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“НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, КВІТЕНЬ 2010 17 WOMEN’S ORGANIZATIONS IN INDEPENDENT UKRAINE: PROSPECT OF POWER 1997 J. B. Rudnyckyj Distinguished Lecture presented by Martha Bohachevsky - Chomiak at the University of Man itoba Part 3 A closer look at some of the major women ’ s organizations will enable us to discern the evolution of the views of women in Ukraine. The Women’s Union (Souiz Ukrainok) The Women’s Union consciously drew upon a patriotic reading of the traditi on of the interwar eponymous organization. In June 1990 , the Women’s Union organized a conference to discuss the role of the “Ukrainian Woman in the Struggle for the F reedom of Ukraine.” This was followed in December 1991 with the official establishment in Kyiv of the united organization headed from the beginning by the poet Atena Pashko, who sum - marized the program: Our aims are to channel the creative forces of Ukrain - ian womanhood toward the rebirth and assertion of national sacral [places], to foster i deals and spiritual culture of our nation; to create in Ukraine a climate of tolerance [dobrozychlyvosti] for the whole popula - tion; and to help in the rebirth of the democratic women’s movement; and in upbringing of the new generation of Ukrainian youth, capable of building a law - abiding Ukrainian State. 2 1 Pashko defended her organization from attacks that it was not feminist enough and that it was too politicized: As to our being an organization interested keenly in political matters, our opponents are quite right. . . . The whole history of Soiuz Ukrainok [stressed] is the struggle for freedom of Ukraine, hence it could not be a purely feminist organization, because in conditions of colonialism [bezderzhavnosti] the social emancipa - tion of women was inc onceivable without national emancipation. But that does not mean that with the achievement of an independent state all women's issues will be automatically solved. Hence today we view feminist demands favorably and do not avoid them in our work, but over a nd above those we also consider our broader tasks.” 22 As the stories of political martyrdom of Ukrainian women came to be better known and hence no longer shocking, the organization began to reflect more visibly liberal middle class values. The Women ’ s Uni on is a socially conservative organiza - tion to a greater extent than its historical namesake had been. Motherhood elevated through service to the community and love of God and fatherland are its motivating forces. One of the documents of the 7 - 11 July 1993 “ Women and Democracy Con - ference ” of Women ’ s Union stated: “. . . we are confident that it is precisely women who will return to Ukrainian society the spirituality, high Christian morals that the communist regime destroyed, [that is precisely the woman] w ho will know how to give birth and to nurture physically and morally healthy, nationally conscious citizens of independent Ukraine.” 23 The January 1992 Congress of the Women ’ s Union in Kyiv had 380 official delegates repre - senting 6 , 000 members from all pa rts of Ukraine. Embroidered blouses, for generations symbols of Ukrainian identity, were the uniform of the day. The Congress enjoined the government to formulate a “ concept of national education and its realization in all educational institutions in Ukrai ne, ” and offered to help the Ministry of Defense raise the national consciousness of soldiers by supplying their units with suitable reading matter in Ukrainian. They tied the welfare of the family closely to the effective functioning of the state, they ca lled upon women to pressure the government to address women's con - cerns more forcefully, and argued for tighter laws against prostitution and narcotics. They demanded welfare support for the needy and the establishment of more schools to meet the ever - pres ent demand. Maintaining that a specifically feminist agenda was premature, Ukrainian women activists highlighted their own path toward liberation. The Women ’ s Union went on record in its support of the eventual consolidation of all women's organizations i n Ukraine, but on the basis of a clear - cut program with a traditional bent: The Women’s Union should actively cooperate with all women’s organizations in Ukraine, fostering the consolidation of active [women’s] forces, as well as aiding the forces of democ racy in building a humane, rich Ukraine, equal among equals in the community of civilized states of the world. Help the Ukrainian nation, God, to enter the sanctuary of wisdom, light and prayer. 24
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