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How these two expat women made a difference a century apart
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END THE VIOLENCE A CAPTION
Fiona Govan Digital News Editor
LTHOUGH Spain International Women’s treats men Day – celand women equally ebrated annually by law, on March 8 – is and the government a day that commemorates has worked hard social, political the entire population to educate the achievements of and economic women. many women still about equality, This year is particularly report sexist behaviour and ‘machista’ poignant as we watch our Some of the most attitudes. suffer the brutalsister Ukrainians outmoded atti- rights. tudes hark back Feminists made making our own reality of war, compared to other to the Franco era rapid progress National Catholicism countries in Euof gles for equality perceived strugvoters when, in 1939, the dictator’s death and as after rope and worldwide. Until the dictator removed Spain ration of developed as a democracy, the elabo- Vox clearly approved. safe environmentsin our generally the 2017 State Pact, any powers rights also has made women had gained. pale into comwomen’s some question- parison. never able statements started to match those of other before had a government been forced to be mothersFemales were European about women’s Eighty years committed to the so working roles. countries. and houseago, almost to eradication of genwives, with no legal month, as the der violence.” right to work, own The husband’s permission rule And when it comes property, or get divorced. was abolished in 1975, to the workplace raged, my the Second World War itself, the proportion grandmother fled They could went the adultery law Quintanilla points out that, in go to prison for of women in as a Jewish Kyiv in 1978, May 2019, refugee, the only straying husbands adultery, although ised in 1981. and divorce was legal- most Spanish Congress had the managerial positions remains around member weren’t punished. female members a third of that of A 1953 guide showed in its history bers men with the num- She lost of her family to survive. In 1987, the Spanish her family, her women how agreed dropping even further Supreme Court – 166, taking 47.4% of seats. to be a good wife, This made that as ca- belongings and even home, her ing that the house including ensur- to prove they a rape victim didn’t have leader the Spanish parliament the EU reers progress. her name as she adopted a had fought the in gender parity. Spain's female executives fake identity and children tidy, and was spotless, the In 2004, earn 15.1 forged papers to the government man back In the Cabinet, that Women were told dinner on the table. what is known introduced higher, number is even percent less than their male counterfirstly in Iran and begin a new life, not parts, with to as bother women although the their Law”, which then when once “Integrated ity husband with “trivial” taking the majorthis is just below the again forced to flee a patriarchal society, chatter. It was Delegation funded the Government of of ministerial roles, including that EU average salary gap of 16 Deputy Prime percent lamic Revolution, in during the Isof Violence according to the with women en. treated as chattels. England. latest EU data from But she And, in 2017, a Against Wom- job yet though. Minister. Not the top 2017. never lost her State Pact was Progress has been indomitaformed against gender ble Ukrainian spirit However, a backslide Quintanilla says: violence. Ever since Franco made and that “On average, Span- spirit is occurred in ish Carmen Quintanilla, apparent in every same women earn €5,977 vice president of 2019 when the far-right Vox en’s groups and died in 1975, wom- AFAMMER, image - now less per of women broadcast Spain’s which works for have worked to female politicians in rural areas women - claimedthird largest political party than men and occupy more than year war-torn from the rid the country of 70% of part-time explained: “Spain country since that the gender ‘machista’ culture the Rusviolence en, 46% contracts. Of these wom- sian invasion and secure equala pioneer and benchmark countryis a law favours women and - whether reporting affirm they are should be re- because terms of laws that in part-time from the frontline, ensure equality, placed with a family violence law. they spite this being De- cannot afford care for dependents or bunkers or trekking sheltering in controversial, some childcare services.” miles to get to safety Does Spain have a high femicide rate? March 8 across borders. The Spanish government is a day to celebrate our site for do- grandmothers, our mestic violence mothers, Sarah Cowley provides annual (DV) and equality sisters and our daughters, our The new Deputy Head our femicide. At the statistics about and fellow womankind and to come in Madrid is a pioneer of Mission at the British Embassy became the firstend of 2021, Spain together in solidarity and peace as the first ever UK to start recording European country in the hope of creating ambassador all femicides, even world. And a better to take maternity in cases where the this year it is more leave aggressor didn’t portant than imknow the victim. ever. Her message on Last year, 44 women International Women’s were killed to all aspects of life Day is one that transfers and nine of the and career. male perpetrators “There is a responsibility had previously been do something to showcasefor those of us who have been domestic violence denounced for the first to that to others, so (DV). This comdone and how it can pares they to 47 in 2020 and can see it can be 55 in 2019. “Women shout not be done. Harking back a hide their achievements decade, Spain had est about them. They 73 deaths of women and or be overly modat the hands of but to other people may not seem like big achievements male partners or to you You could be a role they could be really inspirational. and 72 in 2004,ex-partners in 2003 model and blaze a trail for what others least decreased. so rates have at can do.” Spain’s come a long tle for equality isn’t way but the batover yet.
Spain has some of government-fundedEurope’s most progressive gender laws and violence. But is it education campaigns discouraging working? Jo Chipchase domestic takes a look.
Blazing a trail
Come and get inspired!
COSTA BLANCA
Vol. 3 Issue 76
International
March 2022
Your expat
voice in Spain
Jávea · Altea
March 10th - March 23rd 2022
yorkshirelinencostablanca.com
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.
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
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this situation is heavily impacting my mental health,” revealed the former Kyiv resident. “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 SALES & RENTALS SPECIALISTS basements and fear for Moriara•Calpe•Jalon•Javea•Denia•Altea their lives,” she explained. Describing the www.moraira-hamiltons.net close relation-
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ship between the Russian and Ukrainian communities in Spain, she insists she doesn’t blame Russians 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