Activism in Bergen

The high standard of living in Norway is often explained by the original God's gift or the level of development of the oil industry. Both options look very attractive, as they allow us to explain their own failure with the highest causes. In fact, everything that has been achieved by the Norwegians economically has a logical result of a human rights struggle, a consequence of people's respect for each other. Exactly, and not vice versa - first respect for human rights, and then the growth of welfare - the Norwegian civil society was created and created, which we will talk about today.

Bergen, the second largest city in Norway and the capital of Khordaland (275,300 people in the city and 504,000 in the entire Fyulka), has centuries -old traditions of street protest and a serious level of self -organization of activists. Local human rights defenders are connected in a non -regional network. It is interesting that, if necessary, everyone, even a very young activist, can take on the work of a coordinator of a large action, draw banners, make leaflets or make a speech in a protest. The group does not cease to exist if people leave it, everything is interchangeable and have the same opportunities to express their ideas.

The connections of activists with friends in all parliamentary parties, independent press and public organizations, the involvement of influential and famous citizens in human rights movement, coordination of protests through Facebook allow you to quickly respond to any social problem. Citizens participate in protests from childhood; Children come to rallies and demonstrations with their parents and teachers, at the age of 14 a person can already be the leader of the youth party and come from the rostrum, include a significant topic in the public discussion.

There are specific questions, the statement on which for local left -wing activists is equivalent to political suicide. Norwegian left, for example, does not support the militarism of Israel, the whole city is sealed with stickers about the boycott of Israeli goods. Neutrality on the Palestinian issue in Bergen is practically impossible, since the Palestinian committee participates in many shares. In the Syrian conflict, Norwegian radical left and at least six parliamentary parties are on the side of the Kurds and against the "Islamic state". The manifestation of homophobia, violence against women or children are absolutely unvaccinated in the left public space.

The inhabitants of Bergen conduct "green protests", promotions for the rights of workers and for gender equality, participate in anti -war protests and protests against xenophobia, are fighting for refugee rights, and oppose dictatorships. I'll tell you about some effective working groups. The most important direction of the struggle is for gender equality. In 2013, Norway celebrated the 100th anniversary of women's right to vote on a scale. On the obverse of a commemorative ten -rhone coin - such an image: women, uniting efforts, try to move the wall of the patriarchy.

No (typical of Russian activism) endless wickers, mutual insults, suspicions, attempts to humiliate or destroy the enemy, prove who is the main one or who the fool is

Bergen feminists organize the annual March festival - within two weeks the city talks about the rights of women. Discussions are arranged with guests from different cities and countries, debate, seminars, congresses, concerts, demonstrations, protests. The festival begins to cook in six months, men do not have the right to vote at the meetings of radical feminists and do not come out of the stage. The culmination of the festival falls on March 8, but this holiday is celebrated differently than in Russia - citizens go on an area with slogans about equal rights. In 2014, protesting against the authorities attempts to complicate the procedure for abortion, about 4 thousand people participated in the eight -Martovsky demonstration.

After the rally and the concert in the central square, the demonstrators go with banners through the whole city to the festive conference, where they listen to reports on topical problems, sing old hymns, present to each other commemorative prizes, including the symbolic prize of the most “cool” girl of Bergen. Encouraging the achievements of women, joy for other people's successes is a very important way of supporting.

A friendly attitude towards each other is generally part of the Norwegian mentality. Bergen residents often use the word “science fiction”. Therefore, fantastic, wonderful, wonderful, magnificent, sweet and pleasant will be not only the subject of the conversation, but also your condition after the conversation. The style of behavior in the Norwegian activist environment is fundamentally different from the Russian one. When meeting and farewell, people, as a rule, smile and hug. Discussions are based on mutual respect and search for a constructive solution of conflict situations. There are no (typical of Russian activism) endless wickers, mutual insults, suspicions, attempts to humiliate or destroy the enemy, prove who is the main or who a fool.

If some activist does something not very successful, as a rule, he is praised for the part of the work done in order to motivate for the future. The faction, which does not want to act together with a specific team, leaves the hall after open voting and is engaged in independent work, and does not build intrigues. Therefore, the civil community is not destroyed and the burnout of activists on such a scale as on the post -Soviet space does not occur. It never happens that no one supports one or another person. Of course, ill -mannered people and unpleasant situations are found, but extremely rare.

In Bergen, two feminist magazines are closing - a fat common -real Fett and Samizdat radical Kvinneaktivisten. In Bergen there is a front against the sale of a body , advocating closing the only stripper club in the city. Activists arrange noisy protests near the club itself, distribute leaflets and stick stickers in the city center, write articles in newspapers. Once anarcho-feministic Charlotte Mirbroten hung a bicycle with an advertisement for a strip club. A large group of activists is engaged in the theme of family violence and the local crisis center. Traditionally, women dress in red on the feminist demonstrations, but there are two more symbols against violence that Norwegian use - red stockings and a red button. Feminists who work both in Bergen and Oslo, sometimes arrange shares “Stop, Porn culture!”: They glue stickers of shops of stores and advertising that use the female body as a bait. Once an advertising bicycle was an object of steer attack.

The group of fighting for advertising is engaged in enlightenment; One of the topics affect the rollers of anti -resources is anorexia and the hatred of young women to their appearance initiated by advertising. The group of the fight against rape puts information posters on the streets and organizes protest rallies - if rape occurs. Norwegian feminists are considered the cause of violence by Patriarchate, a society based on the depreciation and depreciation of a woman and female achievements. Therefore, an incredibly important action is the female historical night (May 8). In 2015, the night celebrates the tenth anniversary, and you can join these events in any city .

And remember: freedom disappears immediately as soon as they stop protecting it

Activists stick posters with names and photographs of “spiritually significant” personalities, protesting against the tradition of excluding women from the city’s space, culture, history. Perhaps you saw posters of a female historical night in large cities of Russia. Here you can study the chronicle of this protest in Bergen, listen to two hymns - the Norwegian En Ode Til Kvinnehistorisk Natt Albert Og Elise and the song "Woman" performed by Olga Arefieva.

The feminist organization KVINNEFRONTEN arranges creative meetings with writers and directors in Bergen. Thanks to the Women's Front in Bergen, in recent years, such famous feminisms of activists as Rachel Moran from Ireland and Mimi Chakarov from the United States visited Bergen. Rachel presented a book about prostitution Paid for. My Journey Through Prostition , Mimi showed The Price of Sex about slave trade in women from Eastern Europe. We talked in Russian with Mimi.

The trade union feminist leaders are conducting an unsuccessful struggle for equal wages of labor of women and men. Many women face this problem: less prestigious work and less than men (the difference reaches 20%), wages. Despite the fact that the state allocates funds for children, these amounts are so small that they do not solve the problems of honest social compensation for reproductive labor. Discrimination of women at work in Norway is still strong.

In each area of Bergen , female international groups of mutual assistance operate. They work at the church or independently, are engaged in the integration of women who have recently arrived in the country. One of the important points of integration is to clarify the importance of protecting their rights, participation in public life. Not all women can find out about their rights in the new country - husbands try to isolate women so that they remain submissive as long as possible and suffer violence. The situation of women-players is especially difficult, since they do not know the Norwegian language, they have neither money nor friends, often there is often no hope of receiving asylum in Norway. Human rights activists do not always learn about problems in a timely manner and do not always have time to help.

Each Norwegian political party has a leader responsible for women's policy, but I will mention only two parties, since their deputies are most often present on our feminist shares. In recent years, the SV party ("Left Socialists") has taken a tough position on all types of women's sale. The ideas of gender equality are also supported by Rux ("red"), however, some radical feminists criticize this party for patriarchal principles of work.

Of course, the “Bergen feminism” mentioned by me is not exhausted. But, I believe, this review is enough for the first time. You can find films and photos from the femup protests in the Russian -speaking network newspaper Bergen hare. See the book “The city says: activism in Bergen” . And remember: freedom disappears immediately as soon as they cease to protect it.

Lyubava Malysheva-a civil activist, a photographer-documentary, lives in the Norwegian city of Bergen

Photo by Lyubava Malysheva and Ali Watti