Education

Why do we need a radical feminist movement in Moldova?

Published

3 years ago

March 29, 2021

Reading Time: 7 minutes

In choosing the title for this article, I am at the same time afraid I lost part of my readership and hopeful that maybe I managed to provoke some to click and skim through. “Feminism” is a scary word in our society, but regardless of your gender identity, feminism concerns you.

Everyone is already over 8th of March and already looking forward to the next red day in the calendar. But I am still processing the amalgam of pictures and messages shared on the 8th of March. Only a few years back this day was a normality in my everyday life – the day we are grateful to the women in our lives and our mothers for their unconditional love, patience and “quiet suffering” – which in itself should be a point of outcry not celebration.

As a child I never really questioned this day. In fact, I was even feeling a little guilty. How come women have a whole day dedicated to themselves, a national holiday, but men don’t? What an injustice!

Today, thankfully, I feel differently. The multitude of flowers, sweet messages, congratulations left a bitter taste in my mouth. How come every Moldovan knows about 8th of March, but only so few understand the meaning of this day?

There is, at the same time, a wave of influencers and so-called coaching gurus promoting #girlboss and #leanin feminisms, a mainstream brand of woman empowerment that is very much fitting into the capitalist economic order: As long as my t-shirt says “female empowerment” I don’t care about the woman in an Asian sweatshop who made it for pennies.

In this article, I again put on my political glasses and aim to dismantle the romanticism surrounding mainstream feminism that seems to have pierced through our society and to reflect on the need for radical feminism in our own Moldovan context.

What is feminism?

As Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie mentions in her book “We Should All be Feminists”, the word “feminist” and the idea of feminism is limited by stereotypes and is loaded with a lot of negative baggage.

Some think feminists are sad women who can’t find husbands or women who hate men. Others think feminists are women who don’t take care of themselves, who don’t wear makeup nor high heels. Or that they are women who always have to be in charge and therefore are bossy and bitchy. The narrative differs, but the essence stays the same – a feminist is often portrayed as a woman, followed by a negative description. This negativity stems from gender expectations, that boys should be one way – tough, rational, powerful – and girls should be another way – polite, quiet, caring. And when we transcend these gender expectations, society raises its whip. Gender expectations are cruel for both girls and boys, for when boys are taught to suppress their emotions and girls to be submissive – everyone suffers.

There are other, even more worrying patterns in Moldovan public discourse, where people with a lot of reach call feminism and gender related issues “Western values”, alien to our culture, region and history. For politicians and other public figures making such claims, we shall point out to a historical fact. The women’s movement in our region started in czarist Russia and kickstarted the February Revolution. On the 8th of March 1917, female textile workers in Petrograd demonstrated and demanded the end of the czarist regime, protested against the food shortages and the end of World War I.

Internationally, the movement was permeated with socialist ideology. In 1857 female garment workers in New York took to the streets to demand political emancipation. In Europe, the movement took a similar stance.

“Socialist women of all countries, fight in unity with the Socialist International against the war. The modern war is mass destruction and mass killing. But war is only the expansion of the mass killing that capitalism is perpetrating every hour of every day against the proletariat. Year after year, hundreds of thousands of victims fall on the battlefield of labour in the capitalist developed nations – more victims than in any war. Women are a growing number of these victims. War is only the maddest form of mass exploitation through capitalism.” declared Clara Zetkin, a German communist activist and advocate for women’s rights, in 1912 at the first International Socialist Women’s Conference.

The 8th of March, the International Women’s Day was marked by a revolutionary spirit. Feminism was perceived and intended as a radical tool for fighting back against structural violence and injustice. The word radical means addressing at the root. The women who fought for political emancipation were not just fighting for women to gain the same economic and political rights as men. They were fighting against an economic and political system based on oppression and exploitation that affected both men and women.

What we celebrate today however resembles nothing of the radicality of the incipient demonstrations. Today, we are likely to experience and see a different brand of feminism, one compatible with the corporate capitalist order.

Since the 1970s a new brand of feminism has emerged, one emphasizing women as self-sufficient individuals. It focused on women’s right to be independent financially, the right to develop one’s skills and abilities, the right to control fertility, the right to participate in the market economy.

This coincided with the restructuring of the global economy to a neoliberal order looking to cut costs (by paying women less) and revive the pace of growth:

De-industrialization of developed economies and the move of manufacturing to the de-unionized South with cheap (women) labor
The financialization of the global economy and the rise in service sector jobs
Shrinking of the public sector (privatization of healthcare, education, water, electricity)
Reduction of costs through automation and immigrant labor

This movement undeniably advanced the feminist agenda. Women could get out of violent, unsatisfactory marriages, women could pursue an educational path and a career previously believed to be suitable only for men. But at the same time, it individualized feminism. It was relevant for only a minority of women and overall faded the initial radicality of the movement. It became the problem of individual women to speak up, ask for raises, tell off misogynistic men and dream bigger. Women can be CEOs, and doctors and chiefs of state. While this is indeed a big step forward, it is essential to point out that this progress is relevant only for women who are privileged in the first place.

Getting more women in positions of power does not solve the many struggles of poor, immigrant, transgender, working class women, except making women part of propagating a system of oppression and exploitation. As Angela Davis, a political activist, philosopher and academic asks “if standards of feminism are created by those who have already ascended within the hierarchy and need the last climb to the top, how is this relevant to the women at the bottom?”

Let’s try a simple mental exercise – would having a woman head Amazon eliminate the company’s inhuman conditions in its distribution centers? Would having a woman head Nike eliminate the exploitative practices happening in garment factories in Asia? Would a woman president abolish the military industrial complex?

NO! A woman who aims to change the system rarely gets to these positions of power.

This is why the initial feminist movements were addressing the system, the injustices inherent in the economic, social and political systems. Inclusion and diversity are not enough. Fighting for only inclusion and diversity is encouraging a form of unthreatening feminism that does not change the status quo in the big picture.

And this is why we need to bring back the spirit of radicality that working class women had in 1917 and that empowered oppressed women all over the world who fought against patriarchal structures that continue advancing gender based roles and tolerate gender based violence.

Bringing back radicality to the feminist movement

In our own Moldovan society, there is a very stark class divide between women who can pursue the careers they desire and the women stuck at the bottom who perform the service jobs that make it possible for the 0.1% of women to “follow their dreams”. Unfortunately, this issue is not brought up by any political voice.

We need to look beyond the individual acts of charity used as political tactics and demand real structural changes, so that poor families wouldn’t have to depend on sporadic donations from elites. We need to fight against an economic system that drives women out of our own economy and pushes them into a precarious informal economy abroad.

We need to strengthen the public sector so that we, as a collective society, are able to create a secure safety net for the families and individuals that need it the most.

Grace Chang, the author of Disposable Domestics, documented the precarious lives of immigrant women in the US and shows how economic and social policies target specifically these vulnerable groups. One Filipina nurse working in the US whom she interviews says “we take care of everybody else’s weaker members of society, while we let our own society go to hell”. This example is not unique to the US context. We have our own share of women who migrate abroad leaving their kids behind. We have our own share of women who take care of Europe’s elderly in exploitative conditions for pennies. We should be able to provide opportunities for these women at home.

Hester Eisenstein, professor of Sociology at Queens College says that “massive unemployment resulting from the shrinking (or in our case from the inefficiency and underinvestment) of the public sector forces families to rely on their own resources”. Women adopt new strategies of survival – selling handicrafts in local markets, selling the little they have in their gardens on the streets, selling their labor in developed countries doing jobs in elderly care work under exploitative conditions, or selling themselves into prostitution.

A feminist movement in our Moldovan context should undoubtedly adopt a socialist character – fighting for economic and social justice for marginalized people domestically and for the exploited Moldovan immigrants abroad. We need to recognize and acknowledge that our entire economy is dependent on feminized labor that goes unnoticed in mainstream economics. Domestic work (caring for children, elders, and homes) – characterized by low wages, isolation, lack of job security, lack of access to basic benefits and services, lack of control over working hours – is the work that makes all other work possible.

And finally, a feminist movement in our context should not have a gender. Because class divide, precarious work, economic insecurity, migration, poverty concerns all of us.

And I would like to end with a message from Angela Davis that best consolidates the message of this essay:

“I think that this is an era where we have to encourage that sense of community particularly at a time when neoliberalism attempts to force people to think of themselves only in individual terms and not in collective terms. It is in collectivities that we find reservoirs of hope and optimism.”

Catalina Catana hopped countries every few years, playing entrepreneurship in various corners of the world while growing a silent passion for social sciences and progressive economics. A few years in the private sector were enough to convince her to change her direction. She is researching and writes about global issues related to development, inequality, and social justice.

Society

“They are not needy, but they need help”. How Moldovan volunteers try to create a safe environment for the Ukrainian refugees

Published

2 years ago

March 6, 2022

Marta Sterpu

Reading Time: 3 minutes

At the Government’s ground floor, the phones ring constantly, the laptop screens never reach standby. In one corner of the room there is a logistics planning meeting, someone has a call on Zoom with partners and donors, someone else finally managed to take a cookie and make some coffee. Everyone is exhausted and have sleepy red eyes, but the volunteers still have a lot of energy and dedication to help in creating a safe place for the Ukrainian refugees.

“It’s like a continuous bustle just so you won’t read the news. You get home sometimes and you don’t have time for news, and that somehow helps. It’s a kind of solidarity and mutual support,” says Vlada Ciobanu, volunteer responsible for communication and fundraising.

The volunteers group was formed from the very first day of war. A Facebook page was created, where all types of messages immediately started to flow: “I offer accommodation”, “I want to help”, “I want to get involved”, “Where can I bring the products?”, “I have a car and I can go to the customs”. Soon, the authorities also started asking for volunteers’ support. Now they all work together, coordinate activities and try to find solutions to the most difficult problems.

Is accommodation needed for 10, 200 or 800 people? Do you need transportation to the customs? Does anyone want to deliver 3 tons of apples and does not know where? Do you need medicine or mobile toilets? All these questions require prompt answers and actions. Blankets, sheets, diapers, hygiene products, food, clothes – people bring everything, and someone needs to quickly find ways of delivering them to those who need them.

Sometimes this collaboration is difficult, involves a lot of bureaucracy, and it can be difficult to get answers on time. “Republic of Moldova has never faced such a large influx of refugees and, probably because nobody thought this could happen, a mechanism of this kind of crisis has not been developed. Due to the absence of such a mechanism that the state should have created, we, the volunteers, intervened and tried to help in a practical way for the spontaneous and on the sport solutions of the problems,” mentions Ecaterina Luțișina, volunteer responsible for the refugees’ accommodation.

Ana Maria Popa, one of the founders of the group “Help Ukrainians in Moldova/SOS Українці Молдовa” says that the toughest thing is to find time and have a clear mind in managing different procedures, although things still happen somehow naturally. Everyone is ready to intervene and help, to take on more responsibilities and to act immediately when needed. The biggest challenges arise when it is necessary to accommodate large families, people with special needs, for which alternative solutions must be identified.

Goods and donations

The volunteers try to cope with the high flow of requests for both accommodation and products of all kinds. “It came to me as a shock and a panic when I found out that both mothers who are now in Ukraine, as well as those who found refuge in our country are losing their milk because of stress. We are trying to fill an enormous need for milk powder, for which the demand is high and the stocks are decreasing”, says Steliana, the volunteer responsible for the distribution of goods from the donation centers.

Several centers have been set up to collect donations in all regions of Chisinau, and volunteers are redirecting the goods to where the refugees are. A system for processing and monitoring donations has already been established, while the volunteer drivers take over the order only according to a unique code.

Volunteers from the collection centers also do the inventory – the donated goods and the distributed goods. The rest is transported to Vatra deposit, from where it is distributed to the placement centers where more than 50 refugees are housed.

When they want to donate goods, but they don’t know what would be needed, people are urged to put themselves in the position of refugees and ask themselves what would they need most if they wake up overnight and have to hurriedly pack their bags and run away. Steliana wants to emphasise that “these people are not needy, but these people need help. They did not choose to end up in this situation.”

Furthermore, the volunteer Cristina Sîrbu seeks to identify producers and negotiate prices for products needed by refugees, thus mediating the procurement process for NGOs with which she collaborates, such as Caritas, World Children’s Fund, Polish Solidarity Fund, Lifting hands, Peace Corps and others.

One of the challenges she is facing now is the identifying a mattress manufacturer in the West, because the Moldovan mattress manufacturer that has been helping so far no longer has polyurethane, a raw material usually imported from Russia and Ukraine.

Cristina also needs to find solutions for the needs of the volunteer groups – phones, laptops, gsm connection and internet for a good carrying out of activities.

Hate messages

The most difficult thing for the communication team is to manage the hate messages on the social networks, which started to appear more often. “Even if there is some sort of dissatisfaction from the Ukrainian refugees and those who offer help, we live now in a very diverse society, there are different kind of people, and we act very differently under stress,” said Vlada Ciobanu.

Translation by Cătălina Bîrsanu

Important

#WorldForUkraine – a map that shows the magnitude of the world’s actions against Russian aggression

Published

2 years ago

March 1, 2022

Ana Gherciu

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The international community and volunteers from all over te world have launched #WorldForUkraine as a platform that shows the magnitude of the world’s actions against the Russian aggression. In a digital world – it is an interactive map of public support of Ukrainians under the hashtag #WorldForUkraine – rallies, flash mobs, protests around the world. In the physical dimension – it is your opportunity to take to the streets and declare: “No to Putin’s aggression, no to war.”

„Today, along with the political and military support, emotional connection with the civilized world and truthful information are extremely important for Ukraine. The power to do it is in your hands. Join the #WorldForUkraine project and contribute to the victorious battle against the bloodshed inflicted on Ukraine by the aggression of the Russian Federation”, says the „about the project” section of the platform.

Go to the streets — Tell people — Connect and Unite — Become POWERFUL

Volunteers have launched #WorldForUkraine as a platform that shows the magnitude of the world’s actions against Russian aggression. In digital world – it is an INTERACTIVE MAP of public support of Ukrainians worldforukraine.net under the hashtag #WorldForUkraine – rallies, flash mobs, protests around the world. In the physical dimension – it is your opportunity to take to the streets and declare: “No to Putin’s aggression, no to war.” There you may find information about past and future rallies in your city in support of Ukraine. This is a permanent platform for Ukrainian diaspora and people all over the world concerned about the situation in Ukraine.

So here’s a couple of things you could do yourself to help:

* if there is a political rally in your city, then participate in it and write about it on social media with geolocation and the hashtag #WorldForUkraine

* if there are no rallies nearby, organize one in support of Ukraine yourself, write about it on social media with geolocation adding the hashtag #WorldForUkraine

The map will add information about gathering by #WorldForUkraine AUTOMATICALLY

Your voice now stronger THAN ever

All rallies are already here: https://worldforukraine.net

Important

How is Moldova managing the big influx of Ukrainian refugees? The authorities’ plan, explained

Published

2 years ago

February 28, 2022

Ana Gherciu

Reading Time: 3 minutes

From 24th to 28th of February, 71 359 Ukrainian citizens entered the territory of Republic of Moldova. 33 173 of them left the country. As of this moment, there are 38 186 Ukrainian citizens in Moldova, who have arrived over the past 100 hours.

The Moldovan people and authorities have organized themselves quickly from the first day of war between Russia and Ukraine. However, in the event of a prolonged armed conflict and a continuous influx of Ukrainian refugees, the efforts and donations need to be efficiently managed. Thus, we inquired about Moldova’s long-term plan and the state’s capacity to receive, host, and treat a bigger number of refugees.

On February 26th, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Moldova approved the Regulation of organization and functioning of the temporary Placement Center for refugees and the staffing and expenditure rules. According to the Regulation, the Centers will have the capacity of temporary hosting and feeding at least 20 persons, for a maximum of 3 months, with the possibility of extending this period. The Centers will also offer legal, social, psychological, and primary medical consultations to the refugees. The Center’s activity will be financed from budget allocations, under Article 19 of Provision no. 1 of the Exceptional Situations Commission from February 24th, 2022, and from other sources of funding that do not contravene applicable law.

The Ministry of Inner Affairs and the Government of Moldova facilitated the organization of the volunteers’ group “Moldova for Peace”. Its purpose is to receive, offer assistance and accommodation to the Ukrainian refugees. The group is still working on creating a structure, registering and contacting volunteers, etc. It does not activate under a legal umbrella.

Lilia Nenescu, one of the “Moldova for Peace” volunteers, said that the group consists of over 20 people. Other 1700 registered to volunteer by filling in this form, which is still available. The group consists of several departments:

The volunteers’ department. Its members act as fixers: they’re responsible for connecting the people in need of assistance with the appropriate department. Some of the volunteers are located in the customs points. “The Ministry of Inner Affairs sends us every day the list of the customs points where our assistance is needed, and we mobilize the volunteers”, says Lilia Nenescu.

The Goods Department manages all the goods donated by the Moldavian citizens. The donations are separated into categories: non-perishable foods and non-food supplies. The volunteers of this department sort the goods into packages to be distributed.

The Government intends to collect all the donations in four locations. The National Agency for Food Safety and the National Agency for Public Health will ensure mechanisms to confirm that all the deposited goods comply with safety and quality regulations.

The Service Department operates in 4 directions and needs the volunteer involvement of specialists in psychology, legal assistance (the majority of the refugees only have Ukrainian ID and birth certificates of their children); medical assistance; translation (a part of the refugees are not Ukrainian citizens).

According to Elena Mudrîi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, so far there is no data about the number of Covid-19 positive refugees. She only mentioned two cases that needed outpatient medical assistance: a pregnant woman and the mother of a 4-day-old child.

The Accommodation Department. The volunteers are waiting for the centralized and updated information from the Ministry of Labor about the institutions offering accommodation, besides the houses offered by individuals.

The Transport Department consists of drivers organized in groups. They receive notifications about the number of people who need transportation from the customs points to the asylum centers for refugees.

The municipal authorities of Chișinău announced that the Ukrainian children refugees from the capital city will be enrolled in educational institutions. The authorities also intend to create Day-Care Centers for children, where they will be engaged in educational activities and will receive psychological assistance. Besides, the refugees from the municipal temporary accommodation centers receive individual and group counseling.

In addition to this effort, a group of volunteers consisting of Ana Gurău, Ana Popapa, and Andrei Lutenco developed, with the help of Cristian Coșneanu, the UArefugees platform, synchronized with the responses from this form. On the first day, 943 people offered their help using the form, and 110 people asked for help. According to Anna Gurău, the volunteers communicate with the Government in order to update the platform with the missing data.

Translation from Romanian by Natalia Graur

Moldova.org

Education