Round Table Meeting in the Czech Parliament - Prague, The Czech Republic

Round Table Meeting in the Czech Parliament Prague, The Czech Republic, May 11, 2018 Topic: Agreement of the European Council on the prevention and fight against the violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul protocol)

By Juraj Lajda the fight against violence which is stereotypes and stereotypes should be highly legitimate. Then he asked: eradicated. It does not distinguish

T Does the IP bring something new and between man and woman but the social he roundtable was initiated by what are the risks? roles are emphasized. Who will decide the former MP Nina Nováková which stereotypes should be under the auspices of H.E. Pavla 1/ We should take into consideration a wide framework of many other eradicated? Golasowska, MP of the Czech Parliament. Several experts from the international agreements and protocols In the countries with the gender field (lawyers, political scientists, such as: the UN Agreement on ideology there is more violence than in educators, politicians, NGO removal of all kinds of violence the countries where gender ideology is representatives and representative of against women - 1979 not emphasized. In conclusion Dr. the government) from both sides were 2/ European Court is dealing with Scheu said that the IP is narrow invited for this meeting. There were many cases of the violence against minded and narrows the issue only on advocates for accepting the Istanbul women the man-woman relationship and Protocol, mostly from the feminist cannot see the context of the culture, Basically, these issues are already religion etc. NGOs who deal with the family incorporated in the previously existing problems such as mediation in divorce, agreements and conventions. Dr. Roman Joch, director of the Civic legal issues, children protection etc. On Institute and political scientist spoke the other side there were speakers The controlling organ should be from the viewpoint of a pollical strongly opposing the text and contents GREVIO – Group of Experts on analyst. He said that the intention of of the Istanbul protocol. Action against Violence against the EU is legitimate, but some Women and Domestic Violence. This passages are toxic and unclear and Until now almost all the European organization protects only women and countries ratified the IP except for the tempt to promote some ideology. supports one ideology. It should not Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, decide on finance how the nations The heading of the state is decided by Bulgaria. Around 30 people should spend the money. There is the elections. The state cannot be participated. violence on both sides. How can we bound to one ideology only. In the past First the opponents of the IP spoke. say that adult women are more we spoke about the sex as male and vulnerable than a 10-year-old boy? female. Now the gender is emphasized. Associated Professor Dr. Harald The social role of man and woman has Scheu from the Faculty of Law of the Next problematic and controversial nothing to do with the sex. There is no Charles University spoke about the IP point is the term „gender“. According objective standard for the social roles. from the viewpoint of human rights to the gender ideology (which is They are social conventions. The and the international law. He present in the IP) the „gender“ is danger is that IP speaks about the appreciated the initial point of the IP - identified with certain social roles or gender not the sex. The gender is not a

legal concept and according to the woman. Are man and woman not as and human rights. If the Czech gender ideology we can change our mutually complementary beings? Republic refuses this document, it is a gender as we like in any time. In the The education based on enmity is not signal to the public that Czech article 3 the biological differences acceptable. At schools we teach that Republic has no interest to join the between man and woman are not taken man and woman are part of the nature international community that wants to into consideration. and then we have to withdraw from solve the violence against women. And what about the parents’ rights? this and explain the concept of gender, Mgr. Radan Šafařík, office of the Should the state intervene into the social roles etc.? Where is the government, explained that for the education of the children? And what difference between the biological sex Czech government the ratification of about religion? IP incorporates only and gender? If we have many sexes the IP is a priority. In Czech Republic one ideology. Why should the state (112 according the gender ideology) there are 15 sexual assaults every day. fight against some stereotypes, habits, how to deal with that? Education Only 10% are reported to the police. It traditions or culture as it is in the means also handing over the culture, seems that Slovakia will not ratify the article 12? In the state one ideology is values, attitudes and practices. The document. Two states – Russia and not shared by all people. families are not perfect, but does it Azerbajan – do not accept the gender In history not, every violence was mean that we should eradicate the ideology. The governmental office has gender motivated. The gender identity family which is still the safest to face pressure not to ratify the is not legally defined. We have no duty environment? document. For the government the IP ti ratify the IP. Dr. Joch suggested that Mgr. Jindřiška Krpálková, director, means a symbolic act that we take the the Czech Parliament should refuse the Pro Dialog NGO, said at the beginning issue of violence seriously, maintain IP but to proclaim to support those that the debate is overburdened with the international commitments and passages from the IP which really many themes and the result is a big finally IP brings a better prevention protect women. misunderstanding. We are working against violence. Dr. Michal Heres, lawyer spoke about with families and try to keep together In the vivid discussion people the criminal consequences of the IP. the relationships between parents and expressed mostly the opinion to be Articles 33-58 spoke about criminal children after a family breakdown. IP careful to ratify the document. There behavior but this is already treated in is very positive, and I am waiting for was a suggestion to establish a other laws. IP is redundant. its ratification. The document declares working group and not to ratify it. In the will to stand up against the 2016 80% of the members of the The IP forbids the reconciliation violence in families. The IP is a whole European Parliament were against the proceedings and priorities the perspective, support and effort to reach IP but in 2017 due to some demagogy repression. The IP according to Dr. the wholeness (human rights, when the gender ideology was pushed Heres brings no enrichment to the children’s protection etc.) It brings a back, and the violence was emphasized society. It is like as if we should clear position against violence which is and 73% agreed. The laws do not solve abolish the slavery. What is the real unacceptable. I cannot see any the violence, the education is motive for the IP? ideology on the document. important. The IP is like a very Mgr. Nina Nováková, former MP said Jitka Poláková, Mgr. Veronika delicious meal which contains two that some ideology tries to implement Ježková, pro Fem NGO, said that she drops of fatal poison, was opinion of into human lives and undermine the does not perceive the document as a one participant in the discussion. European cultural identity. The gender oriented one but as an active In conclusion I can say that the ministry of education makes legal document. I cannot see any toxic meeting was very fruitful because both Framework educational programs points in it. IP supports the sides were represented, and we could which are compulsory for each school. organizations that fight against hear their arguments. It may be striking But each school implements these violence and not the gender ideology. that only 4 post- communist countries programs through practical manuals. We are working with the domestic did not ratify the document. We should At the universities there is a gender violence for 25 years and 90% of our realize that we have already studies subject but until now the clients are women. Since 90s Europe experienced the communist ideology terminology and concepts are not clear. started to talk about this issue. and that is why we are very skeptical It looks like a new class struggle. We and cautious to accept another know how it is, we are the only ones Dr. Branislava Marvanová Vargová, Rosa-centre for women, expressed that ideology. In this sense these countries who know where the problem is: it is can bring some hope in the protection the agelong struggle between man and the IP brings a complex measure against the violence. IP protects family of the family.