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"Women
can rejuvenate politics…"
Greek
Euro-MP Anna Karamanou needs no special introduction. She is one of those
women that have fought, and continue to fight, for equal opportunities. She
is active, a visionary, deeply knowledgeable about what she says and stands
for. She is loved in Greece, adored in Europe. That is why, in her capacity
as PASOK MP, she was appointed Chairwoman of the Committee for Women's
Rights and Equal Opportunities of the European Parliament – the first time a
Greek woman has held this office. She travels two or three times a week, in
order to advance her vision of a powerful Europe of equal opportunity,
democracy, respect, values… She does not mince her words: "God created us
equal", she says. "Equal in society,in work, in worship. The Mt. Athos ban
reflects unacceptable attitudes and behaviours. The mistaken traditions of
the past must be abandoned. The Taliban did what they did in the name of
tradition".
Enjoy!
- What is the role of women in the European Parliament
today? Do you feel that discrimination persists? Are you satisfied
with the level of women's participation?
There is no discrimination
in the European Parliament – women have a very creative, active role,
and account for 31% of Euro-MPs. I don't think there is a sense of inferiority,
even though prejudice and stereotypes still apply in our societies, especially
in the field of politics. As regards my own Parliamentary group (the
Socialist group) 37% of the MPs are women. Therefore things are better
than in the past, though not as yet ideal.
- Are there subjects that women are not supposed
to get involved in?
Yes, such distinctions persist. It
is true that women are more interested in issues concerning quality of
life, social welfare, protection of the environment. Also, women, as
everyone knows, are more peace-loving than men. But there are also women
tackling the "hard" political issues. The economic committee
of the European Parliament is chaired by a German woman. The foreign
policy committee has several women members. We also had Anna Lind, who
was Sweden's Foreign Minister. Women have shown that they are just as
capable as men in all fields.
- We say that MPs listen to the concerns and
problems of their constituencies and convey them to each country's
Parliamentary Assembly. Can I assume that Euro-MPs do the same, only
on a different scale? Do they have contacts and interaction with all
European citizens?
They have contacts with everyone and
are in a position to undertake any number of initiatives. At the Committee
for Women's Rights, of which I am chairwoman, we have undertaken projects
in connection with advancing women's rights in countries such as Nigeria,
Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran. We examined the situation on the ground and
intervened in specific cases. We secured the release of women who had
been imprisoned because they had left their homes after being mistreated.
Euro-MPs assume initiatives in other cases too on the global scale, such
as issues concerning the developing world or the resolution of crises
in many regions. However, as you know the European Council has the most
extensive powers among EU institutions.
- What is your opinion about Cypriot society
today and the position of women?
I have been coming to Cyprus for many
years, I have contacts with women's organisations, and I have been very
glad to see that considerable changes have been made in recent years.
It seems that the acceleration of the process for the accession of Cyprus
to the EU has also brought about rapid developments in ideas and values.
Certainly, society remains to a large degree traditional and women have
yet to gain the position they deserve. This is evident from the small
number of women in Parliament, in Government, in other institutions.
This indicates that there is still a long way to go before full equality
of the sexes in all fields is achieved. But there is progress – for example,
the number of women MPs doubled in the recent elections. Positive developments
can also be seen on the level of ideas, and in issues such as nationalism,
xenophobia, racism. I have seen a desire to overcome obsolete mentalities.
We must understand that purely national societies are a thing of the
past. The only way to co-exist peacefully is to respect each other, to
respect diversity, to fashion a common value system. Europe provides
such a shared vision. It is not only an economic community benefiting
its member-states, but also a community of values and ideas.
- Still, you do not consider satisfactory the
participation of women in the various power centres in Cyprus…
No, it is not satisfactory, even though
I have seen that you have very fine women in Cyprus. I think it is not
very clever on the part of the political parties to fail to turn to account
the valuable human resources they have in Cypriot women. This is the
only way to rejuvenate politics and instil a new dynamism in the political
process. Women represent a new, fresh element in politics and society.
I am disappointed that certain quarters still fail to realise this.
- Have the Cypriot social-democrats been encouraged
in this direction?
Certainly. I myself, as Chairwoman
of the Committee of Equal Rights and Opportunities, have addressed letters
to all entities involved in the elections for the European Parliament.
We will not look kindly upon countries that will not send women to the
European Parliament. Our aim is to attain a balance of the sexes in politics,
as in everything else.
- What do you know about women in Turkish Cyprus?
I assume that things are a lot worse
than they are here, if the situation in Turkey is anything to go by.
I have contacts with women's organisations in Turkey, and we have exchanged
views and ideas. The position of women in Turkey is difficult, and I
imagine the same applies here, in the occupied zone of Cyprus. When I
was 18 years old I became friendly with Mrs. Akkintzi, the chairwoman
of a strong women's organisation in the occupied zone. I have repeatedly
denounced Turkey for the crimes of "honour", the rapes of women
in police stations, and many other issues.
- The ban on women visiting Mt. Athos is an issue
you have raised often. I suspect that this is the reason you have become
a target of church organisations…
My view is that when we speak of equality
of the sexes, we mean equality everywhere. Unless certain people think
that equality only applies in specific sectors. Either men and women
are equal, or they should come out and say "equality in the labour
market and nowhere else". It is a fact that the Church is dominated
by men. This is not based on Christian teaching. The ban is an extreme
example of gender-based discrimination. They say that a geographical
area of 400 square kilometres and 20 monasteries is only open to men.
Why? Are women dirty? The monks ban their own mothers from visiting Mt.
Athos. Why? Will their mothers defile the place?
- There are monasteries here in Cyprus, which hold
the exact same views…
I have not heard this. In Greece I
do not know of any monastery that we are not allowed to visit. We don't
want to spend the night there. Some men visit Mt. Athos for tourism,
and stay there for a week, free of charge. Free holidays. On our part,
we do not demand free holidays at Mt. Athos. We merely want to visit
the community, respecting tradition and our cultural heritage.
- Have you found fellow-travellers in this view?
Certainly. Firstly among women. Even
here in Cyprus, they keep telling me: "Mrs. Karamanou don't stop
fighting against the ban on Mt. Athos, we want to visit it so much".
However, I have found open-minded people even in the church itself. They
are not the majority, but at least some are open to dialogue and discussion.
- I imagine that people tell you that you are interfering
with tradition…
Tradition can not prevail over our
laws, international law, or human rights. Those who wish to subjugate
women invoke tradition. The Taliban invoked tradition, as did those in
Nigeria who condemned a woman to death by stoning, as do the authorities
in Sudan. As I have said a million times, we respect those traditions
that respect human rights. Personally, I have no respect for traditions
that fail to recognise women's rights or human rights. We do not wish
to enter the private quarters of the monks, nor interfere with their
right to a monastic life. We simply want to obtain access to our cultural
heritage under the same terms and conditions that apply for men.
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