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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington N.Z. Vol. 10, No. 2. March 19, 1947
Women's Charter Movement to Affiliate to WFDW
Women's Charter Movement to Affiliate to WFDW
The VUC Student Association, as an affiliated body to WFDY was invited to be present at a meeting called by the Interim Committee of the Women's Charter Movement. It is important for students to take an active interest in this movement as will be shown below and you are invited as individuals to join. A meeting will be held in about a month for the purpose of electing a Committee and forming a constitution. It is intended that this Charter should deal with various aspects of community improvements and reforms required in New Zealand and that also as a body the Committee should be affiliated to the International Federation of Democratic Women.
The meeting was held on Saturday, March 8, to celebrate International Women's Day (for the first time in N.Z.) and for the purpose of calling another meeting to set up a Women's Charter Committee in Wellington. This is not just another Women's organisation and is definitely not a feminist outfit.
Representatives of the Trades Unions, of the Affiliated bodies of the Wellington section of the World Federation of Democratic Youth movement were present as well as representatives of most of the worthwhile women's associations in Wellington and many interested individuals.
Those present, though of all possible political colours and religious creeds, passed the various resolutions unanimously and with acclamation. This is a rather remarkable achievement and indicates that the basis of this worldwide movement must have a wide democratic appeal.
The necessity for a strong antifascist basis was emphasised by speakers who pointed out that there can be no peace without democracy, and no world democracy while fascism continues to exist, therefore fascism must be uprooted before democracy can be built in peace and security.
Power to Act
The International Federation of Democratic Women is a body with headquarters in Paris and having an Executive with power to act. Passing resolutions and sending parcels are all very well but a body which can act swiftly in a crisis is essential and effective, an was demonstrated recently when the Paris H.Q. were responsible for saving the lives of several Spanish women who had been condemned to be shot by Franco. Even he had to take notice of an organisation representing 81,000,000 women throughout the democratic world.
Dr. Garland, Industrial Hygiene Advisor to the Department of Health, spoke at Saturday's meeting of women's work in industry and of the fact that it has been proved in England that women are capable of doing all the work that men are, with the exception of heavy weight lifting.
The incidence of fatigue on various jobs is the same for both men and women and if it is desirable for a woman to have a chair to sit at her work it is equally desirable for a man to have one.
It has been shown that providing a woman has leave before and after the birth of her child; that creches are provided and that time off to feed the child is given; the woman's health is better than if she had given up working.
A movement such as this one will help to bring the women's point of view on questions such as equal pay (this is where the Trades Unions support will be important), better working conditions (for both men and women) in industry, play centres kindergartens, creches, education and many other aspects of community life.
| 1. | To build peace (the link between peace and anti-fascism has been mentioned above and cannot be too heavily stressed). |
| 2. | To maintain social progress (to improve working and other conditions). |
| 3. | To educate people to an intelligent consciousness of Democracy (thus enabling the checking of insidious moves towards fascism before it becomes too strong). |
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