Dear readers, This edition of "Woman Plus..."
is the last that we'll print under the grant provided by the "Frauen-Anstiftung"
German feminists' foundation. This doesn't mean, though, that we're about
to say good-bye. We realize that there's a real need for our magazine,
and we will find the means to continue its publication. If you can help
support "Woman Plus..." with either funds or information, we would be extremely
grateful. In this "final" edition, we'd like to thank all those
who made it possible to publish "Woman Plus..."; above all, the women from the
European branch of "Frauen-Anstiftung".
It was thanks to their efforts that the German Ministry of Economic
Cooperation provided the funds we needed to launch this magazine. Steffi
Engert, President of the Women's East-West Innovation Foundation and our
liaison with "Frauen-Anstiftung", provided invaluable help in developing the
concept of the magazine, and in its execution.
We'd like to thank the CIS-USA Women's Consortium, and the US Agency
for International Development, for the funds with which we were able to
renovate our facilities for the magazine's publication. Many thanks personally
to Martina Vandenberg for her help in distributing the magazine. We are
extraordinarily grateful to all our readers who helped with distribution
in their regions around the country.
We would also like to thank Elena Topoleva and the Agency for Social
Information for their continuing cooperation in supplying us with data.
Thanks to all our writers and translators; to everyone who offered their
opinions and experience; and to all who contributed their time free of
charge, from our technical consultants to our proof readers. Special thanks
to Valery Ushakov and Vladimir Gudilin for their help in organizing the
printing work.
And of course, our thanks to you, the readers. You are the main reason
that this magazine even exists.
You'll find a great many controversial opinions in this issue. Don't
let them bother you, even if they're far removed from your own. You're
welcome to join in the discussion, and tell us what you think. You might
even try to incorporate some new ideas into your own world view--your horizons
can only become wider.
We take another look at the conflict in Chechnya, perhaps the worst
problem facing Russia today. Which is the best way of ending the war? What
can the rise in ethnophobia lead to? The writer and scholar Aleksandr Iskandaryan
shares his views on these subjects.
While politicians ponder how best to end the Chechen crisis, private
organizations have already made plain their positions, and have begun the
first Russia-wide campaign to demand the immediate withdrawal of Federal
troops from Chechnya. At present, signatures are being collected in support
of the non-profit organizations' petition for an end to the war. The petition
is to be forwarded to the President and government. If this proves ineffective,
third sector organizations are prepared to resort to other methods of protest.
Likewise, the Petersburg Centre for Gender Problems is calling for
your signatures in support of Galina Starovoitova's candidacy for the post
of President of the Russian Federation. We would like to think that such
a large number of signature-collecting campaigns is a sign of the revival
of civil society in Russia.
But even this signature campaign is not the last you'll hear of. One
watch-dog group from Croatia is circulating a petition for the preservation
of Croatian women's rights to safe, legal abortion and access to contraceptives.
One might find it hard to believe that, in the final years of the twentieth
century, anyone could dispute a woman's inalienable right to decide for
herself whether or not she'll become a mother. Sadly, however, this is
true. The attack on women's rights in Croatia is not only coming from right-wing
extremist groups and the Catholic Church, but also from the "Programme
for Demographic Development", with the approval of the Croatian government.
What is the situation with abortions in Russia? What's being said on the
subject? We talk about this in our article "Abortion: For and Against:
Beating Around the Bush".
What is it that strips the women we see in the higher echelons of government
of their individuality? Psychoanalyst Karina Giulazizova tackles this question
in "Women in Power". Her reply: the denial of their natural womanhood.
"In no way can they choose between the expected image of teacher,
doctor, Pioneer leader, director or whatever, and their own natural womanhood."
Marina Liborakina, Elena Kochkina, and the President of the Geia International
Women's Centre, Elena Ershova--all activists well-known to "Woman Plus..." readers--discuss
the need for gender expertise in the legislation undertaken by the State
Duma.
There recently has been an unprecedented growth in the propaganda activities
of various religious groups. In our talk with one "Jehova's Witness",
you'll learn just what place women are assigned in this sect.
And as always, we will tell you about a number of women's organizations
and grass-roots movements.
We hope to see you again soon! Best regards, The Editors