EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION

One hundred years ago an American woman who showed up at the voting booth, seeking the right to vote, risked being sent to prison. In educated Britain judges once measured with a ruler the instruments used by law-abiding male citizens to beat their wives: if the length and thickness of these means of “teaching a lesson” did not exceed the well known dimensions, the offender [the one doing the beating] was not subject to punishment. The faces of tens of thousands of women of the East were heavily veiled and the very idea that Muslim women had rights, including the right to life, was strange to male citizens: not every mullah reproached an angry “true believer” for killing a female relative.

The events of the 20th century wherein women of various countries gained political and economic rights, access to education and the professions and to medical care, and acquired the freedom to speak their minds – all this is seen by many of our contemporaries as a real revolution. Such a view was expressed more than once at the June special session of the UN General Assembly, “Women-2000: equality of the sexes, development and peace in the 21st century.” This rather imposing international forum brought together official delegates from over 170 governments, and activists from over 2000 NGOs worldwide took part in the events accompanying the forum – all together there were more than 15,000 participants, women and men. African turbans, Indian saris, an international art exhibit, a festival of documentary films, bright placards and open air concerts – all this was the unofficial background of encounters at what was called one of the most significant events of the new era in which, the participants of this gathering believe, equality of all and harmony of differences should prevail over discrimination and injustice.

In light of the above, this issue is largely devoted to international themes. Along with materials and reporting from the special session of the UN General Assembly, we offer you articles and an interview about the work of the KARAT coalition of representatives from the NGOs of 13 countries of Eastern and Central Europe (this section was prepared by our Bulgarian colleague, Pavlina Filippova) and some other pieces.
Wishing you success in your endeavors!

Nadezhda Azhgikhina