Women's International Democratic Federation

The International Federation of Democratic Women ( IDFF ) (French Fédération Démocratique Internationale des Femmes, FDIF; Engl Women's International Democratic Federation, WIDF. ) Was established on 1 December 1945 in Paris as an umbrella organization of anti-fascist women's organizations under Soviet and French women decisive participation. It is a loose association of women's organizations from around the world, the members present (end of 2009) around 600 members.

History

President of the newly founded after the end of World War II IDFF was from 1945 to 1967, the Frenchwoman Eugénie Cotton ( 1881-1967 ). As a successor to the Finn Hertta Kuusinen was elected in 1969 ( 1904-1974 ) In 1974, the Australian Freda Brown, 1992, the Sudanese Fatima Ahmed Ibrahim from 1994 to 2002, the Frenchwoman Sylvie Jan and from 2002 Marcia Campos from Brazil. As Vice-Presidents 10 to 12 representatives from national organizations were selected to 1990 usually, representing the socialist bloc in Europe, the liberation movements in Africa and Latin America as well as representatives of communist movements in Western Europe were. First Secretary General of the IDFF was Marie -Claude Vaillant - Couturier; followed Angiola Minella (Italy ), Carmen Zanti (Italy ), Rosa Jasovich Pantaleon (Argentina ), Cécile Hugel (France), Fanny Edelman (Argentina ), Mirjam Vire - Tuominen (Finland) and Brigitte Triems (DDR ).

Until 1949, 60 women's organizations in IDFF had joined in 1988 there were 142 women's organizations from 124 in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America, 2002 included 600 organizations from 106 countries to the IDFF. After 1989, the IDFF lost mainly in Eastern Europe and Africa, their financial supporters and member organizations and their international presence. In April 1994, in Paris, the IDFF oriented more conducive to regionalization, from 1998 to the problems of violence against women.

Publication organ of the IDFF was the magazine "Women of the world," which appeared in multiple languages.

Organizing principle

The supreme organ of the IDFF were and are the IDFF World Congresses, which were initially performed every 2 to 3 years later, usually every 6-7 years. - The 12th IDFF Congress was held from 18 to 21 November 1998 Bobigny near Paris, from November 29 to December 1, 2002, the IDFF representatives met for its 13th Congress in Beirut. The Executive Committee and since 1953 the Council of the IDFF initiated the work between Congresses. Organs of the Executive Committee and Council were IDFF his office (honorary ) and his secretary ( full-time ). Seat of IDFF and its secretariat was to 1951 Paris, after their expulsion from France moved its headquarters to East Berlin in a representative building ( the headquarters of the Disconto Society in the street Unter den Linden ), where it remained until 1992. Since then, the Secretariat is located in Brazil.

The 14th World Congress of IDFF was held from April 7 to 15, 2007 in Caracas instead.

The IDFF had consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the UN, at UNESCO and UNICEF. The main concern is the IDFF formulated " the struggle for peace and disarmament, national independence and democracy, women's rights and happiness of the children." The IDFF was represented in the UN Commission " On the status of women" by Helga Hörz.