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International
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How these two expat women made a difference a century apart
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March 10th - March 23rd 2022
March 2022
Women’s Day
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END THE VIOLENCE A CAPTION
Fiona Govan Digital News Editor
International Women’s Day – celLTHOUGH Spain treats ebrated annually on March 8 – is men and women equally a day that commemorates by law, the and the government social, political and worked hard to educate has achievements of women.economic the entire population about This year is particularly many women still report equality, as we watch our sister poignant sexist beUkrainians haviour and ‘machista’ suffer the brutal reality attitudes. rights. Some of the most outmoded making our own perceivedof war, atti- Feminists made strugtudes hark back to the gles for equality in our rapid progress after compared to other countries in Eu- voters Franco era of the dictator’s generally clearly approved. National Catholicism when, safe environments pale death and as Spain rope and worldwide. Until the elaboin 1939, developed into comthe dictator removed as a democracy, women’s ration of the 2017 State Pact, never Vox also has made some question- parison. any powers rights started women had gained. to match those of other before had a government been so able statements about women’s Eighty years ago, almost working roles. committed to the eradication to the forced to be mothersFemales were European countries. month, as the Second of gen- And when it World War der violence.” wives, with no legal right and house- The husband’s permission comes to the workplace raged, my grandmother rule was Quintanilla property, or get divorced.to work, own abolished in 1975, the adultery points out that, in May itself, the proportion of women in as a Jewish refugee, fled Kyiv law 2019, Spanish the only go to prison for adultery,They could went in 1978, and divorce Congress had the managerial positions remains around member of her family was legalalthough to a third survive. most of ised female that straying husbands weren’t in 1981. of men with members She lost her family, her punished. home, her – 166, taking 47.4% in its history bers dropping even furtherthe num- belongings In 1987, A 1953 guide showed of seats. This reers as caand even women how agreed the Spanish Supreme Court made the Spanish progress. to be a good wife, including that a she adopted a fake her name as identity ensur- to prove they rape victim didn’t have leader in gender parliament the EU Spain's female executives ing that the house was had fought the parity. earn 15.1 forged papers to begin a new and percent less than their life, children tidy, and dinner spotless, the In 2004, the government man back In the Cabinet, that number is male counter- firstly in Iran and then when introduced higher, with even once Women were told not on the table. what is known as the “Integrated women taking the major- parts, although this is just below the again forced to flee during the IsEU average salary husband with “trivial” to bother their Law”, which funded the Government ity of ministerial roles, including that according to the gap of 16 percent lamic Revolution, in England. of Deputy Prime a patriarchal society, chatter. It was Delegation of Violence Against latest EU data from But she never lost with women en. And, Wom- job yet though. Minister. Not the top 2017. her treated as chattels. in 2017, a State Pact ble Ukrainian spirit and indomitawas However, a backslide Quintanilla says: “On average, that same formed against gender Progress has been made spirit is apparent in every image 2019 when the far-rightoccurred in ish women earn €5,977 less Span- of women Carmen Quintanilla, viceviolence. Ever since Franco died per year Vox president of Spain’s broadcast from the in 1975, wom- AFAMMER, en’s groups and female third largest political - now than men and occupy more than 70% war-torn country which works for women party of part-time contracts. since - claimed that the gender have worked to rid the politicians in rural areas explained: “Spain Of these wom- sian invasion - whether the Rusviolence en, 46% affirm is a law favours reporting ‘machista’ culture and country of a pioneer and benchmark they are part-time from the frontline, country in placed with women and should be re- because they secure equal terms sheltering in care for dependents of laws that ensure equality, a family violence bunkers spite this being controversial,law. De- cannot afford childcare services.” or to safety or trekking miles to get across borders. some Does Spain have a high femicide rate? March 8 is a day to celebrate our The Spanish government grandmothers, site for doour mothers, mestic violence (DV) and equality sisters and our daughters, our provides annual statistics our Sarah Cowley fellow womankind and femicide. At the end of about and together to come The new Deputy Head of 2021, Spain in solidarity and peace Mission at the British Embassy became the first European in Madrid is a pioneer as country in the hope of creating a better to start recording all femicides, the first ever UK ambassador world. in cases where the aggressor even portantAnd this year it is more imto take maternity leave than ever. didn’t know the victim. Last year, 44 women Her message on International Women’s Day is one that and nine of the male were killed to all aspects of life and perpetrators transfers had previously been denounced “There is a responsibility career. for for those of us who have domestic violence (DV). do something to showcase been the first to that to others, so they can pares to 47 in 2020 and This comdone and how it can be see it can be Harking back a decade,55 in 2019. “Women shout not hide done. their achievements and 73 deaths of women at Spain had est about them. They may or be overly modthe hands of male partners or ex-partners but to other people they not seem like big achievements to you in 2003 and 72 in 2004, so You could be a role modelcould be really inspirational. rates have at and blaze a trail for what least decreased. others can do.” Spain’s come a long way tle for equality isn’t over but the batyet.
Spain has some of Europe’s most progressive gender government-funded education laws campaigns discouraging and violence. But is it working? Jo Chipchase takes a look. domestic
Blazing a trail
UKRAINE CRISIS SPECIAL PEOPLE POWER: Protests have been held across Spain in anger at the Russian invasion
LAS FALLAS: Solidarity
Five-star help A FIVE-point plan has been launched by the Valencian government to help Ukrainian refugees. Regional president Ximo Puig wants to turn the Valencian Community into a ‘humanitarian corridor because we are a hospitable society committed to the values of freedom’. The plan includes €300,000 of medical supplies which were flown out of the Torrejon de Ardoz airbase, alongside €2 million worth from the Ministry of Cooperation's emergency fund. Meanwhile a '112 Ukraine' service is being set up to offer help and information to refugees who come to the Valencian Community which has over 30,000 Ukrainian residents. The Ministry of Health is allocating over 2,000 beds in regional hospitals, while a provisional SIP Health card allows immediate state health service access for refugees.
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Cruel irony Ukrainian expat terrified her Kyiv-based daughter could be killed by her ex-husband, a Russian soldier UKRAINIAN Halyna Surkova (pictured right), 53, has poured her heart out to the Olive Press about the shocking irony of her daughter who is currently trapped in the besieged city, while her father is attacking it. The translator fears her daughter, 31, and her grandson, 3, could be killed while cowering in a basement as Putin’s forces surround the city. “I am suffering a lot of distress, I had to visit the doctor because this situation is heavily impacting my mental health,” revealed the former Kyiv resident.
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“It is terrible to think that my ex-husband is among the forces that could kill his own daughter.” She added he was a senior and ‘very experienced’ soldier, who had killed ‘many times’ before. However she didn’t want to give more information for reasons of her family’s security and safety. She has only managed to have intermittent contact with her family back home since the invasion began two weeks ago. “Many of my family, especially the children, are very afraid. They are living in basements and fear for their lives,” she explained. Describing the close relationship between the Russian and Ukrainian c o m m u nities in Spain, she insists she d o e s n ’ t blame Rus-
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sians individually. “I have a very good relationship with some Russians here,” she said. “The majority of them disagree with Putin, but they are scared to share their views.” According to the Spanish Institute of Statistics (INE), 112,000 Ukrainians live in Spain, 56% of whom are based in Madrid, Valencia and Andalucia. Some 79,485 Russians are officially registered as residents. Despite all the damage the war is causing Ukraine, she is trying to stay positive about the future. “If Ukraine joins the EU, it will grow economically because Ukrainians are very hard-workers,” she insisted. Opinion Page 6 See Ukraine Special, pages 2 & 3