TELLS ALGERIAN WOMEN THEY HAVE ALREADY WON
Algiers
On March 8, a year after the huge demonstration of women organized in Algiers under Ben Bella, the "Council: of the Revolution" and the Algerian government sought to duplicate the success. The speech given by the chairman, Boumedienne , made the content ‘slightly different -- to say the least. The official newspaper. El Moudjahid © [March 9] provided a French translation of the speech, which was: given. in Arabic.
The Algerian women were told that they need not demand any more rights, the question of equality being "resolved." In fact: the chairman said, "Women who 'demand' their rights are mistaken, because the women of Algeria did not wait for 1962 to gain these rights by filing a. ‘claim' but moved in and took these very rights in action."
From ‘this he drew the conclusion: "Thus I think that the = question of. ‘women ' s rights has been resolved, ‘because the women of Algeria gained these rights by participating in an effective way in the struggle for liberation." ©
However, some "problems" still remain, because "if we have not. succeeded in employing all our sisters, this:does not at all mean that there is a deliberate desire and a policy aiming at preventing women from working. Nevertheless the problem of unemployment remains. Whén a job is open, should it be given to a man or a woman? Must the man be left at home and the woman permitted to work? That’ s the problem!"
In addition, “The development of the women of Algeria and enjoyment of their rights must be inscribed in the framework of the morals of our: society." -
This enables us to better understand Colonél Boumedienne' s promise in connection with the new family law now in the works: "The law about to be enacted preserves ‘the rights | of the women and ‘the Algerian family." - 8
The official press did not report the incidents that graced the ceremonies on International Woman's Day. Groups of women tried -to'leave the hall during Boumedienne' s speech. They were violently shoved: ‘back: by” the police.
7 A few days before the celebration, the trade-union newspaper Révolution et Travail [Revolution and Labor] published an article denouncing “a reactionary attitude, hostile on the one hand to advancing women, and on the other to bringing women into the economic life of the nation."
Against whom was this timid protest ‘directed? For those who had not already guessed, Boumedienne's speech made it clear enough.
Algiers
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