Women?셲 Committee against Kor-US FTA Neoliberal globalization continues to impoverish the lives of workers and farmers throughout the world, and women have been disproportionately victimized. The passage of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KorUS FTA) threatens to further threaten the livelihood and welfare of Korean women workers and farmers through the privatization of essential health and education services. The Women??/font>s Committee of the Korean Alliance against the KorUS FTA seeks to provide a critical women-centered analysis of the FTA and to organize women in a struggle against the ravages of globalized neoliberal restructuring. The committee is currently involved various campaigns, including a petition drive, the mobilization of women??/font>s rallies, and the formation of regional committees in Southern Kyoungsang and Northern and Southern Cholla provinces. Korean Women Against the U.S. Occupation Korean Women Against the U.S. was founded on April 29, 2001, in order to mobilize women as the central actors in the struggle for national self-determination, democracy and unification. The organization has been at the forefront of women?셲 struggle for peace and against war and U.S. militarism. The organization?셲 concrete objectives include: the development of activists for a progressive women?셲 movement; the development of theoretical and political understanding of the movement; the advancement of women in contemporary politics, including the fielding of candidates; the popularization of the movement to reach a broad women?셲 base; and the advancement of women into positions of leadership in the struggle for autonomous, peaceful unification. One of our primary activities includes education. We have established a history school that develops a historical perspective that recognizes women as important historical agents. We have also established a political school that addresses the gender contradictions in contemporary society so as to empower women as political agents. We have practiced what we believe and aspire to. For example, the organization has taken a prominent role in the struggle for unification through such programs as ?쏯utritional biscuits for North Korean Children,??Women?셲 Vanguard for Unification,???쏻omen?셲 Unification Festival,??and the ?쏯orth-South Women?셲 Exchange.??span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Furthermore, in order to enable women?셲 greater participation in the movement, the organization has developed unique, progressive models for building daycare centers. Currently, the organization is headed by President Mi Hye Lee, and is composed of 10 regional offices (Seoul, Bucheon, Incheon, Kangwon, Kwangju, Mokpo, Chonbuk, Daegu/Kyongbuk, Kyongnam, Jeju) with over 400 active members that adhere to the basic member policy (weekly small group activities/Monthly gatherings/day-to-day work/membership dues). In order to unite the broad masses of women, we are organizing regional women?셲 committees, and have participated in the wider progressive women?셲 movement. Contact information: 3rd floor, Dong Yang building, 128-5, Chung Pa-Dong, Yong san -Gu, seoul, 140-869 Korea Tel: 02-702-4096 www.banmiwoman.org E-mail: jsk68@hanmail.net Democratic Labor Party Women's committee DLP Women?셲 Committee seeks to realize women as dignified and active participants of society and overcome sexism and oppression of patriarchal capitalist institutions and values systems. We work to develop policies that meet the needs of women laborers and farmers, as well as every women that work in some form or other, and work to find and develop women politicians that will help realize these policies at the forefront. Currently, 15 regional branches have Women?셲 committees or are in preparation stages of developing one. Through building women?셲 committees in regional branches/area committees and education work such as Women?셲 political school, we seek to build women?셲 membership in the party and create space for women?셲 political participation. We also seek to reform institutions within and outside the party to guarantee participation of women, and work on the ground with women that tend to be more marginalized, such as disabled and low-income women. Since the inception of the party, institutionalizing fair division of labor and decision-making processes has garnered positive attention for the party. Korean Confederation of Trade Unions - Women's Committee The labor movement, which has played a crucial role in the democracy movement and protected the workers??rights through labor struggles, building unions throughout the 80?셲 and never giving in to the repression by harsh political regimes, consolidated to form KCTU in November of 1995. The 420,000 members at the time of inauguration grew to 700,000 in 10 years and KCTU continues the history and tradition of independent, militant labor union movements. As much as addressing the needs of union members, KCTU struggles on issues affecting the entire labor force and works for social reforms to resolve our society?셲 basic contradictions. Within this context, resolving class issues faced by women workers and resolving issues of women?셲 oppression under patriarchy have been a major project of KCTU, and with the women?셲 committee at the center we?셶e carried out a diverse range of programs. Compared to the earlier stages, women?셲 organizations/unions are more established and policies for more equal operations of the organization have been institutionalized. Other programs include prevention of sexual harassment and violence, development of women organizers, participation in broader civil society apparatuses through various coalitions, and organizing irregular women workers and supporting their struggles. KCTU Women?셲 Committee participating organizations: Korean Confederation of Trade Public&Social Service Work's Union, Korean Confederation of Trade Metal industry Union, Korean Federation of Clerical & Financial Labor Unions), National Union of Mediaworker Korea University Worker's Union), The Korean Teacher&Education Workers' Union), Korea federation of Information Techoligy Workers' Union Korean Medical and Health Workers Union Korea federation of Construction Industry Trade Union Korea Federation of Private Service Workers' Union, Women?셲 division, Seoul Regional Council, Kyeonggi Regional Council, Inchon Regional Council, Chungbuk Regional Council, Taechon Regional Council, Kwangju-Chonam Regional Council, Taegu Regional Council, Ulsan Regional Council, Kyeongnam Regional Council, Busan Regional Council, Cheju Regional Council KYONGGI INDEPENDENT WOMEN'S SOLIDARITY We established KIWS, a progressive women?셲 mass based movement organization, in respect to and to continue the tradition of women?셲 movement that risked its lives to oppose Japanese imperialism and sought to build independent nation. With a clear understanding that all problems women face stem from structural contradiction of a capitalist society dominated by external forces, we stand at the forefront of the struggle to eliminate those contradictions as women who deal with multiple layers of hardships through society and family. Through KIWS we want to change the world where women are discriminated against, to build a world where women can stand dignified as agents of society. We are working towards building a national progressive woman?셲 organization based on the will and practice of women who lead healthy, independent lives throughout Kyounggi province, and also for women to take more visible role in political, economic, civil, and cultural arenas opening up a new era of self-determination and peaceful unification. We are trying to achieve this through organizational exchanges and cooperation among progressive women?셲 organization in the Kyounggi region. Women are the agents of history and women have the power to change the world. We look forward to building a world where the chains of oppression and discrimination that have held women down for five millenniums will break and where family, workplace and society becomes a place where we?셝 want to live, and where people live together. Member organizations Suwon Working Women?셲 Committee, Anyang Sharing Women?셲 committee, Bucheon Women?셲 Committee, Pyungtaek Women?셲 Committee, Independent Women?셲 Committee, Yongin Women?셲 Committee, Hanam Women?셲 Committee, Kwangju Women?셲 Committee, Icheon Women?셲 Committee, Goyang Women?셲 Committee, Eujeongbu Participatory Women?셲 Committee. Hwaseong Womens Committee and Yangju Women?셲 Committee are in preparation. Main activities. Campaign against the Base Expansion in Pyungtaek. Women?셲 Political School, Finding and developing, electing women candidates for office. Operation of 20 After school study halls. Legislative policy making on school food issues and child rearing. Small monthly meetings. Small libraries, Women?셲 Culture School. Lectures on parent issues, etc. National Conference of Representative of Women College Students NCRWCR is a national organization representing 150,000 women college students composed by Women?셲 Student Associations that implements programs and struggles for Korean society?셲 independent unification and democracy, sexual equality, and to gain rights of women college students. Let?셲 oppose US imperialism and the FTA that destroy peoples??lives and futures! KWAU (Korea Women's Associations United) Korea Women's Associations United(KWAU) was created on February 18, 1987 to unite the power of women's organizations working for women's rights and democracy. Currently KWAU has 6 regional sections and 29 member organizations, representing the progressive women's movement in Korea. The first goal of KWAU is to build an equal society free from institutional discrimination in which women enjoy equal right with men and live with dignity and pride. The second goal of KWAU is to build a democratic society where one's political, economic, social and cultural right are fully guaranteed. The third goal of KWAU is to achieve peaceful reunification of North and South Koreas. Women in Film Korea (WIFK) The mission of Women in Film Korea, non-profit organization, is to represent and further the rights of diverse women professionals working in film production and film-related fields. We do this by promoting the works of women filmmakers, training women professionals, forming alliance with women's groups, and presenting the women's works to the broadest audience possible. The membership of WIFK, (now headed by Uni Chai), is limited exclusively to the women working in the fields. WIFK's current members include such diverse professions as film producers, directors, editors, film historians, film professors, and film critics. GOALS To establish broad and comprehensive information database on women film professionals which would be used by and for the members. To support and encourage Korean women artists working in film, video and other electronic media. To provide educational and training programs for women in the fields: WIFK has set out the workshop programs to nurture the future women producers, directors, screenwriters, production designers and cinematographers. As a result of this workshop, WIFK published Film Producing and Marketing in March of 2001. To develop distribution and exhibition route in Korea for presentation of the works by Korean as well as international women filmmakers. WIFK has produced a documentary, Keeping the Vision Alive: Women in Korean Filmmaking, and set out to distribute in several international film festivals. To facilitate the critical inquiries on theory and history of women's cinematic representation and women filmmakers' works: Researchers of WIFK have published Korean Cinema and Modernity in March of 2001. To form a close alliance with women filmmakers' organizations in abroad: This project is supervised by Joo Jin-sook (Professor of Film Studies in Chung-Ang University) and Cho Young Jung (Film Critic). For more information, contact bree@korea.com and fonzie@unitel.co.! kr , respectively. To support and host the film festivals which highlight the works of women filmmakers: WIFK hosts a festival to celebrate the works of past and contemporary generation women filmmakers. CONTACT: Women in Film Korea 502, Samsun B/D, 11-6 cheongjin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea 110-130 Tel: 82-2-723-1087 Fax: 82-2-725-1087 E-mail: wifilm@wifilm.com Website: www.wifilm.com Korean Women Workers Associations United Leaders of the democractic trade union movement from the 1970s created the Korean Women Workers Association in Seoul in March 1987. Later, regional women workers??associations were formed in export concentrated sectors, industrial comlexes and low income areas across the nation. On the 12th of July 1992, the Korean Women Workers??Associations United (KWWAU) was established to more effectively bring together the efforts of these regional groups and to strengthen the central policy making power. The KWWAU has operated ?쏣qualine,??a counseling center for working women in nine cities. ?쏣qualine??counselors counsel women on various job-related issues, negotiates with employers, and provides legal services. Since the International Monetary Fund (IMF) financial crisis in Korea, the KWWAU has run the Action Center for Women?셲 Unemployment in order to publicize the serious nature of women?셲 unemployment. In 1999, the KWWAU established the Korean Women?셲 Trade Union (KWTU) with over 400 members in order to organize the increasing number of irregular women workers. Now the KWTU has grown to 6,000 members. Currently, the KWWAU is focusing on organizing poor women workers and has established the ?쏦ope Center to abolish Poverty and Increase the Rights of Women Workers,??publicizing the situation of women in poverty, creating policy, and providing childcare support to reassure poor women workers while working. The KWWAU now has nine regional branches and about 5,000 members. Contact Information Korean Women Workers Associations United 3rd fl . 351-28 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul 121-837 South Korea Tel : 82-2-325-6822 Fax : 82-2-325-6839 E-mail: kwwnet@kwwnet.org E-mail: kwwnet@yahoo.com Website: http://www.kwwnet.org The Korean Women's Trade Union, Established in 1999, has endeavored to secure rights of women and achieve equality in labor. Having begun with around 400 members, the Union currently has 6,000 members and is striving to achieve equality for women and informal workers. Any working woman or woman who seeks employment can become a member of the Union. At present 10 local branches, around 70 sub-branch organizations for the vacations such as golf caddies, subcontracted cleaners, hotel maids, and cafeteria cooks at school, workers in subcontract plants. Activities of KWTU ??/span> Securing the rights of informal women workers by leading several campaign ??/span> Securing labors three primary rights of specialized workers ??/span> Aid for subcontract cleaners and realization of practical minimum wage ??/span> Struggles for organization of informal workers at school ??/span> Activities to expand maternal benefits ??/span> A sisterly and friendly management that allows participation of union members ??/span> Payment of unpaid wages of the workers in small businesses Korean Woman Peasants Association Woman peasants, who are producing food, the source of our life, who are raising children and taking care of family are the mother of all, the mother of everything. To protect our rural communities and agriculture we, the strong woman peasants are working on land today as well. To be a leader of history and food production, To hold up our rural communities and agriculture, We, Korean Woman Peasants Association was born. Main activities of KWPA * Activities of educating and organizing woman peasants - Educating woman peasants - Educating and training woman peasants leaders * Activities of protecting Korean agriculture and reforming agricultural policies - Protecting Korean agriculture against the threats of the WTO agenda - Activities for price guarantee of agricultural products - Anti-war activities, activities for realization of the nationally unified agriculture * Activities for realization of woman peasants tasks - Activities for realization of woman peasants' labor value and woman peasants expertization - Preparing measures and policies for woman peasants' well-being, and protection of motherhood * Political Activities - Politicization of woman peasants movement as a progressive party - Expanding woman peasants influences on rural communities and supporting woman peasants entering into politics *Activities of building a global solidarity - Building links with various organizations as well as strengthening links with peasants movement, national unification movement, woman movement - Various activities as a member organization of la Via Campesina History of KWPA 1989. Establishment of KWPA (Dec. 18) 1992. Held national woman peasants' protest for government purchase of total rice product and realization of school lunch 1993. Held national woman peasants protest for protecting domestic rice production 1994. Opened forum on "Agricultural reform and woman peasants" 1995. Opened Public hearing on "Measures to carry the system of multiple membership per family in an union" 1996. Held National Woman peasants protest for "rice self-supply and government-prepared social welfare for woman peasants" 1997. 97' National woman peasants' protest for "price guarantee of meat and agricultural products, and family farmers' debt cancellation" held a forum on "97 woman peasants' political agenda for the general election" 1998. Held National woman peasants protest for family farmers' debt cancellation and direct payment system" 1999. Held a forum on "family farmers' debt cancellation and expanding enforcement of direct payment system" 2000. The 10th anniversary of KWPA 2001. South-North Korean peasants rally for the national unification (6.16~17, at Geumgang mountain) Protest against National Agricultural Cooperative Federation's anti-peasants activities and for establishing concrete government policies for rice protection 2002. Rising Propaganda against opening domestic rice market from all regions. Woman peasants protest for domestic rice protection South- North Korean women rally for the national unification (at Keumkang mountain) National peasants protest for domestic rice protection (Dec. 13th) Activities of woman peasants' action group to protect domestic rice market 2003. Protest of KWPA representatives to block National Assembly ratification of Korea-Chille FTA Debate on woman peasants policies National Peasants Protest to oppose National Assembly?셲 ratification of Korea-Chile FTA 2004 Woman farmer "Ae-ja Hyun" elected at 4.15 parliamentary election. The 2nd South-North Korean peasants' rally for the national unification (at Keumkang mountain) The Great march of mothers and children for domestic rice protection and national unification. Fasting of KWPA representatives against opening domestic rice market and for protecting food sovereignty 2005. Participated in the "2005 festival for the national unification with commemorating the 5th anniversary of 6.15 joint declaration" International forum on "Globalization and Woman Peasants" Address: Sungdo building 301, Bangbae 2dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea Tell: 582-3326 Fax: 582-3327 homepage: www.kwpa.org <http://www.kwpa.org/> e-mail: junyeonong@hanmail.net |
