Babaylan Germany - The Philippine Women's Network in Europe

Babaylan – The Philippine Women’s Network in Europe is an initiative of Philippine women’s groups and women’s desks in Europe. A result of the first Conference of Filipinas in Europe held in Barcelona on September 23-26, 1992, it is a response to a long felt need of Filipinas living and working in Europe to link together and forge unity to improve their situation, address specific issues affecting women. It seeks to develop an effective and liberating support system for Filipinas.

The Europe-wide network is aptly named Babaylan – a title given to the priestesess in pre-Spanish times. The Babaylan priestesses performed not only sacred rites but also exercised leadership roles in all aspects of community life. They fought alongside with the people for a peaceful and egalitarian society against the imposition of a foreign policito-cultural system by the Spanish colonizers. Though repressed by the Spanish friars, Babaylan priestesses continued to be revered and respected by the people.
We, Philippine women in Europe want the Babaylan spirit to live on.
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 Europe.
We also believe that Filipinas have common problems that confront them as women migrants in Europe. Like other black migrants in Europe, the Filipinas also experience racism and sexual discrimination.
Most Filipinas are employed in low paid ‘reproductive work’, receive low salaries, suffer de-skilling, intellectual stagnation, unrecognized educational level, and often have language difficulties.
Our Aims
• promote women’s empowerment and full participation in development processes through sharing of our experiences, information and resources;
• promote a liberating education programme for women to tackle issues affecting women in Europe and the Philippines; strengthen Philippine women’s groups networking on the national level;
• establish links of support with women’s groups of other nationalities in Europe and in the Philippines;
• project their voices through effective lobby work at all planning and policy-making levels and representation in the Philippine government;
• provide channels for campaign on women issues;
• mobilize participation and action among Filipinas through Babaylan’s biennial General Assembly meeting;
• promote communication channels and information exchange among Filipinas in Europe and in the Philippines by setting up a data bank.
Our Activities
• Facilitators training on:
o Women Orientation Course for Filipinas in Europe
o Assertiveness Skills, Conflict Resolution and Management
• Conduct seminars and echo trainings on the above – mentioned topics;
• Publish Training Recource Manuals;
• Campaign on Violence Agaisnt Women and against Racism;
• Publish a Babaylan Nesletter to project women`s voices and experiences as well as materials for women`s education;
• Conduct biennial Babaylan Conference, symposia and information meetings on women – specific issues and other issues that affect them;
• Organize and network among women at the national and European level.