Alliance March 8: Resolutions of the FRAUEN*Landtag session on November 19, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. in front of the Linz Landhaus

A "state parliament president" and nine "state councillors" passed new "laws" in the MALE*less state parliament session - from increasing the budget for MALE* counseling to half-and-half in co-determination and representation in decision-making and supervisory bodies

Listen to the radio broadcast on the state parliament session

On Thursday, November 19, 2015 at 9:00 a.m., the March 8 Alliance held a parallel session of the Upper Austrian state parliament in front of the Landhaus in Linz.

31 women's organizations in Upper Austria joined forces five years ago to form the March 8 Alliance. The aim of Bündnis 8. März is to make women's politics visible: "We take action and make people aware of women's politics and actively support women's politics with public demands. Ideological, religious and political boundaries are set aside and the focus is on the common cause."

Alliance March 8
Meeting of the state parliament without men on November 19, 2015 at 9.00 a.m. in front of the Linz Landhaus

Agenda:
1. Welcome
2. Determination of the quorum and approval of the agenda

3. proposals of the LRin for men's affairs and childcare
1.Budget for men's counseling
2.Gradual increase in male educators
3. 40% men in the provincial government

4. motions by the Minister for Immigration, Transit and Emigration
1. Right of establishment and unrestricted access to the labor market

2. budget allocation: food and accommodation for people in transit
5. Request by LRin for gender-equitable budget distribution
1. Mandatory gender balance in all budget decisions

6. motion for affordable and high-quality housing
1. Affordable housing / housing benefit without including alimony
2. Gender budgeting in housing subsidies

7th motion by the Minister for Education and Social Competence
1. Introduction of a new gender equality subject

8th motion by the Regional Minister for the Environment and Agriculture
1. Conversion of all agriculture in Upper Austria to organic farming
2. Change of the election mode for the Chamber of Agriculture

9th motion by the Regional Minister for Transport and Energy
1. Free use of public transport

10th motion by the Minister for Arts and Culture
1. Increase in the arts and culture budget including basic and project funding

11. motions by the LRin for Economy and Solidarity Economy
1. Transparency of half-and-half in all committees, collection of statistical data
2. Minimum pension in the amount of € 1200,-

After the agenda had been approved and the "President of the Provincial Parliament" had established a quorum, the nine "Provincial Councillors" put the motions to the vote

TO 3) LRin for Men's Affairs and Childcare
1. I am requesting a 15% increase in the budget for men's counseling, for example for seminars to reflect on one's own image of men and for work with boys
2. In addition, we are requesting a gradual increase in the proportion of male teachers in the elementary sector.
3. I am also requesting a 40% quota for men in the future state government.

TO 4) LRin for immigration, transit and emigration
The current migration movements of people east and south of the Alps to Upper Austria and through Upper Austria make it necessary to adapt legislation. According to estimates, 1 - 1.5 people will be added for every 100 people living in Upper Austria in 2015. At the same time, 1 - 1.5 people per 100 will leave Upper Austria in 2015. This means that the population will balance out. Economic growth and a revitalization of rural areas are expected. The following motion is read by me across all parties and departments:
1. I propose Motion 1: All people who wish to settle in Upper Austria are entitled to settle in Upper Austria and are granted unrestricted access to the labor market.
2. Motion 2: Food and accommodation will be provided for people in transit - the funds will be distributed among the budgets of all departments on a percentage basis.TO 5) LRin for gender-equitable budget distribution
1. According to the Federal Constitution, we are obliged to ensure equality between women and men. The federal government, we as federal states and the municipalities must therefore strive for actual equality between women and men in budget management. In my opinion, this "striving" is not enough.
As Provincial Councillor for Gender Equality in Budget Allocation, I therefore propose that in future all budget decisions must be reviewed for their gender-equitable impact and that the budget will only be approved if there is a corresponding gender-equitable balance. I ask for your approval.

TO 6) LRin for affordable and quality housing
1. Housing subsidies for tenants have been massively cut in recent years to save money. Among other things, alimony is counted as income. In fact, this is not the woman's income but financial support for the child. As a result, many single parents do not qualify for support. The higher rent therefore directly deprives the children of their quality of life.
2. As there is no lobby for this population group, in contrast to the construction industry, we propose that, in line with gender budgeting, it be determined how the total funding for housing subsidies from the province of Upper Austria is distributed according to planning and distribution aspects and to what extent and in what proportion women (and children) are directly supported. After all, this is about the responsibility of all of us for affordable housing and living

TO 7) State Minister for Education and Social Competence
1. The state government should decide that a new subject dealing with the cross-cutting issue of gender equality should be introduced at all Upper Austrian schools from the 2016/17 school year. All pupils should thereby acquire comprehensive knowledge regarding the current unequal treatment of women and men in many areas of our society and develop sensitivity for gender equality.

TO 8) LRin for Environment and Agriculture
Climate protection and biodiversity have increasingly become the focus of environmental and agricultural interest in recent years. The province of Upper Austria has a very large agricultural community and relies on great biodiversity
1. I therefore put forward Motion 1 to convert the province of Upper Austria to Bioland Upper Austria in the next 15 - 20 years.
2. Motion 2: Change the voting rights for all bodies in the agricultural and environmental sector. The proposal from the Agriculture and Environment Committee with the support of the Men and Childcare Department is: a mandatory zipper system for women and men with special consideration for young farmers, which ideally results in a 50% quota.

TO 9) LRin for Transport and Energy
1. We apply for free travel on public transport. This will benefit women in particular. The focus should be on environmentally friendly and sustainable forms of energy

TO 10) LRin for Art and Culture
1. I request a 100% increase in the arts and culture budget. The allocation will be made to OÖ. Artists in the areas of art acquisitions, project funding and art in architecture and to women's and migrant women's cultural associations, with the assurance of basic and project funding for at least 10 years

TO 11) LRin for Economy and Solidarity Economy
1. Half-and-half in co-determination and representation in decision-making and supervisory bodies of the economy, social partnership and other areas. From now on, statistical data on the representation of women and men in these bodies will be recorded and made transparent
My demand is a balanced gender parity in a number of decision-making issues in business and the social partnership. After all, almost half of the people in Upper Austria are male. I appeal to all parties to practise justice and in future to appoint 50% women and 50% men in decision-making issues and also to introduce transparency in budgeting.
2. It would also be important to increase the often-discussed minimum pension to € 1200. This point is particularly urgent in order to counteract rising poverty in old age.

Members of the "March 8th Alliance":
ÖGB - Frauen OÖ, Katholische Frauenbewegung OÖ, Haus der Frau - Bildungs- und Begegnungszentrum für Frauen, Katholische ArbeitnehmerInnen Bewegung -Betriebsseelsorge/Mensch&Arbeit, Frauenkommission der Diözese Linz, Österreichische Frauenforum Feministische Theologie, Evangelische Frauenarbeit OÖ, Arbeiterkammer OÖ - Frauenbüro, SPÖ-Frauen OÖ, Grüne Frauen OÖ, Österreichische HochschülerInnenschaft - Frauenreferat, VFQ Gesellschaft für Frauen und Qualifikation mbH, VSG/woman - die Frauenberatung, maiz - autonomes Zentrum von und für Migrantinnen, Volkshilfe - Frauen einer Welt, FIFTITU% networking center for women in art and culture in Upper Austria, Frauenstiftung Steyr, Frauenberatung Perg, ALOM-FrauenTrainingsZentrum Rohrbach, Frauennetzwerk3 Ried, Frauenberatung Frau für Frau Braunau, Frauenforum Salzkammergut, Welser Frauenforum, Sozialplattform, Gewaltschutzzentrum OÖ, Linzer Frauenbüro, Frauenhaus Linz, Linzer Frauengesundheitszentrum, Autonomes Frauenzentrum Linz, BPW Club Linz - Business and Professional Women, EWMD - European Women's Management Development International Network-Regionalgruppe Linz, ADA - Alternatives Solidaritätszentrum

Photos from the parallel session of the Upper Austrian Parliament on 19.11.2015 in front of the Linz Landhaus
Photo credits: Petra Moser