The entire program of Women in Black is permeated by feminist theory and feminist activism. Women in Black was founded in 1991 by a group of feminist activists who were involved against the rise of nationalism and militarism before the war broke out in former Yugoslavia. Immediately, other women who participated in actions against war joined us, participating in concrete ways with men who rejected military mobilizaion and going off to the battlefield. Women in Black, from the beginning, also included pacifist men, and started a men’s support group.
In short, the feminist program of Women in Black is:
Because the partriarchy is not only a system of domination (of one half over the other, of one class/race/nation over the other) but also a major cause of war. Therefore, every true feminist program is by necessity also anti-war.
Because nationalism is one of the most visible and most devastating manifestations of patriarchy—delegating women to the role of mother and wife, turning them into birthing machines, and taking away women’s rights to choice and self-determination, the fundamental values of feminist thought and practice.
Because militarism is the weapon of the patriarchy; because women suffer most due to spending on war, military, and weapons; because militarism depends on power and violence to resolve all problems and conflicts, while feminist antimilitarism is non-violent women’s resistence to all armies, military power, and violence. For Women in Black, the patriarchal triad of sexism-nationalism-militarism cannot be torn down without feminist analysis and practice.
Solidarity and connections between women above all racial, ethnic, confessional, state, and sexual choices. Internationalism is also a term of caring for our common emancipatory legacy (the observation of March 8, and others).
ANTICLERICAL/ANTIFUNDAMENTALIST
For the strict separation of the church from the state-opposing attempts of the church to impose itself into state politics which radically reduces the level of attained democracy and human rights, and especially women’s human rights.
Instead of the unjust neoliberal globalization, Women in Black supports the globalization of peace, justice (globalization of punishment of all war crimes), social justice, non-violence, etc.
We support the equal rights of sexual minorities as a fundamental human right.
The entire feminist program of Women in Black is active in large number of activites, a few of which are:
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND WOMEN’S HEALTH
WOMEN AND POWER - unequal power between men and women in the private and public spheres.
LGBT RIGHTS
FEMINISM AND MEN
