Political Association of Women

ACTION REPORT

May 1999-2005

(Brief presentation, by Anna Karamanou, 29.03.2005)

Background

The PSG was founded in 1998 at the initiative and common decision of the women’s sections of the parties PASOK, ND, SYN, DIKKI, and POLAN, and with the support of all the leading female politicians. The common goal is to enhance women’s participation in politics and to achieve a balanced representation of the sexes in democratic institutions and decision-making centers. The elections for the selection of the Board of Directors took place on May 25, 1999.

The Association constitutes the institutionalization of a fruitful collaboration of women from the entire political spectrum that began in 1993, in order to promote in Greece the European campaign for increasing the number of women in the European Parliament in the 1994 elections. In those elections, the participation of Greek women increased from zero during the period 1989-94 to 20% (5 women out of a total of 25 positions). The campaign continued for the European elections of 1999.

ACTIONS of the Board of Directors

A. PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN FOR THE ELECTION OF WOMEN TO THE GREEK PARLIAMENT

1. Printing of election pamphlet with central slogan

“IN THESE ELECTIONS, GIVE POWER AND VOICE TO WOMEN”

2. Creation and transmission of a radio campaign message that was made with the kind sponsorship of the radio station FLASH and was broadcast in the last ten days before the national elections of 2000 in various time slots of its program.

THE RADIO MESSAGE THAT WAS BROADCAST WAS AS FOLLOWS:

Can you imagine a world with 94% men and 6% women?

And yet it exists. The world of politics! The world of the Greek parliament.

In these elections, this must change.

In the elections of ^{April 9}, I vote for renewal and fresh ideas.

I vote for sensitivity on issues of education, health, welfare, and social justice.

I vote for women! I vote for women too!!

In order to enrich politics with new experiences, sensitivity, and imagination.

To make use of valuable human resources.

To renew the decision-making processes.

In this election, I give power and voice to women.

3. Broadcasting of the radio message by ERA on a national network.
4. Transmission of the radio message from provincial stations following the initiative of the women candidates of the province.
5. Organization of press conferences, where journalists were given the opportunity to meet closely with female candidates from all political parties, who were also given the floor.

3. Distribution of the pre-election leaflet by officials of the Association and candidates in the center of Athens (specially designed kiosk) and dialogue with voters and representatives of the media.
4. Distribution of the campaign leaflet by members of the PSE to ministries and public sector services, as well as various neighborhoods of Athens.
5. Distribution of the PSE campaign leaflet in the provinces by female candidates.

The campaign of the Association was positive, as in the elections of April ^9, 2000, 31 women were elected to Parliament out of a total of 300 MPs, compared to 19 in the previous term (a 63.15% increase). Unfortunately, however, judicial decisions led to five elected women being excluded from Parliament.

B. GRANTS FOR THE CAMPAIGN OF P.S.G.

In January 2000, a letter was sent to a number of companies in the broader public and private sector, with the aim of raising funds to support the election campaign for the promotion of more women in the Greek Parliament. The result of this action was the raising of the amount of 5,550,000 drachmas from the following sponsors.

1. ELENI KOKKALI: 3,000,000 drachmas.
2. BANK OF GREECE: 1,000,000 drachmas.
3. EYDAP: 1,000,000 drachmas.
4. MINOAN LINES : 500.000 drachmas
5. DEKATHLON S.A. 50,000 drachmas.

G. CONFERENCE OF WOMEN MEMBERS OF THE PARLIAMENTS OF SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE on the topic: “Consolidating Democracy, Stability, and Peace in the Balkans: The Decisive Role of Women.”

The Conference was co-organized by the Political Association of Women and the Institute of Democracy of the Council of Europe, in Athens, September 29 – October 1, 2000, with excellent participation and success.

The Conference concluded with the acceptance of a declaration for the undertaking of joint action in specific areas and decided that the next Conference would be held in Skopje in the fall of 2001. The preparatory meeting of the Conference took place in Zagreb in May 2001.

The participation of the P.S.G. in the expenses of organizing the conference amounted to the sum of 3,000,000 drachmas, which was fully covered by funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

D. PETITION and MEMORANDUM to the Minister of Public Order Mr. Michalis Chrysochoidis for the re-announcement of both the competition for the coverage of organic positions of general duty officers of the Fire Brigade based on the principle of equality between women and men, as well as the competition for the coverage of organic positions in the Fire Brigade.

E. CAMPAIGN FOR THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS OF 2002

F. PARTICIPATION OF THE ASSOCIATION IN JOINT ACTIONS WITH KETHI AND GGI (event for Afghan Sima Samar, seminar with the LesleyAbdela, KETHI Conferences etc.)