Louise Nousratpour
Sunday March 15, 2009
The Morning Star
THE liveliest debate by far at this year's TUC women's conference was on prostitution.
Should the sex industry be decriminalised and "sex workers" unionised like staff in any other sector or should we recognise that prostitution constitutes violence against women and act accordingly?
The debate in Scarborough on Thursday polarised delegates, with a number of unions abstaining from voting on the two opposing motions on how best to reform prostitution laws.
In the end, those who argued that decriminalisation would legitimise the abuse that is inherent in prostitution and turn pimps into "a newly respectable class of sex businessmen" won the day.
Moving the motion against decriminalisation, University and College Union delegate Mary Davis made clear that "this is not a moral issue, but a women's rights issue."
She argued that to label prostitution as "work" would legitimise "the commodification of sex and the objectification of women's bodies. Decriminalisation would condone violence and abuse without addressing the underlying problems of poverty and organised crime.
"We must expose the social causes of prostitution and fight for higher wages and improved benefits to ensure no-one is desperate enough to turn to the sex industry."
The motion, titled the commodification of sex, called for Britain to adopt the approach pioneered by Sweden, which criminalises men who buy sex and decriminalises prostitutes and offers them social support to leave the industry.
Official figures show that prostitution numbers have dropped from 2,500 before the 1999 legislation to around 1,000 today.
Also, the number of people trafficked in Sweden is now between 400 to 600 a year, compared to 4,000 in neighbouring Denmark and Norway.
In Britain, some 85 per cent of an estimated 80,000 prostitutes are thought to be victims of trafficking.
But CWU delegate Tricia Clarke, who moved the motion on decriminalisation, rejected the Swedish model on the basis that it would drive prostitution underground and put women's safety at risk.
She urged conference to support the GMB union's campaign to unionise the sex industry as the best way to protect women.
"In a socialist society, where poverty and inequality are eliminated, women will not look to prostitution. But in the meantime, we must fight for sex workers' trade union rights and ensure that they can report sexual violence without fear of imprisonment or a criminal record," she added.
However, Unite delegate Tricia Lawton questioned the argument that unionisation would protect prostitutes from violence and abuse.
"How can unions protect women prostitutes from sexual abuse when it is part and parcel of their work?" she asked, adding: "Prostitutes need human rights, not union rights."
She also refuted the notion that decriminalisation was about respecting a woman's right to "choose" and would empower prostitutes.
"The industry is run by men for men and the pimps who make huge profits from this exploitation are the only ones truly in control," she said.
Activist highlights Gaza's devastation
Louise Nousratpour
Friday March 13, 2009
The Morning Star
GAZAN human rights activist Mona El-Farra gave a heartbreaking account of the plight of her compatriots at a TUC women's conference meeting on Friday.
She reduced the audience to tears and even loud whimpering as she related stories about how she had witnessed mothers looking on in despair as their wounded child bled to death in their arms because the ambulance never arrived.
"I am a doctor and know that the Israeli military deliberately targets ambulances and hospitals, while checkpoints stop medical aid getting to those who need it," she said.
The recent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip resulted in the death of 1,440 people, including 430 children, with thousands more wounded, orphaned, homeless and psychologically damaged.
Ms El-Farra said that figures obtained before the attacks showed that 65 per cent of Gazan children are suffering from post-traumatic disorder.
"Unemployment is 60 per cent and 38 per cent of Palestinian women of childbearing age suffer from malnutrition disorders," she highlighted.
"This is not about Israel's security. This amounts to a war crime."
Ms El-Farra welcomed the Viva Palestina convoy to Gaza as a "great initiative," but stressed that political solidarity was the most important tool of empowering Palestinians to fight for independence.
"Palestinians, especially women and children, may be victims but they refuse to be victimised," she proudly declared.
"Women in particular are organising in the community and fight the occupation while still managing to keep a smile on their face. Those I talk to say they want peace but not without justice."
Lawyer and co-ordinator for International Solidarity with Thompsons Solicitors Karen Mitchell pointed to a raft of international laws that have repeatedly been breached by Israel.
She concluded: "Israel is guilty of war crimes and must be brought to justice."
Friday March 13, 2009
The Morning Star
GAZAN human rights activist Mona El-Farra gave a heartbreaking account of the plight of her compatriots at a TUC women's conference meeting on Friday.
She reduced the audience to tears and even loud whimpering as she related stories about how she had witnessed mothers looking on in despair as their wounded child bled to death in their arms because the ambulance never arrived.
"I am a doctor and know that the Israeli military deliberately targets ambulances and hospitals, while checkpoints stop medical aid getting to those who need it," she said.
The recent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip resulted in the death of 1,440 people, including 430 children, with thousands more wounded, orphaned, homeless and psychologically damaged.
Ms El-Farra said that figures obtained before the attacks showed that 65 per cent of Gazan children are suffering from post-traumatic disorder.
"Unemployment is 60 per cent and 38 per cent of Palestinian women of childbearing age suffer from malnutrition disorders," she highlighted.
"This is not about Israel's security. This amounts to a war crime."
Ms El-Farra welcomed the Viva Palestina convoy to Gaza as a "great initiative," but stressed that political solidarity was the most important tool of empowering Palestinians to fight for independence.
"Palestinians, especially women and children, may be victims but they refuse to be victimised," she proudly declared.
"Women in particular are organising in the community and fight the occupation while still managing to keep a smile on their face. Those I talk to say they want peace but not without justice."
Lawyer and co-ordinator for International Solidarity with Thompsons Solicitors Karen Mitchell pointed to a raft of international laws that have repeatedly been breached by Israel.
She concluded: "Israel is guilty of war crimes and must be brought to justice."
Iraqi women's plight is far from over
Louise Nousratpour
Friday March 13, 2009
The Morning Star
IRAQI Women's League guest speaker Shatha Besarani rejected the occupation forces' claim that her country was on the road to democracy.
Ms Besarani told the TUC women's conference in Scarborough on Friday that the Iraq puppet regime was engaged in a "hostile" war against the trade union movement, vandalising its premises, freezing its bank accounts and physically assaulting union leaders.
Arguing that "no true democracy can exist without a free labour movement," she reported that the Iraqi Teachers Union - a well-organised union which has secured significant pay increases in recent years through strike action - had been forced to hand over the keys to its headquarters along with membership and other records.
"This brutal pattern, however, was established by Paul Bremer - the US overlord responsible for setting up the Occupation Authority in 2003," she declared.
"He threw out most of Saddam's legal codes but kept the 1987 law that makes it illegal for public-sector workers to organise in a union."
Ms Besarani said that the situation for women was no better.
She pointed to a recent report by humanitarian charity Oxfam, which warned that the situation has worsened for women since the 2003 US-led invasion.
Last month, Iraq's minister for women resigned in protest at the lack of resources and accused the government of not making women's needs a priority.
"All Iraqis have suffered, but women face the additional danger of being sidelined in a male-dominated society - only 17 per cent of the workforce are women, compared to 83 per cent men," she noted.
"Iraqi women are trapped in a downward spiral of poverty, desperation and gender-specific violence. Oxfam described their plight as a 'silent emergency'."
Despite the ongoing war and occupation, which has ravaged the country, killed over one million and made millions more refugees, Ms Besarani was optimistic about the future.
"The results of the last election in January indicated a rejection of religious sectarianism in favour of national unity," she told delegates.
Ms Besarani stressed the importance of international solidarity to help Iraqi women and trade unionists in their struggle for "free trade unions and an independent Iraq."
She urged delegates to continue to give political and practical support to Iraqi people, including writing letters of protest to the Maliki government and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to highlight the issues.
Friday March 13, 2009
The Morning Star
IRAQI Women's League guest speaker Shatha Besarani rejected the occupation forces' claim that her country was on the road to democracy.
Ms Besarani told the TUC women's conference in Scarborough on Friday that the Iraq puppet regime was engaged in a "hostile" war against the trade union movement, vandalising its premises, freezing its bank accounts and physically assaulting union leaders.
Arguing that "no true democracy can exist without a free labour movement," she reported that the Iraqi Teachers Union - a well-organised union which has secured significant pay increases in recent years through strike action - had been forced to hand over the keys to its headquarters along with membership and other records.
"This brutal pattern, however, was established by Paul Bremer - the US overlord responsible for setting up the Occupation Authority in 2003," she declared.
"He threw out most of Saddam's legal codes but kept the 1987 law that makes it illegal for public-sector workers to organise in a union."
Ms Besarani said that the situation for women was no better.
She pointed to a recent report by humanitarian charity Oxfam, which warned that the situation has worsened for women since the 2003 US-led invasion.
Last month, Iraq's minister for women resigned in protest at the lack of resources and accused the government of not making women's needs a priority.
"All Iraqis have suffered, but women face the additional danger of being sidelined in a male-dominated society - only 17 per cent of the workforce are women, compared to 83 per cent men," she noted.
"Iraqi women are trapped in a downward spiral of poverty, desperation and gender-specific violence. Oxfam described their plight as a 'silent emergency'."
Despite the ongoing war and occupation, which has ravaged the country, killed over one million and made millions more refugees, Ms Besarani was optimistic about the future.
"The results of the last election in January indicated a rejection of religious sectarianism in favour of national unity," she told delegates.
Ms Besarani stressed the importance of international solidarity to help Iraqi women and trade unionists in their struggle for "free trade unions and an independent Iraq."
She urged delegates to continue to give political and practical support to Iraqi people, including writing letters of protest to the Maliki government and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to highlight the issues.
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