New on the Website: Campaign materials for the STOP THE DEMAND campaign are now posted on our web site in English, French and Spanish. The links are on the each of the language home pages on www.unanima-international.org.
Welcome Back! Welcome back to intern Louise Cleary, CSB. After celebrating the end of the bicentenary year of the Brigidines, Louise will return on 11 February to work with UNANIMA International for approximately another 6 months.
Meeting of Steering Committee for INRATIP. At the meeting of women religious in October 2007 gathered by Sister Eugenia Bonetti and sponsored by the Union of Italian Major Superiors (USMI) and U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Catherine was chosen as a representative of the Americas along with four others to form a steering committee to help advance a International Network of Religious Against Trafficking in Persons (INRATIP). During the last week of January, the steering committee met for the first time since Rome. They were hosted by Elma van den Nouland, the representative from Western Europe. She is a director for a network of religious working against trafficking in the Netherlands (SRTV) and the other members are Imelda Poole, IBVM working in Albania as a representative of eastern Europe, Patricia Ebegbulem, SSL from Nigeria as a representative of Africa and Pauline Coll, sgs from the Asia- Pacific.
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Imelda Poole, ibvm,
Elma van den Nouland, srtv,
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During the day prior to the meeting Elma suggested we visit the red light district of Amsterdam where prostitution is legal and a source of tax revenue for the Dutch government. We agreed and on Sunday we came to Amsterdam for a 10:30 service at a church near the railway station and the red light district.
On the way to the Church, in fact just opposite its entrance, Elma pointed out: “There’s one now in the window – if you look just to the right.” A bit embarrassed to be gawking, I turned and a woman clad in black – panties, bra and stockings – waved at us.
“There aren’t many clients at this time of day so you are pretty sure that the women in the windows now are those who don’t have much choice.”
After Church and lunch, we came again to the red light district and although we were told that in the daylight it is nothing like it is at night when the lights and the signs really show up, we did see much that left me feeling like I was in a zoo and a meat market at the same time.
There was a discreet sign in one window inviting men to enter by saying how clean things were and everything was available just as they would wish. These words were accompanied by a hand holding a whip.
At 1 pm in the afternoon in one of the streets there was a small crowd of men, two of whom were bargaining with one of the women – They were asking her to accept their suggestion of two of them for 100 Euros.
Further on, we saw a tall Dutch woman run across the street with a bath towel around her to a small shop. As she entered she commented that she just needed a few minutes of rest – she needed to cool off.
Throughout the area we were part of a crowd mostly of curiosity seekers but with a few who were interested in buying sex. All of the women were clad as the first one had been that we had seen near the Church. Most of them looked like immigrants from Asia or Eastern Europe. And – our hostesses told us that indeed the majority of women in these windows were not from the Netherlands.
Coming away that afternoon, I saw first hand how degrading this red light district was to women – and, I believe, not just the women there, but all women. In order to bring about change, until no woman has to be on sale will there be real equality between women and men.
More about the outcome of the Steering Committee Meeting can be found on the UNANIMA International website: www.unanima-international.org.
Coming Events
Commission on Social Development: 5 February – 16 February The Commission meets at UN Headquarters to develop policy on Decent Work for all. Information can be found at the following website: www.un.org/esa/socdev/csd/csocd2008.htm
UNANIMA International delegation includes Ana Martinez de Luco, Jennifer Kuhlman, Martha Bowen, Anna York, and Luz Salazar.
Connecting the Dots: How Systemic Oppression Impacts the Lives of Women and Children: Regional LCWR sponsored event in Los Angeles, California, USA - 9 February – Catherine will give the keynote which will focus on thinking systemically and discrimination against women.
Vienna Forum on Human Trafficking: 13-15 February A special session focusing on human trafficking at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna. Catherine will be attending. More about the event can be found on the website http://www.ungift.org/
Commission on the Status of Women: 25-February – 7 March The theme for this year is Financing for Gender Equality. The UNANIMA Delegation will include Marian MacClean, an SNJM Associate, Esperanza and Gisella Salazar, from Colombia and the sisters of volunteer Luz Salazar.