Our Principles

Our Principles:   

Babaylan believes that migration is brought about by a combination of socio-cultural, economic and political factors in the Philippines that push women to migrate as well as factors in Europe that pull women to immigrate; the unequal and unjust distribution of wealth and resources in the world; the colonial culture ingrained by years of colonization by the west; the Philippine government’s failure to address decisively the problem of poverty and its policies that encourage migration; and the low value of women’s work in the Philippines and in Europe.

We also believe that Filipinas have common problems that confront them as women migrants in Europe. Like other black migrants, the Filipinas also experience racism and sexual discrimination in Europe, where they are employed mostly in low paid reproductive work, receive low salaries, suffer de-skilling, intellectual stagnation, unrecognised educational level, and often have language and cultural difficulties.

In a globalizing world, the well-educated Filipina who is prized for high work ethics, good service and competent English language skills comprise a labour potential that especially Europe with its demographic deficit can employ to optimal mutual beneficial effects.

We aim to:

• Create a forum for Filipino women in Denmark, regardless of age, educational background, etc.
• Promote consciousness through cultural activities, literature, languages, history and traditions.
• Give Filipino youth opportunities to develop and integrate into Danish society.
• Participate in debates and activities about immigrants particularly migrant women.
• Establish links and support with women’s group of other nationalities and ethnic backgrounds in Denmark and internationally.

Our activities:

• To lobby regionally, nationally and internationally on women’s rights and in particular, migrant women.
• Conduct symposia and fora on women-specific issues and other issues that affect them.
• Conduct seminars and echo training on relevant topics eg. gender orientation, conflict resolution and management, assertiveness skills, etc.
• Hold campaigns on trafficking, sexual exploitation, and violence against women, racial discrimination, and social exclusion.
• Publish a quarterly newsmagazine and other media activities to project women’s voices and experiences.
• To uphold both Filipino and Danish/European family traditions thru annual summer picnics and cross-cultural traditions such as Christmas,Easter,etc.
• To participate actively on the Nordic level on gender issues as well as Philippine issues,eg.the annual Nordic Pulong(meeting).