Women's Room Report for 2006
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ANNUAL REPORT 2006 WOMEN'S ROOM 1. ABOUT US Women's Room is non-governmental feminist organization that seeks to raise awareness of women’s issues among relevant institutions as well as the general public. Its primary focus is women’s sexuality and sexual rights through education, research and public works. It was founded in 2002 in Zagreb and works on state and regional levels. Women's Room was established with the following goals: . diminishing all forms of sex, gender and sexual discrimination; . empowering women to demand the protection of their human rights; . promoting and protecting sexual rights in accordance with the Declaration on Sexual Rights; . introducing all-encompassing educational practices based on scientific fact to all levels of education; . promoting positive attitudes about women’s sexuality, sexual health, and freedom of choice; . diminishing all forms of discrimination based on gender expression and/or gender identity, sexual orientation, and intersex characteristics; . prevention of sexual violence against women and sexual and gender minorities; . providing direct assistance to women who have survived sexual violence; . empowering LGBTIQ individuals in demanding their basic human rights. FIELDS OF WORK sexual rights and women's sexuality sexual violence including trafficking in women for the purpose of sexual exploitation rights of sexual and gender minorities (LGBTIQ rights) Women's Room – Center for Sexual Rights, 2006. 2 ACTIVITIES OF WOMEN'S ROOM EDUCATION PUBLIC WORK / RESEARCH LOBBYING / NETWORKING COUNSELING PUBLISHING SERVICES During 2006, Women's Room has implemented 16 programs and projects that fall under three main program themes. Descriptions of these programs and projects are to be found in Chapter 3 of the report – Work of Women's Room in 2006. Although Women's Room has operated for only five years, we believe that through dedicated work on program themes it has acquired the status of one of the most prominent feminist organizations in the sphere of civil organizations as well as among relevant governmental institutions whose domain is related to Women's Room's fields of work. These can be best attested to through our publications, numerous workshops and seminars as well as media presence (attachment no. 3). Structure of Women's Room Women's Room is comprised of an Assembly which is the highest electoral and program body and includes regular Women's Room's members. The Management Team consists of five independent experts in the field of women's human rights and the president of the Coordination Team. The Coordination Team is an executive body which includes coordinators of Women's Room's programs. The Working Team is an executive body which includes the coordinators of Women's Room's programs and projects,and involves all members that participate in Women's Room's work, including volunteers. A list of Women's Room's members can be found in Attachment no. 1. Women's Room – Center for Sexual Rights, 2006. 3 STRUCTURE OF WOMEN'S ROOM WOMEN'S ROOM'S ASSEMBLY highest electoral and program body MANAGEMENT TEAM COORDINATION TEAM management body executive body WORKING TEAM body working on programs and projects The Working Team of Women's Room during 2006 was comprised of Maja Mamula (President of the Coordination Team), Voljana Kapelina (Office and Financial Coordinator), Dunja Bonacci Skenderović (Coordinator of Trafficking in Women Program), Jelena Poštić (Coordinator of LGBTIQ Program), Ivana Dijanić Plašć (Project Assistant) and Nera Komarić (Coordinator of Trafficking in Women Program). Women’s Room’s Team has in 2006 contributed 895 overtime, unpaid working hours. In addition to the main Women's Room Team the organization works with 19 experts in specific fields in relation to specific projects and programs. In addition to this an important contribution is made by 16 regular volunteers. Other volunteers participated in specific activities and all these volunteers contributed 1854 volunteer hours (Attachment no. 2). During 2006, Women’s Room members devoted their efforts to achieving not only the goals set, but also to the development of the organization, evaluation of their work and achievements, and plans for further organizational development. The Statute of Women’s Room underwent modification as at the General Assembly meeting held on June 8, 2006. Changes were made regarding the organization’s name and address and in terms of the management bodies of Women’s Room. The name of the organization was changed from Women’s Room – Center for Prevention, Research, and Combating of Sexual Violence to Women’s Room – Center for Sexual Rights. Women's Room – Center for Sexual Rights, 2006. 4 Women's Room's finances for 2006 During 2006, Women's Room engaged in 16 projects with a budget of 857.189,35 kunas (117.057 EUR). Of this, 30% was allocated to salaries, 28 % to indirect activity costs and 42 % to direct activity expenditure. Women's Room donors in 2006 were Kvinna till Kvinna; Office for the Equality of the Sexes of the Government of Croatia; Ministry of Science, Education and Sport; US Embassy, World Day of Prayer; WORLD LEARNING STAR; European Women's Lobby; European Commission, Open Society Institute New York; The Global Fund for Women; Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice; Mama Cash; CARE Canada Zagreb. Women's Room's revenue and expenditures for 2006 are presented in tables and graphs 1 and 2 below. Table 1 Women's Room's revenue in 2006 Revenue HRK EURO 1. Kvinna till Kvinna 310.863,88 42.451 2. National Foundation for the Civil Society Development 149.145,00 20.367 3. European Comission 130.752,70 17.855 4. US Embassy 82.829,00 11.311 5. Ministry of Science, Education and Sport 70.000,00 9.559 6. Governmental Office for the Equality of the Sexes 68.530,00 9.358 7. Global Fund for Women 64.226,00 8.771 8. Women's World Day of Prayer 53.808,06 7.348 9. Stichtung Mama Cash 47.193,57 6.445 10. Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice 32.671,82 4.462 11. Care International Canada 31.127,29 4.251 12. Governmental Office for the Equality of the Sexes 30.000,00 4.097 13. European Women's Lobby 19.701,73 2.690 14. Other donors 22.049,75 3.011 15. Revenue from services 1.620,00 221 16. Private donations 990,00 135 17. Other revenue 8.892,97 1.214 UKUPNO PRIHODI 1.124.401,77 153.547 18. Volunteer work 55.121,00 7.527 Women's Room – Center for Sexual Rights, 2006. 5 Graph 1 Women's Room's revenue in 2006 1% 5% International donors 14% National Foundation for Civil Society Development Funds from the state 13% budget Volunteer work 67% Other revenue Table 2 Women's Room's expenditures in 2006 EXPENDITURES HRK EURO 1. PROGRAM EXPENSES Program staff 258.213,97 35.261 Program activities 357.554,14 48.827 TOTAL 615.768,11 84.089 2. INDIRECT COSTS Administrative staff 69.614,91 9.507 Rent and utilities 48.850,10 6.671 Communication costs 29.808,74 4.071 Administrative costs 65.354,50 8.925 Equipment and maintanace costs 7.223,85 986 Financial revision 5.145,00 703 Other costs 15.424,14 2.106 TOTAL 241.421,24 32.968 TOTAL EXPENDITURES 857.189,35 117.057 Women's Room – Center for Sexual Rights, 2006. 6 Graph 2 Women's Room's expenditures in 2006 28% Program costs Indirect costs 72% Total Women's Room's revenue in 2006 were 1.124.401.77 kn, and expenditures 857.189,35 kn. Remaining balance of income equals to 267.212,42 kn and will be used for expenditures during 2007. Promotion of Women’s Room’s research “Status of Sexual Rights of Women in Croatia”, Zagreb, February 2006. «We don't know who we are until we realize what we can do. » Martha Grimes Women's Room – Center for Sexual Rights, 2006. 7 2. CONTEXT OF OUR WORK Our work is motivated primarily by the unequal treatment and discrimination of women in society and discrimination based on gender expression. Our focus is dedicated to specific groups such as women whose sexual rights are violated, female survivors of sexual violence and sexual and gender minorities (LGBTIQ population). 2.1. Status of sexual rights Sex education Despite numerous attempts of experts in the field of sexuality and sexual education coming from governmental or non-governmental organizations to do so, sex education in Croatia has not been introduced to schools during 2006, neither as an independent program nor within the scope of Health education. In accordance to the notifications made, in February 2006 the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport (MSES) announced a call for applications regarding suggestions for Health education for elementary and high schools in Croatia, an integral part of this being sex education. Of twenty-four proposals, two were entered in the process for further consideration by The Committee for Proposal Assessment: a program of the association GROZD for elementary and high schools (conditioned by making changes to some parts of their sexual education program) and a program of the Forum for Freedom of Sexual Education for high schools. When this information was announced in media numerous reactions followed, primarily provoked by GROZD program which included information stating that no contraception is safe (or recommended), that masturbation is deviant form of sexual behavior which leads youth to focus on themselves, and that homosexuality is disease and a disorder. The Committee requested certain changes be made to GROZD program which did not take place, while minister Primorac neglected recommendations made by the Committee and concluded that GROZD program can enter elementary and high schools in its original form.