Social Inclusion through Women’s Organizations
Duration of the case:
NGO Civil Courage was founded on 1999 and this organization will
continue pursuing towards its goals until balanced society is achieved.
Prepared by: Astrid Hindriks
NGO Civil Courage – member of NGO Roundtable, Estonia
May 2006
Abstract
By the year 1999 Estonia had developed expectancy for cleaving a society as a whole:
1. As a result of economical ultra liberalism and concentration of the capital there
emerged so called elite;
2. The historical memory of a nation was offended by the fact that economical elite
and elite of the occupation where actually the same people;
3. There emerged an attitude “every man for himself “;
4. Human resource was not taken as a capital;
5. In the society there was well developed syndrome of success with all the features
of consumer society;
6. Social group that had the worst living conditions where families with children;
7. The values of the society were changing and unfortunately there was no place for
children and family as re-creators of the society.
Under these conditions was founded NGO Civil Courage and Pärnu Women’s
Roundtable. The essence of this cooperation was:
1. To draw attention to the indications of unbalanced society and the hazardousness
of it;
2. To bring out the most acute problems in the society;
3. To find solutions hand in hand with legislators to balance the society.
Background
ROUNDTABLE is an international term. The goal of RT-s is to solve various problems of
the society and this process involves different organizations.
Roundtable has 3 stages:
8. Placing problem on the agenda
9. Discussions, searching for arguments
10. Suggestions for solving the problem or passing it on to the level competent to solve
the problem.
About the organization
NGO Civil Courage is an advocacy NGO for different women organizations. Its purpose is
to enhance society through civil movements and to find finances for the co-operation
between different women organizations. NGO Civil Courage also leads the work of Pärnu
Women’s Roundtable (PWR).
Each year PWR selects a different topic that is important in the society. It is important to
have a common interest so women from very different organizations could work together.
1999: Heavy Schoolbag. Outcome:
Regulation No 27 of the Ministry of Education 20.07.00.
Regulation No 36 of the Ministry ofSocial Affairs No. 36 on 27.03.01
2000: Drugs and Alcohol. Outcome:
Law of Alcohol impelled on 1.09.02
Topic of that year brought us to the issue of closing Pärnu’s Sports School. The City
Government which planned that action was divested. At that point Pärnu’s Sports School in
the city plan until the year 2015.
2001: Children’s Rights. The necessity of our topic was confirmed by the Estonian Human
Development Report, published on 12.12.03, which stated that children are having the worst
conditions for development.
2002: Why I Am On The Streets? During the discussions on that subject we found out that
funds budgeted for children’s free time do not reach families that live in poverty (40% of
families).
2003: Together We Manage. We continued actions against closing sports school.
2004: Education Through Sport (borrowed theme from Europe).
2005: Civil Education.
2006/2007: Women’s Social Inclusion on every level of society (enterpreneuring, politics,
social guarantees.
Other subjects
On the year 2000 we started monitoring the draft act of Estonian Gender Equality Law.
Outcome: The Gender Equality Law impelled on 14.04. 2004.
23.03.01 we sent a letter to the Social Minister of Estonia about some research results.
Researches showed that every newborn child in Estonia makes the family impecunious.
Outcome: The law of Parental Compensation impelled 19.12. 03
THIS LAW WAS THE FIRST REAL STEP TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY.
Description of implementation different cases
Human trafficking and prostitution
In co– operation with the Estonian Police there was a Roundtable session about this issue.
There were also the members of the Parliament and Government present.
Outcome: a support letter to the draft act in which stated, that punished should be a client
rather than a prostitute.
With the project “On the Edge of Danger” on 2005 we disseminated information to students
and women organizations how to recognize possible fake job offer, how to protect oneself if
going to work abroad etc in order to avoid becoming a victim of human trafficking.
Military
Closing of Pärnu’s Infantry Battalion as a problem—we started gathering signatures against
it . From 01.06.—14.06.04 1306 signatures was gathered and forwarded to the President and
to the Minister of Defence of Estonia. On the 14.09. 04 we had a meeting with the above
mentioned minister and deputised representatives of Estonian Military. Co– operation
towards solving the problem goes on.
This issue is very much a problem also on the year 2006. Coordinating public pressure
against the activities of Ministry of Defence of Estonia continues.
Domestic Violence
Since 2004 NGO Civil Courage has been intensivly dealing with the issue of domestic
violence in our society. We have had several meetings with the representatives of the police
and D.A.’s Office. Since 2004 there is a working self help support group for women who
have suffered under domestic violence.
Media
During the years 2003—2005 under a leadership of NGO Civil Courage there was 28 radio
talkshows by the name of “Balance in the Society”.
Political Fairs
All three political fairs have been the biggest events before the local elections in Pärnu and
its county. The specialty has been that we gave to all parties an equal ground to introduce
their platform. For us is especially important the fact that female candidates have a chance to
show themselves. We have prepared questions for our politicians about implementing
Estonian Gender Equality Law. Answering to these questions was not easy for the
politicians, but we do hope that it made them think about achieving gender equality in our
society.
1.
On the 2nd of October 1999 there was a Political Fair with conference. The opening
speech of the political fair was given by the Norwegian Ambassador in Estonia Mr. Kaj Lie.
2.
On the 12th of October 2002 took place a Political Fair “THE CHOICE IS YOURS”
On 2002 the opening speech of the political fair was given by the Ski King Smirre – Mr.
Vladimir Smirnov.
3.
On the 24th of September 2005 took place 3rd traditional Political Fair “Balance in
Society”. This event was organized in cooperation with Buskerud County’s Gender Equality
Committee. The goal of this fair was to draw the voters’ attention to the need to increase
women’s relative importance in Estonian society. The direct goal has been to bring the
Norwegian experience about gender equality to our politicians. On 2005 the opening
speeches were given by the member of the European Parliament Mrs. Marianne Mikko, the
Minister of Defense Mr. Jaak Jõerüüt and by Mrs. Gerd Johnsen who introduced Norwegian
politics and the measures taken towards gender equality in Norwegian society. In 2005 the
Political Fair was also the opening of Citizen Participation Week of Central and Eastern
European Citizens Network (CEE CN) in Estonia and by Estonian NGO Roundtable.
Political Fair had a great reflect in media. In addition there were articles in newspapers about
the event, including the ones in Russian.
The Political Fair consisted of 4 parts:
1. Each political party had a space in the lobby of the Concert Hall to introduce their
politics for the voters. The candidates where in an active communication with the
voters.
2. The leading candidates of each party met the voters. There were two representatives
from each party on the stage and they explained their political platform to the
citizens. After that they answered the questions that were asked by the potential
voters.
3. Meeting of the politicians and representatives of different NGO’s.
4. Concert for the citizens in the big hall.
Contacts information
Astrid Hindriks
Head of the NGO Civil Courage:
GSM: +3725029152
E-mail: astrid.hindriks@neti.ee