Statement from the Women's Conference in Oslo: "Women from Norway, Denmark and France stand united in defence of high quality universal and publicly funded welfare and health services."
Budget austerity and cutbacks, centralization and privatization of more and more of our public healthcare, childcare and other welfare services are sweeping like a hurricane across Europe. The attacks on our social welfare rights affect women in particular. This is evident from the Danish, French and Norwegian experiences that were exchanged and analyzed at the Women's Conference in Oslo on 2 and 3 November 2019, hosted by Nei til EU (No to the EU).
The European Union (EU) is pivotal in promoting this neoliberal policy, and the EEA member country Norway often complies with what has already been decided by the EU. Yet, in some cases Norway goes to even further lengths than some individual countries of the EU, eg. imposing fees on certain public health services that are supposed to be free of charge.
The responsibility for this policy does not lie entirely with the EU alone, but also with national governments who try to proceed even faster on this neoliberal course.
The implementation of 'free flow' of cross-border health services that create new challenges for national and international health institutions, due to increasing antibiotic resistance, is one example. Large private corporations, among others the Orpea and Korian, are positioning themselves in order to acquire public health institutions and hospitals in France and Europe. They might soon engage in the fight for welfare profits in countries such as Denmark and Norway as well.
Women from Norway, Denmark and France stand united in defence of high quality universal and publicly funded welfare and health services. Not merely because we deserve it, but because we are entitled to it!
Text unanimously adopted by the conference.
HEADER IMAGE From left to right: Kathrine Kleveland, chairwoman of Nei til EU; Ana Azaria, chairwoman of Femmes Égalité, Reidun Heggen Berntsen, chair of Ungdom mot EU; Margaret Eide Hillestad, head of the Nei til EU Women's Committee; Cathrine Pedersen, Kvinder i Kamp, Denmark; Carmen Freire; Katia Steinhart from Femmes Égalité.
Stort bilde i toppen: Innledere og deltakere på kvinnekonferansen. Fra venstre: Kathrine Kleveland, leder i Nei til EU; Ana Azaria, leder av franske Femmes Égalité, Reidun Heggen Berntsen, leder av Ungdom mot EU; Margaret Eide Hillestad, leder av kvinneutvalget i Nei til EU; Cathrine Pedersen, Kvinder i Kamp, Danmark; Carmen Freire; Katia Steinhart fra Femmes Égalité. (Nei til EU)
