who harrass women or force them to become their slaves. . Government will make every effort to provide the basic necessities of life at reasonable prices for all the citizens of Pakistan and particularly for housewives. The women of Pakistan face an overwhelming task in the fight for their rights, oppressed and handicapped as they are, but a start has been made and we have now ceased to look back — we look forward not only to end the long struggle but to ultimate victory. 85 === [PDF page 87] === POLAND Dr. EUGENIA Dr. Pragierowa discusses the problems of Polish women and the various activities undertaken PRAGIEROWA by the Women’s League in order to fully realise in everday life the equal status guaranteed by law. She spe¢ially describes the activities among peasant women and those aimed at helping women in their family lives and in the lightening of the burden of household work. ... As you know, after every law is passed a new stage begins for putting it into practice and this presents society with new tasks. Poland is one of the countries in which at the present time it is a question of putting women’s rights into practice. I must tell you that Polish women are at present taking a lively interest in the problems of the family, and in the problems of the family responsibilities of women workers. They are playing an active part in the institutions which are engaged in this sphere of work. We have succeeded in creating a common front of all organisations which have the aim of helping women in town and country to raise their standard of living. This group does very much more than the women’s organisations was able to do alone. Thus we are collaborating with People’s Councils, with trade unions, and what is very important, with peasants’ organisations. We bring country women into the Women’s League by means of the “housewives’ clubs” which constitute an autonomous section of the General Union of Clubs of Agricultural Organisations and are simultaneously affiliated to the Women’s League. Family rights I should like now to give you some examples of our activity in the sphere of the application of women’s rights. Polish women enjoy complete equality as regards family rights. We have equal rights for women concerning marriage, children and property. ' ‘ But it must be mentioned that in practice there are still many difficulties affecting the family atmosphere and the organisation of family life. With a view to creating favourable conditions for a stable and harmonious family, on the initiative of our organisation a large voluntary and auxiliary apparatus has been mobilised io help the juvenile courts. The activities of the League are helping these courts find those cases in which young persons have been abandoned or are without protection. 86 === [PDF page 88] === They also play an important part in helping women to collect alimony which was fixed by the court in cases of divorce or desertion by the husband. To complete this activity the League has also arranged consultation centres served by specialists throughout the country. These centres are developing and rapidly gaining popularity both in town and country. At present we are considering the possibility of putting forward a plan for setting up family courts... Protection of the working mother The people’s State helps Polish women to a*very great extent. We have the widest system of protection of motherhood. But we are nevertheless conscious of the fact that in spite of many opportunities, the daily lives of women are still difficult. We attach a very special importance to the daily lives of women. We help them find ways to make house work easy, consuming less time and energy. We see to it that basic commodities are supplied in accordance with the needs, requirements and tastes of women. On the initiative of the League of Women, a committee of housecraft has been set up with the object of improving the standard of living of families in town and country. This work is closely linked with the activities of the peasant women's clubs. 2,893 courses in housecraft have been organised by them in the countryside. Centres for hiring out household appliances have been set up in many villages. The activities of the peasant women’s clubs are varied. Local conditions and possibilities make it necessary to find appropriate solutions to the difficulties which arise. Vocational training I would like to mention that the constitution of my country guarantees not only the right to work to citizens of both sexes but also: equality of access to vocational training. But as far as the employment of women is concerned, the application of this right involves certain problems. In Poland the number of employed persons is increasing. As against approximately 6 millions in 1954, there were more than 7 million in 1957. There are many spheres in which women are employed in large numbers. However in some cases, women experience difficulties in getting _ jobs — on the one hand due to lack of preparation and vocational quali- 87 === [PDF page 89] === fications, and on the other hand because of family responsibilities, There are besides many women who have difficulties with accepting full time work outside their homes. Furthermore more than 60 per cent of persons looking for jobs are women, the majority of whom are over 40 and usually they have no vocational qualifications. In order to help women to find work appropriate to their persona] needs, the League of Women has started a scheme which has received much attention from women. Among other things it has organised co-operatives and groups of women workers, so that they can easily coordinate their work with their family responsibilities. In its efforts for the complete application of women’s right to work, the League of Polish Women is collaborating with the trade unions for the introduction of part time work, especially for working mothers. ... As regards the age at which the right to a pension should begin, this questions being discussed on a international scale. I propose that the principle of fixing a lower age and qualifying period of work for women than for men should be adopted. This would be based on recognition of the fact that today women are engagd in occupations in the addition to their family responsibilities and household duties, and that therefore they give society greater service than mendo. RUMANIAN People’s Republic The informative material of the Rumanian delegation deals with vocational training of women, social protection available to them and especially the family status of women in Rumania, ... In our country the principle of equal rights for men and women in the spheres of political, economic and cultural life is guaranteed by the Constitution. There are 71 women deputies in the Grand National Assembly and 25,000 deputies in the People’s Councils. The Labour Code assures the strict application of the constitutional principle of equal pay for equal work. In order to prepare women to take full advantage of this right, the State, the trade union organisations and the National Council of Women continuously urge women to improve their qualifications. Large numbers of women are enrolled in schools and courses in the enterprises, in technical secondary schools and institutes of higher education. Thus for example, recent statistics.show that in printing trades 80 per cent of women are qualified: in the textile and leather industries more than 20,000 women have qualified recently. In higher education a considerable percentage of the total number of students are girls. 88 === [PDF page 90] === Social Insurance Protection of women’s labour The social insurance budget of the State and those of the co-operative mutual insurance agencies provide funds for the protection of motherhood. In 1958, 25 per cent of the general budget was allocated to social and cultural needs. For the whole duration of pre- and post-natal leave, fixed by the abour Code at 112 days, women who work receive their full pay from e State social insurance funds, whether they have a permanent work contract or only a temporary one. The members of craft production co-operatives working either in the co-operative or at home benefit from sickness and maternity allowanes, disability and old age pensions. The retirement age for women is ixed at 55 years as a general rule; in certain branches of activity, the age of retirement is even lower. The pension does not prevent a person from continuing to work. A special law obliges enterprises and institutions which employ 300 or more women to set up creches and play centres. If there are less an this number, the enterprises and institutions concerned have to join together to set up creches and play centres. The number of these creches and play centres in our country is continually growing. Thus, while our country had only two creches and 1,577 kindergartens under e old regime, today we have 335 creches and 6,525 kindergartens. For e care and feeding of the children, the parents pay only a small conibution in accordance with their salary and the number of children ley have. In the organisation and development of creches and play centres, © women’s commissions in the enterprises, in institutions and districts, collaborate with the State. Recently the women’s commissions have undertaken to increase the number of clubs and reading groups in the districts for school children whose parents work. Protection of peasant women Our peasant women, who before August 23rd, 1944 worked as drudges under the semi-feudal conditions of production of our agriulture, today benefit alike from the laws protecting labour and motherhood. The statutes on collective agricultural production and on the various other forms of agricultural co-operation include special clauses on the protection of motherhood. Country women, who only recently had to bear their children in the ields, today have 1,500 rural maternity hospitals at their disposal, where they enjoy the attentive care of doctors and qualified medical Staff. While they are in the fields their children are looked after in the creches and play centres of the State farms and of the collective farms. 89 === [PDF page 91] === Our State ensures free medical care to women workers in town ang country and to the members of their families. All these legislative and — practical measures carry out the constitutional principle through which the protection of mother and child has become the concern of the State... Legal situation: the Family Code i In our country, the family of our time has a new meaning. Within that family, the woman has won a position of prestige and dignity in relation to her husband and children. The Family Code, regulates family relationships, and solidifies the constitutional principle of equal rights for men and women. It ensures the protection and strengthening of the family and the defence of the interests of mother and child. 4 Marriage, regulated by the Family Code, rests on the equality of rights and duties of huband and wife. } This equality of rights in marriage, both in the personal relationship between husband and wife and in their position as parents has become — a living reality in our country, based on the economic and social inde- — pendence of women. Today a woman is no longer obliged to take the nationality and name of her husband when she marries. She is no longer obliged to follow her husband blindly wherever he chooses to set up the conjugal home. All decisions concerning marriage are made, according to the Family Code, by joint agreement between the spouses. This provision has put an end once and for all to the domination of the man who under the former civil code was “head of the conjugal association and head of the family”. The woman is no longer considered, as she was in the past, as being maintained by her husband. Husband and wife have the duty to contribute, each according to his or her means, to the expenses of the household and to the maintenance of the children. Under the Family Code, both parents have the same rights and the same obligations towards their under-aged pallcinets whether these children are born in wedlock or not. 90 === [PDF page 92] === SALVADOR LPILIAN GIMENEZ Mrs. Gimenez describes the inferior status assigned to women especially with regard to divorce and the right to children, by the existing Civil Code in San Salvador. The discriminatory character of the Civil Code The Civil Code contains provisions which discriminate against women; thus it is stated under article 100: “As far as the religious faith of children is concerned in case parents happen to belong to different religions, the child is brought up in the faith agreed upon by both parents previous to their marriage; failing such agreement, the father shall decide.” Paragraph 20 of article 182 states: “This husband shall protect his wife, and the wife shall obey her husband.” In other words the husband’s domination over his wife enjoys official sanction. According to article 183, husbands have the right to force their wives to follow them to wherever they may wish to establish their residence. Latin American women demonstrate for their rights. === [PDF page 93] === This article has been modified with regard to the right of husbands. at present this paragraph states, that: “this right may not be enforceg by means of intimidation, but the husband may refuse to continue ty provide for his wife if she refuses to live with him without an accep. table motive.” This article might well be interpreted to mean, that q husband may force his wife to live with him by means of starvation, even if love no longer unites them. In our country divorce is considered as a dissolution of the bonds of marriage. Adultery is considered as q ground for divorce. Here again the civil and the penal code are unjust to women. Article 145C recognizes the following as motives for a divorce: “a) adultry by the wife b) adultry by the husband, followed by a public scandal, or if the woman is abandoned by the husband.” We must forget that these laws were made by men and that they are the product of a backward civilisation where men made all laws. Here is a provision contained in the monstrous article 378 of the penal code: “If a husband should surprise his wife in the act of adultry and kill her or her adulterer, or seriously wound one of them, the husband shall be punished by six months’ imprisonment. If the wounds inflicted are of a lighter nature, he shall go free of all punishments.” This penalty of six months imprisonment was extended to twe years, in case a husband killed his wife after surprising her in an act of adultry. The following provision is made with regard to the children in this paragraph: “Paternal power is the equivalent for the sum of all rights which the law accords to the legitimate father, or if there should be no father, then to the legitimate mother”. From the aspect of the civil code, the discrimination is obvious. Another article states: “Children owe obedience to their parents, but they are above all obliged to obey their father.” As long as the father is alive, the mother has no right to decide on the childrens’ education. She only enjoys this right in case the father dies, if he is away, or goes mad, if he is sentenced to go to jail, or about to divorce. Mothers have every right over their illegitimate children. Fathers have no rights with regard to their illegitimate children. === [PDF page 94] === SENEGAL TEANNE TOURE Mrs. Touré exposes the semi-slavery condition in which women of her country are subjected under the colonial rule. She raises the demands for mother and child care, education and vocational training are urgents needs. The women question is very important for Africa, for the developement of a country dependent upon the advancement of its omen. Traditionally the African woman is considered as an inferior being, s a slave of her husband and only fit to attend to housework and the ery rudimentary upbringing of her children. She does not take part in any public activities. Custom makes her a subordinate all her life d gives men the sole authority in the family and the power to manage all the resources of the household. A mother cannot be the guardian of her own children. Marriage: In 99 per cent of marriages the woman does not have the free choice of her husband. She is forced to marry by her parents who receive a large sum varying from 40,000 to 60,000 African francs, which is more than 80,000 or 120,000 French francs from the son-in-law. The husband, having bought his wife like merchandise uses her as he thinks fit and ‘Conference of Democratic Women’s Union of Senegal in Dakar. === [PDF page 95] === Demonstrations against racial discrimination in the nursing profession, in South Africa, reserves all rights for himself: the right to be absolute master, the right to divorce, absolute right over the children, who can be taken away from their mother even at an early age. Protection of motherhood: African women seldom have the privilege of having their babies in hospital. The women are demanding an increase in the number oi maternity hospitals and welfare centres for mother and child and for the opening of creches and play centres. They are insisting that all women should have the benefit of social security and of pre-natal allowances which have previously been reserved for Europeans. Education of women and vocational training: The enormous social progress which has taken place in recent years and the very considerable advance which has resulted from it make it neccessary to give African women their rightful place and to break 94 === [PDF page 96] === gradually but inexorably the bonds of tradition and custom. In order to achieve this women are demanding. 1. The codification of simple principles of education, hygiene, agriculture, sewing and cookery which should be taught to our girls and more deeply studied at women’s centres (for the big city of Dakar. there is only one centre for apprenticeship and vocational training which can admit only 100 pupils). An increase in the number of centres for training teaching staff for these establishments, and the right of access to all branches of work. 3. A practical application of social laws on the fundamental obligations and rights of all workers. Rights of women citizens: The Constitutional Law of October 27th 1946 puts women citizens on the same terms with men and confronts us with the Problem of introdducing women into civic life. It is an illusion to suppose that women enjoy the same rights. They are carefully kept out of administrative posts and kept in ignorance. Out of 66 schools, only three are for girls and are attended by 7,600 girls. We women of Black Africa hope that with the help of the W.I.D.F. and of all the women in the world we shall succeed in winning our rights and to enjoy them like other women. SPAIN MARIA RODRIGUEZ Mrs. Rodriguez illustrates the absence of equal rights, especially in family life, and the struggles of Spanish women despite the existing difficulties, The right to vote, which was won by Spanish women during the Republic, was abolished when Franco came to power. Spanish women are barred from access to many types of work. Even when there are no laws limiting women’s work, many firms will not take on women and especially married women. Legal situation Family relations are governed by an out moded Civil Code, inspired by Roman Law. There are no laws recognising civil rights for women. The inferior position to which Spanish law relegates women has been a subject of comment even in the Franco press; the following passage, 95 === [PDF page 97] === taken from an article published in the “ABC” newspaper as part of a discussion on “Civil Rights of Spanish Women”, illustrates this fact: “... According to our Civil Code, a woman is incapable of being g guardian, or of having a voice in family councils, or of witnessing g will. These limitations are not only completely unjust but they constitute real offences to the dignity of women. In addition to these restric. tions affecting women as a whole, legislation limits the rights of the married woman to such an extent that she is reduced to inactivity, and denied all rights to inheritance, to the acquiring or transfer of property, ect. In legal proceedings, a married woman cannot appear in court without her husband’s permission, even on purely family matters. In practice a married woman is completely subjected to her husband in matters of inheritance and her capacity to dispose of property is almost nil...” Thus there was case of a woman who left her husband because he maltreated her physically. When she sought employment as a nurse, she was refused because, “the law forbids it except with the express permission of the husband.” From time to time discussion takes place about the legal position of Spanish women. In these discussions there is general agreement; impartial lawyers and men and women belonging to the Falange, recognise the necessity of reforming the Civil Code, of introducing changes in the law which will give women dignity and their rightful position in society. But these reforms have not taken place. Discrimination Backward Spanish law prohibits women from entering such professions as: notary, diplomat or judge. In many other professions, even when the law does not expressly bar women, there are in practice so many obstacles that frequently it is impossible for a woman to work in them. In spite of all the restrictions and difficulties, Spanish women are taking a greater part in active life. The number of women doctors. dentists, pharmacists is increasing. Women lawyers, do not confine themselves to merely carrying out the existing law, but they press for reforms to make them more human and progressive. This is demonstrated by the discussions in the press which were initiated by women lawyers. The role of women Women occupy a prominent place in the intellectual life of Spain. In the last few years, many women novelists and poets have appeared, several of whom have won prizes for their literary work. 96 === [PDF page 98] === _ A bitter and relentless struggle is being waged by Spanish women. ‘especially by the women workers. This in spite of the prejudice perpeuated by the Franco regime against women going to work, the necessity to provide for the vital needs of their homes drives Spanish “women to take a great part in production. In all types of enterprises the number of women employed is large, especially in the textile industry in which 75 per cent of the workers are women, Women suffer incredible discrimination. The average wage of a oman worker is 40 per cent lower than that of a male worker of the same category. But Spanish women workers are not resigned to this situation. In factories and workshops they are struggling beside their male workmates for demands which they have in common, and strongly emphaising the claim for “Equal pay for equal work’’. So strongly felt is the need for this demand that it was: approved at the last Trade Union Congress. Spanish women workers continue to organise themselves in order to enforce its application. This and other claims have moved ‘Spanish women workers to take part in the last trade union elections. In some cases women were elected as representatives. which will help women to struggle better for their demands. SWEDEN BIRGITT JANSSON Mrs, Jansson raises the problem of employment among women in Sweden and she suggests that a method of creating jobs for them with shorter working hours might be a solution. In our country which is highly industrialised, there is the beginning of unemployment. Although in the first stages, it has already become a great problem, for women as well. _ In those parts of the country where women are not employed in actories there is widespread unemployment among them. We call it idden unemployment because the press never reports on it and because e official statistics on wages ignores it. _ Women wish to work, firstly in order to maintain their economic Position in the family and also in order to help meet the daily needs of the family. ; In Sweden there are large areas which are known as the nonindustrialised areas. These are mainly in the north of the country, where there are no possibilities for women to work. But there are also industrial areas where the industries are mainly iron and steel. and here mostly or only male workers are employed. === [PDF page 99] === Swedish family life. So we see again and again that in Sweden too we have a larg number of women who seek suitable opportunities to work. Our programme is to achieve full employment also for women. Bul how are we to achieve this? When we saw the statistics on work and unemployment, we considered that it is necessary for all women who are looking for work to register themselves as seeking work so that the figures on unemployes persons are more exact. The true figures would become known and perhaps would have a certain influence on the policy concerning the labour market. We have tried through our women’s associations to get all womer who are interested in obtaining work to register with an employmen! exchange and to find out what possibilities there are for working. We must be more energetic than we have been so far about helping wome! registering for the labour market. We must make greater demands on society, for better working conditions and more possibilities for work. Up till now we have bee! 98 === [PDF page 100] === accommodating ourselves to the limited possibilities now existing for work. In addition married women have households and children to look after, which may result in involuntary absence from work. This is used by the opponents of the principle of equal work, as an argument against women working. In our country it is unfortunately a fact that we are only in the discussion stage of this problem, although we have been discussing it for fifty years. Our struggle must be in the first place to get shorter working hours. It must be possible to shorten working hours to 6 or even 5 hours. This measure would help improve the conditions. In our ‘country there has been a very great increase in intensity of work. Many well-known scientists declare that this is the cause of diseases such as neurosis, cancer, etc, among women. Therefore women should be given the choice of working short time or normal shift, on condition that women working on short time should as a matter of course have the same working conditions as workers on normal time. They should enjoy the same social rights as these and be protected against discrimination. At present in the women’s movement we are investigating the possibilities of introducing part-time work for nurses, demanding at the same time full pensions rights. For us in Sweden half-time work is in the first place a means of increasing the number of jobs for women. Housewives are a labour reserve. From the point of view of the national economy it would be of great significance if this labour force were to be made use of. But to do this the problems of housewives must be considered. SWITZERLAND Mrs. Jaggin discusses the various forms of discrimination against women existing in the field of work particularly against married women. She MARIE JAGGIN also points out the fact that to this day women in her country do not enjoy the right to vote and gives account of the activities of the women’s organisation for removing all descriminations,. Out of close to 5 million inhabitants in Switzerland about 850,000 are employed women. They are indispensable in economic life. In most cases the married woman is forced to go to work to help the family income, because the husband’s wages are inadequate. If there are small children in the family and there is no grandmother or other relative to look after them, then the women in most cases takes on unskilled work, or badly paid industrial homework. 99 === [PDF page 101] === Discrimination in the field of work The unmarried women and young women, who have had the opportunity of learning a trade also feel the existing inequalities between man and woman. In practically every trade and profession there is a great difference between men’s and women’s wages. Switzerland is one of the countries which has still not ratified Convention No. 100 on equal pay for equal work. Even when the woman does exactly the same work as the man she is paid a lower wage. There is a difference, on the average, of 200 Francs between men’s and women's wages. Women who wish to continue their trade or profession after marriage are covered by different laws and regulations, through which they are pushed out of their jobs. — For instance, women are dismissed on marriage, in particular in public and state institutions. But in order to get over the shortage oi staff which arises as a result of this regulation, they are re-employed but forfeit their right to the usual protection such as pensions, and are the first to be dismissed if there is an economic retrogression. With regard to the choice of trades for girls, there are differences here as well. For instance a girl cannot become a machine setter. This trade is reserved for men. Demands of the women’s organisation Our organisation has set itself the task of helping married, divorced and widowed women with children by putting forward claims for: — 1. work to be made easier, 2. the number of working hours to be reduced without a reduction in pay. 3. Mothers should have more time for their children. 4. To set up laundry rooms and to install other modern household appliances in each house. Women’s work would be made easier, thus allowing them more time for their children, enabling them to do more for their families, and removing strain and harrassment. Our organisation is an favour of a maternity insurance. That is to say each woman should be relieved of any material worries during her pregnancy so that she may look forward to the birth of her child with joy. Women in Switzerland are continuously worried by the fact that their families might fall ill, in view of the fact that the health insurance is inadequate. 100 === [PDF page 102] === No right to vote! Although the women of Switzerland play an outstanding part in creating the wealth of their country, the right to vote is still denied them. The capacity of Swiss women for hard work, orderliness and thrift is well-known beyond the borders of our country, and it could only be of advantage to our Government if women were also to be guaranteed their political rights. What would a moiher do if she is elected to parliament? She would certainly see that there are enough creches for the children of working mothers; she would see that there are enough good schools for all children. A woman would manage affairs of state in the same way as she manages her household. In autumn 1958 the men all over Switzerland are to vote on whether they want to give the women the right to vote. So now it is up to our organisation to develop a campaign everywhere to convince the men that this is a question of the rights of women and mothers. TUNISIA SAFIA ZOUITEN Mrs. Zouiten has given a lucid account of the newly won legal status of the Tunisian women after independence was achieved. She describes how the younger women have dropped the veil and are enthusiastically making use of their newly won rights in society. ~ I greet you in the name of our organisation and in the name of my Tunisian sisters. The Tunisian woman, whose customs and traditions resembled those prevalent in Europe during the Middle Ages, has changed rapidly in the last few years. She has succeeded in freeing herself from these ancient habits and to become a modern woman and the equal of men. This rapid evolution has taken place almost without a transitional period. Yesterday she still had no rights: a father could make his daughter marry from the age of 13 without consulting her or giving her any choice cf husband. She began to hide herself from men from the age of puberty. Through habit and obedience to her parents she accepted her situation as normal. When she married there was hardly any change in her situation. She 101 === [PDF page 103] === left her father’s guardianship to adopt that of her husband’s, wh could leave her at will, even take other wives. But although she w given no rights, there was no lack of duties. She was reduced to a role of nursemaid and almost of a slave. The new Code of the personal status of women To day, due to the Code of the personal status of women, Tunisian women have won the rights they deserve for their patriotism and courage during the struggle for independence. The have found freedom and can therefore face up to their duties and serve their country better. This Code cf personal siatus came into force on January 1st 1957... Through this law Tunisian women have almost all the rights equal to men. They have won the right to vote and to be elected to the municipal councils. At the last municipal elections, women voted for the first time and hundreds were elected. Now Tunis has three women municipal councillors who play an effective part. As regards the vote to the National Assembly, Tunisian women hope to win this soon Our organisation has sent a letter to deputies asking that women should be allowed to participate in the Assembly. This auestion is being studied and a Commission of deputies has been appointed for thi purpose. The participation of women in the life of the country The importance of participation of women is recognised as indi! pensable to economic well-being and to national revival. Since independence, Tunisian women have gained access to man} positions which were closed to them before, priority evidently bei given to men or to French women. Today many women work in admint stration, teaching, hospitals and private enterprise. Their right to wor! and to hold public posts give them a certain degree of independence i relation to men and automatically raises the standard of living of thei families.: Moreover, the suppression of the veil has greatly helped them free themselves. By hiding her face, the adolescent girl used to los€ the little freedom which she had and acquired an inferiority comple in relation to men. She has a freedom and a confidence which she di not have formerly. It is of course difficult to persuade older women who are accustom! to this ancient tradition to cast aside their veils at a moments notice 102 === [PDF page 104] === But the important thing for us is the youth, that new generation in which we place all our hopes. In Tunis and the big cities we no longer see veiled school-girls. It was an obstacle to their freedom. Today they are encouraged to take up higher studies. In addition, relationship between boys and girls have become easier and more normal. From the social point of view, Tunisian women take part in various activities of the country. Another organisation, supported by the government, the National Union of Tunisian Women has been founded, Its aim is the same as that of our organisation. The right to the protection of motherhood With regard to the rights of motherhood, a scheme for prophylactic institutions is already under way at the Ministry of Health and is soon to be put into application. Many associations for the protection of motherhood already exist: for example, the Children’s Association, the “Drop of Milk” Association, the layette Association, and more recently the Baby Association. was set up. ; At the Children’s Association, free pre- and post-natal consultations ‘are given by doctors working on a voluntary basis. In adition, social workers make inquiries about these families. The “Drop of Milk” association deals with artificial feeding and layettes are provided for poor children. Tunisian women voting for the first time in municipal elections. === [PDF page 105] === We have noted that the mortality rate has considerably diminished as a result of the care and advice on hygiene and child care. Creches and kindergartens have recently been opened. This help is unfortunately not enough: our Government is economically poor and is harassed by many matters: the war in Algeria is a threat to our independence and unemployment is rife in Tunisia. In 1957 there were 400,000 unemployed in Tunisia and 200,000 seasonal workers for harvest time. out of a population of 4,090,000. Civil rights As regards marriage, Tunisian women have new rights; 1) a girl attains majority at the age of 18 and is free to choose her husband: 2) due to the abolition of polygamy women have achieved a new dignity. the respect of their husbands and the well-‘being of their children. Formerly a husband could repudiate his wife by pronouncing a formula three times, “I repudiate you”. Today divorce is granted only after mutual consent and a judgment in court. Women must become aware of their rights and make conscious use of them. However certain cases of excess have occured in disputes between husband and wife and in cases-of divorce. ° Some women have been overawed by their newly acquired rights and. have abused them. Fortunately they are only a minority. Women have also become conscious of their role as mothers, for it is with his mother © that a child learns to feel, to think, to speak, his life is marked by. this early education. Therefore a girl should be suitably brought up to prepare her for her role as a mother. ... As regards property, a woman has the right, according to the teachings of the Koran, to a half share. However she cannot sell her property without her husband’s consent. Before the introduction of the new code, an only daughter could not inherit the whole of her parents property. Her rightful property was inherited by the men of the family, that is her uncles and male cousins and others, and she had only a small share. Today an only daughter can inherit the whole of her parents’ property. The emancipation of Tunisian women which has made such rapid progress will, I am sure, mark an important stage in the history of Tunisia and will be a bright sign of the emancipation of the whole of our people. 104 === [PDF page 106] === ARAB REPUBLIC Information materiai on political rights, right to work and protection of motherhood, In recent years the women of Egypt have gained an important political right, i.e. the right to vote. But while the exercise of this right is compulsory for men, it is voluntary for women. In the present Parliament there are two women members. This is the first time that women have been elected to the Parliament in Egypt. In Syria, while women who have elementary school certificates can vote, they have no right to stand as candidates. Right to work In Syria women are entering into many professions in recent years. efore the unification a law was passed in the Parliament stipulating equal pay for equal work. It was a joyous occasion for the League of Syrian Women for Protection of Motherhood, as it had been campaigning in collaboration with the trade union for such a law for some time. articularly before and after the World Congress of Women Workers. This law has already been implemented in big banks and some industries, but workers in smaller enterprises are still deprived of its advantages. In Egypt, equal pay for equal work is not yet granted by law. The aw which governs the women workers is actually a legacy of colonial!- ism. In the provisions of this law the women workers and child ‘bour were bracketed together. The main demand of women trade union workers is the amendment of this law, even though there are few women in the trade unions. Protection of Motherhood In Egypt the new constitution recognised the right of mothers for the first time, and stated that the state should help them in their function as mothers, citizens and workers, Laws have not yet been romulgated clarifying the provision of the Constitution. There are other welcome evidences of the trend to honour motherood. For the last three years, an official Mother’s Day has been celebrated on March 21st. The Ministry of Social Affairs have started to establish sports parks te. for children. 15 days maternity leave is now sanctioned by law. The women orkers and trade unions are demanding one month’s fully paid leave, 15 days before and 15 days after the birth. At the moment the common practice is to dismiss married women. In Syria women teachers in the government schools got four months 105 === [PDF page 107] === maternity leave. But provisions for maternity hospitals are still very inadequate in Syria. In the whole of Damascus city there is only one government hospital for pregnant women. All others are private. There is only one creche in Damascus and that is private. The women of the United Arab Republic have to give their greatest attention towards the various imperialists plots which threaten their country. But their participation in the struggle for retaining their national independence and peace has roused a new spirit in them. They are now keenlay aware of the fact that unless they are assured «qual status in all spheres of life their participation in this struggle is also hampered. With this new patriotic spirit they are striving to raise their status in collaboration with all forces who are interested in seeing their country free, prosperous and based on justice to all sections of the population URUGUAY REBECCA CUYAS A contribution to the discussion The Uruguayan delegation approves in general of the Resolution presented. We agree with the changes suggested by the Argentine delegation on the work of women in the countryside. We also agree that a paragraph should be added calling for a struggle for the literacy of women, which is a very definite problem in our country, as the Argentinian delegate pointed out, and the same applies to all the countries of our continent. With regard to the campaign for the ratification of the international conventions, it is important to mention that a call should be made for national legislation, as the Argentine delegation suggested. With reference to half time work, we do not agree with the proposal of the Swedish delegation. We think it is necessary to improve measures for social security which will allow women to work a full working day, leaving their children in good safe conditions and being able to work without worry for the whole working day. We think that a reduction in the working day would mean a disadvantage for women, not an advantage. They would be deprived of social security allowances and would lose the benefits they have already won. We think we could demand in our respective countries a reduction of the working day by one or two hours for women who work at eccupations which are harmful to their health. 106 === [PDF page 108] === U.S.S.R HELENA Mrs. Khakhalina establishes with formidable facts that the women of the U.S.S.R. have proved KHAKHALINA the point that given the proper opportunities of Member of the Soviet Women’s training and social protection women can Committee, Deputy of the Russian distinguish themselves in all fields of social Federation Supreme Soviet, Deputy production. She also discusses how her country Chairman of the Leningrad Regional js trying to keep pace with the new demands Council posed by the new developments. In the report and speeches great attention has been given to the important question of women’s renumeration. In this respect in our country we make no difference between men and women; renumeration is based on the amount of labour and time invested. The principle of equal pay for eaual work is firmly adhered to. It has been said here that the considerable gap between men’s wages and women’s wages in the majority of countries is a consequence of the low qualification of women. The participants of the Congress justly demand that women should have the right, and more important, the possibility to have education and professional training. They not only have the right to work but also the right to choose the trade or profession which suits them best. Women have proved that given proper training they can distinguish themselves in all fields of production That this is possible is proved by numerous examples from the life of my country. The liquidation of illiteracy, the creation of secondary education, the establishment of a wide network of trade schools, specialised secondary schools, apprenticeship training courses, higher education establishments, have given and give an opportunity to women and girls to master qualified professions and trades. Therefore the majority of working women are carrying out qualified work, are tending complicated machines and are experts in technique. It is enough to say that in our country half a million women engineers and technicians render creative help to the development of industry, construction and transport. More than 40 per cent of the total number of agricultural and live-stock experts are women. Women make up 53 per cent of all specialists with a higher education. In the case of teachers women make up 70 per cent, in the case of doctors 75.4 per cent. Approximately 94 thousand women are scientific workers, many of them having degrees and holding academic posts. Our women workers, engineers, physicists, mathematicians and 107 === [PDF page 109] === Soviet women enjoying their annual vac ation in Sechi astronomers have made a large contribution to the greatest victory of Soviet science and technology, the launching of the sputniks. Automation lightens the task of the workersin the USSR During the discussion on the right of women to work a series of other questions arose connected with this problem, in particular “automation and women’s labour’, “part-time work” and so on. In our country automation lightens the task of the worker, and on the basis of a high standard of technique and the raising of productivity we have set ourselves the task of cutting down the working day and keeping up at the same time the standard of the workers wages. The following figures show the broad participation of women in governing the country. 366 women are deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the U.S.S.R. which is 26 per cent of the total. 2,307 women are deputies of the Supreme Soviets of the Union Republics and Autonomous Republics, and more than half a million are deputies of local Soviets. Mass participation of women in the industrial, social, political and cultural life of the country is impossible without the creation of the necessary conditions. 108 === [PDF page 110] === Protection of Mother and Child Since the coming into existence of Soviet government, a system for the protection of mother and child has been established. The working woman preparing to become a mother gets paid maternity leave of 112 days, and if she wants to she can take three months additional at her own expense. Time off for feeding the baby is also paid. A wide network of creches and kindergardens where children are cared for by qualified personnel, is a great help for the working mother. She knows that during her working hours her child will be in good hands. If the working woman has children of school age here too the government and society comes to her aid. This is catered for by facilities allowing those parents who want to leave their children in school beyond the official school hours, and the mother knows that her children will be fed when school is finished. Under the guidance of the teacher the children rest, do their homework and go home when their mothers have come home from work. Boarding schools where the child lives and studies also help te mother in the education of her child. In these schools the children are not only educated but receive a many sided upbringing which not every mother can give. All this, of course, does not remove the responsibility from the parents and especially from the mother for the raising of her children. Life advances and brings forward new demands In our country three million new citizens are born every year. And s9 children’s establishments must also grow without interruption. Those who wish to place their children in these establishments cannot all be accomodated. Therefore, in our country a large scale construction programme of creches and kindergartens and boarding schools is underway. At the same time we lighten the task of the Soviet woman in the education of her children we also give much attention to the problem of freeing her from the tiresome chores of the household. And in this sphere a lot has been done. In our plan for the development of national economy great importance is given to the development of communal eating places, shopping centers, more refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, polishers, washing machines, as well as various items of kitchen equipment and the building of communal laundries. All these will further improve the position of our women, our children and our whole population. 109, === [PDF page 111] === VIET NAM BUI CHI CAM Mrs, Bui Chi Cam present a striking contrast between the position enjoyed by women in the seciety under the colonial regime and that after the liberation. Specially interesting is the change in women's status in the family. She also gives examples illustrating the important part played by women in production in present day Viet Nam. Before the liberation of our country from colonial rule the Viethamese women enjoyed no rights. In society she was exploited and oppressed. In the family she was considered as a minor all her life: as a girl she Jived under the protection of her father, on marriage she came under the authority of her husband, as a widow she was under the direction of her eldest son. After the victory of the revolution in August 1946, the Government of the Democratic Republic, freed Vietnemese women from the double yoke of colonialism and feudalism. They have since enjoyed the same rights as men in all spheres, political, economic, cultural and social. Article 9 of our Constitution of 1946 recognises the complete equality of women. Participation of women in political life Women have the right to vote in all elections: national municipal, etc. In our National Assembly there are ten women deputies, that is 5 per cent of the total number of deputies. A woman is a member of the Permanent Committee of the National Assembly. In the last municipal elections which took place in Hanoi and Haiphong in January 1958, 20 per cent of the newly elected councillors were women. A woman is vice-minister for social affairs in our government. Others are heads of departments or of Agencies in Ministries. A total of 10,394 women work in the various administrative services. Many are chairmen of administrative committees of villages or districts. There are also women in the army, in guerilla units and in the police. In the legal sphere, women are nominated as judges or elected as assessors in the people’s courts. Their collaboration is very much appreciated when it is necessary to examine women and children. Civil rights The Union of Vietnamese Women, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, is taking part in working out new marriage laws. Mme Ngugenthi Thap, president of the Union of Vietnamese Women and 110 === [PDF page 112] === President of the Vietnemese delegation at the Fourth Congress of the W.LD.F. has been appointed as chairman of the Committee for drawing up a Family Code. Delegates of our organisation take part in various committees of enquiry which are set up by the government to study problems of women and children, working conditions, the protection of motherhood in factories and in the countryside, etc. In the family also, Vietnamese women enjoy more equality. Article 2 _of Presidential decree no. 97 stipulates that: “Those who have attained their majority, ie. those over 18 years of age, girls as well as boys, may marry freely”. Under the colonial and feudal regime, children of whatever age, could not marry without the parents’ consent. During the period mourning for parents or grandparents, persons concerned are not obliged to wait fer the end of the mourning period before they can marry, as was formerly the case... In the family the wife has the same rights as the husband concerning the management of the family’s property, the inheritance, the duties and rights with regard to children. In short, the married woman enjoys equal legal rights (article 5 of the Presidential decree No. 97.) This is a great advance over former legislations which existed during the colonial and feudal regime. Participation in production Vietnamese women take part in all branches of production, in town and countryside, in the factories and in the fields. To quote an example: in the textile mills of Name Dinh, 10,000 _ workers are employed, 7,000 of them are women. 400 of them are _ foremen, some are members of the factory committee. Women workers _have shown great capabilities, of our of 135 honoured workers of the factory, 95 are women. Our legislation recognises women’s right to work and to equal pay for equal work. === [PDF page 113] === YUGOSLAVIA Mrs, Mimitza gives an account of the changes in the status of women in her country and the place occupied by women in production as well as BLAZENKA MIMITZA the measures undertaken for helping working mothers. She discusses the system of mutual help in the communities to meet the problems of the families. The principle of equality for women in all svheres of social, political and economic life was proclaimed by the Constitution and by the whole system of legislation immediately after the war. At the same time all — the numerous forms of discrimination which was practiced in pre-war Yugoslavia were done away with. The equality of women before the law therefore no longer stands as a political issue requiring the adoption of a new legislation. The present task in this respect is the putting into practice of the existing laws. The economy inherited from the old, backward and semi-colonial Yugoslavia, did not offer favourable conditions either for the employment of women’s labour in production or for the establishment of an adequate system of protection for mother and child, or for the socialisation of domestic economy. The backward, pre-war Yugoslavia, where 75 per cent of the population were engaged in a very primitive agricultural production, and where the industries and trade accounted for no more than a quarter of the total national revenues. Now 45 per cent of the total revenues are derived from trade and industry. Employment of women The economic development was accompanied by a rise in the number of women gainfully employed outside their own homes. In the year 1939 there were 245,000 women — about 21.6 per cent — for every 1,153,000 employed persons; by 1956 the proportion of women employed had risen to 563,000 — or 26 per cent — for every 2,162,000 working people, This reflects an apward trend in the employment of women outside their own homes, thus ensuring their economic independence. During the first five years following the end of the war, the method applied with regard to the creation of social institutions, consisted of a centralised planning to ald the family, or rather to help working women. For the last five or six years, however, this problem has been solved by means of a system of self-government in the economic and in other sectors of social life. This system has been introduced in a large number of public services. Organs of self-government have beet) set up at all educational and health institutions, in the social insurance administrations, etce.... They are composed of citizens representing the various social and collective organisations of work, and they see 112 === [PDF page 114] === to it that the activities of the respective services comply with the needs and demands of the public. With the rising standard of living of the workers, which is linked with the increase of labour productivity, factories have begun to spend considerable sums on measures intended to alleviate the work of women, especially of those who go out to work. These measures include the building of houses and flats equipped with installations to help housewives: such as the opening of cheap retaurants, wash houses factory canteens, etc.... Recently certain factories have begun separately or jointly to open numerous establishments for the care of the children. There are certain agencies, which form an integral part of the community, whose function it is to solve the problems confronting citizens and their families in everyday life. These also co-ordinate the general efforts of the community with the individual initiative of the citizens. Tenants’ committees, helped by communities, citizens and factories, are gradually taking charge of such tasks as the care of children while their parents are at work, the running of different public services, cheap restaurants, etc. In this way it is envisaged to set up a technical base which can help a large number of families, and can relieve women of many household jobs, giving them the opportunity to improve their professional qualifications, and to take a more active part in social life as a whole. Although the development of these communities is a lengthy process, some positive experiences and beginnings have already been made in this domain. The Federation of Womens’s Societies in Yugoslavia, the societies and association councils for the protection of children, the Womens’ Cooperative Guilds, etc., are among the most active social organisations devoted to the task of practical application of the laws guaranteeing the equality of women; these organisations have mobilized a large number of citizens to help solve these problems. Despite the results which have already been achieved, a very large number of problems still remain to be solved, to ensure women full equality in all spheres of life. It is important to guarantee their right to economic independence, to professional qualification, the protection of their children. To do this it is necessary to socialise the domestic economy. Even though the material forces of the country have considerably increased, they are not yet powerful enough to ensure all these needs. The country’s economic development, which is improving with every year, and the development of the system of self-administration, are constantly aiding in the solution of these problems. These form one of the many aspects of the care for the well-being of man. whichis the foundation of all policy in a socialist society. 113 === [PDF page 115] === [Blank page] === [PDF page 116] === [Unreadable] [Unreadable] cae a aoe ' “ “i bat a: a se 7 - iF ee Se ele 3. [Unreadable] Sit [Unreadable] Rights of Wo ate === [PDF page 117] === Wwe The 4th Congress of the W.I.D.F. discussed the -right to work, protection of motherhood and equal rights with regard to marriage, children and property and noted with satisfaction that the Declaration on the Rights of Women adopted in the World Congress of Women at Copenhagen in 1953 has played an important role in the struggles of women for their rights, and helped them to win many successes. The participation of women in political, economic and social life has increased to an unprecedented degree in every country. Already 76 countries have granted women political rights, and one-third of the world’s working popuiatien are women, and in many branches of industry and in agriculture they are predominant. The delegation from Asia and Africa brought inspiring examples of millions of women who are taking part in the struggle for national independence and also in the construction of their newly independent countries, which has in turn also helped to advance women’s status in society and in the family. Women’s problems are the subject of important U.N. documents. The International Labour Organisation has issued Conventions 103, which can be a basis for national legislation to protect the importance of motherhood: and Convention 100, concerning equal pay for equal work. In many countries, social legislation protecting women’s labour and defending their rights as mothers and workers, have been adopted and enforced. Especially impressive are the gains of women in those countries where equality is recognised in law and in practice, thus enabling women to play their full part in the economic, political and social life. In spite of the new achievements, there are still many unsolved problems which prevent full equality. In the field of political rights there are still eleven countries in which there is no right to vote for women. In the majority of protectorates and dependent countries, political rights are non-existent. In some countries women have limited political rights. In other places electoral laws contain discriminatory clauses limiting women’s electoral rights. The political rights are further restricted by the repression against democratic organisations in certain countries. and the increasing number oi women who are being imprisoned and persecuted because of their participation in the political struggles in their countries. In Many countries women suffer injustice and discrimination regarding the right to work. Their access to general education and to professional training is limited. As a result they are relegated to do semiqualified and unqualified work and denied promotion. The inadequacy or absence of social institutions to lighten the burdens of mothers who work, is thé cause of great hardship to women and children. In order to perpetuate the use of women’s work as cheap labour, and 10 circumvent the laws of the protection of motherhood, married and pregnant women are dismissed. Laws defending the interests of mother and child do 116 === [PDF page 118] === not exist in all countries. Even where they do exist, often they are not implemented. L.L.O. Convention No. 100 has been ratified by only 26 countries, and in many countries its provisions have not been implemented. Discrimination is not only a matter of injustice to women, but it affects the living standards of the entire family and brings misery to women who are the sole support of their family. Due to the increase in unemployment in many countries and the lack of social facilities, women are engaged in part-time and industrial home-work. At such work they are subject to many abuses and discrimination and denied their full rights as workers. Only in a few countries do they have any form of protection. The reduced salaries deprive them of social insurance benefits, such as ‘unemployment and sickness benefits, family allowance, pension and other insurance benefits are denied them since such benefits are calculated on a full day's work. In technically under-developed countries, due to extreme poverty and unemployment, many women have been forced to enter cottage industries. The prevailing primitive status of production and the lack of an organised market makes it very difficult for them to earn a living in these industries. The worsening of the economic situation in various countries, the beginning of an economic crisis and unemployment, the growth of taxes and prices, and the inflation caused by military expenditures are threatening the gains already made, and causing great hardship to millions of families. In many parts of the world, women are still weighed down by the archaic laws, ancient customs and prejudices which are perpetrated in modern times and deeply affect the status of women in the family and their private lives as human beings. Under these conditions they suffer deep humiliation and deprivation and are held back from the full development of their personality, depriving society of the full contribution of women. Basing itself on the principle of equality contained in the U.N. Charter and the Human Rights Convention, the Congress calls for a ceaseless struggle against the erroneous theory that women’s place is in the home, that her ‘income is supplementary and that housekeeping is the only and natural vocation of women. These wrong ideas are calculated to justify all forms of discrimination against working women and aim to perpetuate their inferior status in society and in the family. The Congress calls upon the national organisations to work for the ratification of the U.N. Political Right Convention; to ensure the right to vote. to be elected and hold public office without discrimination; To campaign for ratification of Convention 100 (Equal Pay for Equal Work) and 103, and Recommendation 95 (concerning protection of mother and child), to secure national legislation in countries where there is none anti 117 === [PDF page 119] === to take all steps for the implementation of such legislation where it already exists; to work for: laws and regulations protecting the rights of working mothers to safeguard married and pregnant women, and on their implementation; extensicn of the principles of all International Convention and existing national laws to millions of women in agriculture; To work for legislation guaranteeing old age pensions to women of all trades and professions; To work for the removal of all discrimination against girls and women, and for access to general education and all fields of professional and vocational education in law and in practice; for the creation of special facilities for the re-training of older women who are re-entering work; To make all efforts to eliminate illiteracy among women; To work for the protection of home-workers against all the forms of abuse and discrimination, to demand laws for their protection where there are none, and to secure their impl mentation in practice; To aid women workers in the cottage industries in their efforts to organise producers’ and distributors’ co-operatives, to secure credits for raw materials, to overcome primitive conditions of production and to ensure a market for their produce; to support all endeavours to establish medical consultative centres in town and country as a minimum need to safeguard the health of mother and child; To support all demands of housewives against the high cost of living for better housing conditions, for playgrounds for children, for reasonably-priced modern household appliances, for efficient shopping facilities, etc. To enlighten women as to their rights, to make known the existing laws and help women benefit from the nature of their provisions by working together with trade unions, experts, social workers, doctors and lawyers, members of Parliament and public officials. To promote activities and to support all efforts seeking to reform those existing Civil Codes which relegate women to an inferior position in regard to marriage, regarding right to children, concerning equal status in case of divorce, the right to separate income, the right to inheritance and to own property. To work for and support all efforts for the introduction of democratic marriage laws or amendments to existing laws based on the principle of @quality laid down in paragraph 16 of the U.N.O. Convention on Human Rights, and to help establish consultative centres for women to deal with their legal and family problems. The Congress gives its full support to the demands of the women of Afric and Asia, concerning their rights, enunciated at the Asia-African Peoples’ Solidarity Conference held in December 1957. It calls upon all women and women’s organisations to support the struggle against racial discrimination in all fields, The Fourth Congress of the W.1.D.F. calls on its national organisations, on all women and other organisations to intensify all activities in defence 118 === [PDF page 120] === of all categories of women — in the town and in the country. The Congress recommends that the W.I.D.F. sponsors, on different subjects, special international seminars, study-days as was held in Potsdam last year on the protection of motherhood. The Congress welcomes the activities of those national organisations which taking into account the special conditions in their countries are organising conferences, meetings, seminars, enquiries and other types of mass actions in collaboration with other women’s organisations in order to raise their consciousness and involve greater numbers in the struggles for their rights. The Congress recommends closer co-operation between international and national women’s and Trade Union organisations on all or any of the problems to improve the status of women in all spheres of economic, Political and civil rights, The Congress calls upon all women and their organisations to unite themselves into one great force which alone is capable of finding solutions to our problems, to make women more aware of their rights and to defeat all obstacles which stand in our way to full equality in family and society. The Congress reaffirms that the paramount need above all is to preserve peace, for only in a world at peace can our gains be secured and our rights advanced, === [PDF page 121] === [Blank page] === [PDF page 122] === Joint statement by the Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish and Icelandic delegations — on political rights 121 === [PDF page 123] === In her report on “The creation of conditions which will enable woman to fulfil her role in society as mother, worker and citizen”, Mrs Shanta Deb said that women in all walks of life have gained unexpected successes. We Scandinavian women want to say something on that subject. It is true that we have won the right to vote: In Iceland in 1915, in Sweden in 1921, in Finland in 1905, and in Denmark and Norwey in 1915. However, equality in this field has not had the expected results. Women in our countries do not yet have political positions in keeping with their rights as mothers, workers and citizens. This politically backward position creates a feeling of social inferiority among women and they do not have opportunity to express their discontent. The means by which women can be guaranteed responsible political positions must be discussed. Women are active in political life. They distribute leaflets, publish journals, etc, and we know how important this work is. We feel however that this is not enough, We must occupy positions of responsibility which would enable us to exert a direct influence on social conditions. Whe should insist that political parties include women among the foremost candidats in parliamentary and municipal elections. We cannot be content with the present situation. In Iceland there is only one woman among the 52 parliamentary deputies. The town council of Reykjavik, the capital, also has only one woman member, We believe that this couference should support our demand to give women more inluence in political life in order to add weight to our claim by its authority. Now a few remarks about equal pay for equal work. We are disappointed that this problem has not found the necessary support in the trade unions. We are convinced that the problems of equal pay for equal work and for equal opportunities for women would already be solved if the trade unions had put their whole weight behind our demand. We think these problems should be settled independantly of any ups and downs in the standard of living or by the appearance of economic crises. We suggest that the Secretriat prepares a resolution which will bring this question before the international trade union organisations. This statement is the result of a discussion among the Scandinavian delegates, We must improve our education and we will then always ab able to gain more successes. The Study Days in Potsdam will bear fruit. The co-operation between East and West Europe within the W.1.D.F. will improve the position of women, This co-operation will show the world that essentially all nations in the world are one big family which only serves to live and work in peace. 122