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Seminar about the Women’s Question “On the role of communists in the struggle for the parity and emancipation of women” Intervention by Willy Berend, New Communist Party of the Netherlands Brussels, March 26, 2010 www.ncpn.nl, manifest@wanadoo.nl Dear Comrades, My name is Willy Berend, former member of the daily board of the New Communist Party of the Netherlands. First I like to thank the Greek Communist Party for the invitation to join this seminar. I hope to hear about the experiences you have and to learn. Useful information will make it possible for my party to undertake new steps to strengthen the position of the women in my country. The position of women in the Netherlands still is not equal, especially in labour rights, especially among the migrant workers. In a communist party, the struggle for emancipation of women should always be a part of the anti-capitalist class-struggle. In the former Dutch Communist Party it became more a struggle from women against men and vice-versa, and the class-struggle became less important. It changed into an emancipation party instead of a communist party. The party's Secretary even said a few years later, that she never was a communist. That's one of the reasons there is not much specific (and organized) attention for emancipation of women in the NCPN. However we feel the necessity to pay more attention to this matter, now the crises is deepening and the rights of the working class will be attacked more than in many decades. The next weeks, before the general election on June 9, the Dutch working class will get an idea of the consequences of the crisis. The majority of the parliament and -as far as we can see now- also the new government will try to find 35 billion euro. Loans, pensions, public services and so on will be attacked. The position of women will, especially because of the fact many of them will have to work more and longer, get more difficult. So even if the situation is not so bad for the Dutch women compared with other countries, there is still a lot to do. Therefore I am here as an observer to get information, ideas and to hear interesting proposals for my party. I wish everyone a successful and fruitful seminar and will end with the demands formulated during the Dutch Womens-day, March 8 2010:
The NCPN thinks, a strong emancipation of the women means first of all strengthening of communist and workers parties. The anti imperialist, anti-capitalist struggle is the best base for all forms of emancipation. I wish to express the warm solidarity of the NCPN with the fights of KKE, KNE and PAME in Greece. We wish the Greek people all the strength they need now the attacks are getting harder every day more. Your successes are our successes, what you loose we will loose. We also wish our comrades of the CPBM in the Czech Republic all successes they need in their struggle against efforts to outlaw the party. Long live Marxism-Leninism, Long live international solidarity. Comradely, Willy Berend New Communist Party of the Netherlands |