First appearance in the Catalan election campaign of the two women among the jailed pro-independence leaders, Carme Forcadell and Dolors Bassa, now able to take day-leave from prison after being granted an open Level 3 regime last week. The appearance of Forcadell and Bassa served as the cue for their party to assert that “the fight against sexist violence” should become “a matter of state” in the next legislature. The two presented the feminist proposals of the Catalan Republican Left (ERC), along with current MP Jenn Diaz, who is picked to be the new minister of equality and feminism if party number one Pere Aragonés becomes president.
Wearing a symbolic purple jacket, Forcadell stated that "we live in a sexist society." The ERC programme plans to provide more support to victims of gender-based violence, for example, through simplification of complaints procesdures and improving access to legal advice, but it also puts the focus on getting to the root of the problem.
Jenn Diaz spoke about this, arguing that "feminist policies cannot be reduced to sexist violence alone, as this is sustained through other everyday acts of discrimination." That is why she stressed the need to "not just go to the final screen in the story, when we are no longer in time" to act, but rather "to go to the root of the problem, not just focus on the physical, psychological or sexual violence".
Forcadell during the presentation of ERC's feminist proposals in Plaça Sant Jaume / Sergi Alcazar
Among the specific measures put forward by ERC to feminize politics are the promise of free nursery education for all infants up to the age of three, to be introduced over the next legislature with progressive cost reductions. According to Aragonés, up to 100,000 children could benefit.
Party sources say they have studied this plan extensively and are confident it could be a reality during the next four years. Schooling in this age group is not compulsory, but it does end up being a necessity for many working families.
Pere Aragonès: "Free education for infants means giving equal opportunities for all children in this country in this first period of their lives... at present there is a clear economic barrier."
A feminism ministry, 'sine qua non' condition
One of the undertakings of the ERC programme is the creation of a Catalan equality and feminism ministry. So much so that Aragonés warned future government partners that the adoption of this plan will be a sine qua non condition to forming a government.
At the same time, they are committed to rethinking working hours and increasing salaries of people in care sectors, as well as placing more women in command posts of the Mossos d'Esquadra police.
Over the last four years, the Catalan government has invested 16 million euros in "combating the effects of violence against women" and a specific general sub-directorate has been created. But at ERC they are clear that more needs to be done. Forcadell announced the party's intention to create a "post-pandemic action plan" to combat the scourge of sexist violence, which has been exacerbated during the periods of confinement.
In turn, Bassa stressed the need to continue to reduce the wage gap. The former labour minister noted that since the time when she was head of the Catalan labour ministry until today, the difference between male and female incomes has only been reduced by one per cent, from 24% to 23%.
In the main image, Aragonès, Forcadell and Bassa with bouquets of mimosa flowers on arrival at Plaça Sant Jaume / Sergi Alcazar