By: Elsa Corominas
Last April 19, issue 34 of the magazine Quaderns de la Mediterrània directed by Maria-Àngels Roque, a monograph entitled “Mediterranean Woman Breaking Barriers / Las mujeres mediterráneas rompen barreras”, was presented to the College of Journalists of Catalonia.
Alicia Oliver presented the event that was designed in a format that favored dialogue, coordinator of the European Network of Women Journalists (XEDP) who pointed out that in some Mediterranean countries people live in contexts of extreme violence and that the XEDP seeks to create alliances and build a women’s own agenda to contribute to making Mediterranean societies are more egalitarian. He recalled that in 2021, at conferences on the Mediterranean region with a feminist perspective, debates had begun that are now resurfacing and continue in this monograph, on challenges and strategies for greater equality and justice in the region. Cooperation will be efficient if we know how to listen to the societies in which we intend to influence and by listening to what the people who are part of it want, he concluded.
He then intervened Senén Florence, executive president of the European Institute of the Mediterranean who commented that “transforming social forms and mentalities is a task of generations” and highlighted the key role of women journalists to achieve the necessary advances to modernize societies and contribute to greater equality.
The third intervention was that of Anna Dorangricchia , responsible for the Gender Equality program of Union for the Mediterranean from where they work with the governments of the countries mentioned, directly with the ministries on issues related to women. He commented that women are victims of the system and that often their rights are constitutionally contemplated but social practice does not guarantee them (women’s right to work, for example, is contemplated by law, but in some countries women must be accompanied to work by her husband). Dorangricchia lamented that the last 5 years have been difficult for the region and have particularly affected women: covid19, energy crisis, climate crisis, food crisis. In addition, often the lack of data or reliable data makes actions difficult.
Maria-Àngels Roque , director of the magazine, pointed out that it is also necessary to incorporate male journalists in the task of eliminating discrimination and improving equality. He explained that it is very important to understand the complexity of the problems faced by women in some countries in the region who face many situations of gender violence and in the case of female journalists it is regrettable that they have even been killed for exercising their his profession Given the seriousness of the situation, new ways to deal with gender-based violence are being considered, such as prevention training in online format. He then presented the monograph, which consists of 5 articles, an in-depth interview and a short adaptation of Judith Butler ‘s speech on the occasion of the reception of the International Prize of Catalonia (2022) on the cultural landscape with a view to global conflicts. Roque introduced two of the magazine’s authors present at the session: Elena Morató, one of the authors of the article “Women creators and artists” explained how in certain countries art and creation are risky professions and pointed out that it is necessary to resume feminist militancy since rights are going backwards, and Giulia Maria Ferraresi, author of the interview with Fedwa Misk on the feminist debate in Morocco, which closes with a sentence that opens many doors: “I believe that fiction has an essential function in education for inclusion and non-discrimination”.
The initial presentations and interventions gave way to a rich dialogue between the attendees.
A fundamental monograph for progress in justice and equality and which weaves fundamental alliances to achieve these social improvements.
