Inga-Lill Bengtsson: Inga-Lill Bengtsson: ”Not everyone stands behind the idea that women and girls should choose their own way of life”
International Women’s Day is celebrated every year, to draw attention to inequality and the situation of women all over the world.
There are some who think that we don’t need to celebrate Women’s Day in Sweden, we have come such a long way in our country as regards equality.
That is true. For example men now do a bit more around the house, they do washing and cleaning and so on. That is a good thing, but on women still work in the house on average 5 hours and 36 minutes per week more than the men. This is shown in a report from SCB which came out a few years ago.
In 1980 UN proclaimed 8th March as International Women’s Day. In many countries it is a holiday. Women from different ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political backgrounds can celebrate ’their’ day and look back on an almost 100-year-long struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.
There is still a lot of work to be done as regards values. Not everyone stands behind the idea that women and girls should choose their own way of life, on the same conditions as men and boys. Elaf Ali tells us about this in an article on pages 6–8. Elaf grew up in Fjälkinge, and had to fight on two fronts – partly against racism in school and partly against the honour culturer at home.
The honour culture is still part of life in many cultures. It has nothing to do with religion, it is a patriarchal system which is common in many countries, in the Middle East, in India and elsewhere.
In this issue of Kb Mosaik we have several articles about women and girls. About Elaf Ali, the make-believe girl Pippi Longstocking, Ilham Hamid, who started a new Sudanese society, Hafiza Kadour, a lawyer who is making a new start as a nursery nurse, Jenny Wegner, this year’s sports profile in northeast Skåne, Hesho Hama Rashid, an influencer in interior decorating, Abir Shalati who has written a chronicle on the repression of women. And there is also a recipe for waffles, which are traditionally eaten on Lady Day, 25th March.
Something that attention ought to be drawn to is the fact that 51 children are missing from school – read the article on page 10. Since 1st January the Children’s Convention is law in Sweden. This is something we will take up later.
Finally, we’re pleased to tell you that Kristianstadsbladet, along with Dagens Nyheter and Svenska Dagbladet, has been nominated as the Daily Paper of the Year. This is something big. In the nomination it says how important it is that Kristianstadsbladet issues Kb Mosaik, with articles in several languages. More than a hundred newspapers were nominated. This year’s winner will be announced at a gala on 22nd April in Stockholm. Something to celebrate, even although we don’t win.
