Transcript HUMAN RIGHTS

HUMAN RIGHTS
Intercultural awareness - Equality
Active Citizenship
What we need to focus on:









The importance to inform about the human rights
How to stop the honour related violence
Change attitudes and inform about our values
The religious fundamental brainwash all over the
world and how that influence our society
(interreligious dialogue)
The equality between men and women in the world
To inform about which obligations and rights you
have in Sweden
Giving knowledge of the women’s struggle in
Sweden to reach equality as well as elsewhere in
the world
To help our new citizens to live a free life
Being a member of the Network www.minheder.nu
The defence of secularism



The patriarchal system is 4000 years old and is
deeply rooted in all religions, that themselves
have become one of its key factors.
Gender equality is part of universal values that
imply the principle of secular culture. Women’s
full citizenship and implementation of human
rights should supersede and even disqualify all
references to specific culture or religion.
The building of a Europe of solidarity, peace and
equality means raising consciousness of the
essential link that exists between the struggle for
implementation of women’s rights, especially
sexual and reproductive rights and freedom of
sexual orientation and the defence of secularism.
EYID, European Year
of Intercultural Dialogue





2008 was by the EU considered as
the European year of intercultural dialogue
This year was supposed to create communication
and understanding between citizen and cultures in
Europe
It coincided with the launching of
the new European integration fund –
It would give support to organisations and
authorities through developing projects which in
turn will improve the integration of the immigrants
in the member countries – by giving strength to
The intercultural and interreligious dialogue
Inter-religious dialogue





Secular society often lacks the ability to discuss
and handle social, cultural and existential issues
that form core values
Municipalities have to date provided new arrivals
with social and cultural information
This can happen in conjunction with language
training for immigrants
It can prevent potential conflicts caused by
differences in cultural and religious practices
This can also ensure better integration of thirdcountry nationals in the societies, values and
ways of life
The immigration to Sweden
Questions?








The Swedish society has had the biggest social
transformation during our lifetime
We have given permanent residence permits to
over 1 million immigrants since 1980 (the most per
capita in the EU) and on top of that to 500 000
relatives
We have not discussed what we demand from them
Many of them are coming from undemocratic,
fundamental countries with no human rights
Do they have to learn about our values?
Difficulty to discuss the immigration, you may be
called racist, islamofobic, hostile to foreigners
Our ability and resources to take care of those who
are here in a correct way?
Lack of means to give everyone a good start in
Sweden?
The search for money








Many phone calls to politicians,
authorities etc.
Lots of interest in what we are doing –
this is what all the SFI-schools should do
Many promises of giving money
One especially – Länsstyrelsen in Stockholm,
still no money
Where has all the money gone? Lots of expensive
projects with no result in real life in the SFI schools
The expert of equality in Stockholm was going to
spread my request of money to all it may concern
Letter to the minister of integration – no reply
So what to do?
Themes we could inform about in
Sfi, Swedish for immigrants:














Mobbing
Game addiction
Drugs
Assault
The moral in Sweden
Politics
Rights, Obligations
Family, Parenthood
Government and parliament
Healthcare-information
Religion
Congregations
Sports
Racism














The compulsory school
Education, studies
Marriage, Sambo
Immigrants and the defence
Culture support
Retirement and old age
Democracy
Housing and environment
Traffic rules
Rights to get translation
Criminality
Immigrant organisations
National registration
Honour related violence
The most important
Joy and inspiration






Support and response from the society around us
Firm directives that this is something prioritized
Money to invest in our important work to give our
new citizens knowledge of democratic values and
human rights
Two whole days to get together for planning
Time to create good material & new methods
Staff education – integration consults
What did we need?
To succeed!
How to go on?








Not giving up, keeping up the good spirit
Persuade the politicians of the importance to implement the
knowledge of HUMAN RIGHTS in the SFI schools
Thinking of all the women, children and men who are
suffering in undemocratic, fundamentalist countries
Give them hope of change when they come here
Inform them that in Sweden we have liberty of thought,
expression and religion
Let our new citizens know that they have come to a
democratic, equal society where everybody are
responsible of keeping it that way
Perhaps we can use the new European integration fund
I mentioned about at the beginning of this presentation. Who
knows?
When will the politicians take a stand for the
HUMAN RIGHTS to be WOMEN RIGHTS?