Cablegate: Romanian Nominee for International Women Of

VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBM #0165/01 0451519
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141519Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6039

UNCLAS BUCHAREST 000165

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/NCE AARON JENSEN
G/IWI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KWMN PHUM RO
SUBJECT: ROMANIAN NOMINEE FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF
COURAGE AWARD: LILIANA POPESCU

REF: SECSTATE 12871

1. (U) Embassy Bucharest Nominates Professor Liliana
Popescu for the Secretary of State's Award for International
Women of Courage.

Name: Liliana Popescu
Title: Professor of Political Science and International
Relations
Institution: National School of Political and Administrative
Studies
Date of Birth: 1964
Contact Information: 40 722-724-226 (cell); e-mail:
Liliana civic@yahoo.com; Liliana p@rdslink.ro

Justification:

One of Romania's leading civil society activists, Liliana
Popescu is currently professor of political sciences and
international relations at the National School for Political
and Administrative Studies in Bucharest. Whe has made many
important contributions in promoting the political and
economic emancipation of women, and in general of other
discriminated minorities (including sexual minorities) in
what is still a rather parochial Romanian society.

Earning her PhD in philosophy at the University of
Manchester, Liliana Popescu was for years the director in
Romania for the US-based Civic Education Project (CEP),
making important contributions to the reform of the curricula
in the Romanian universities, including the introduction of
civic education programs. She is the director of the
Foundation for Civic Education and Academic Development
(FPECDA) which continues the CEP's efforts, and has a
project sponsored by Embassy Bucharest's Small Democracy
Grants program. With this and other related programs,
Liliana Popescu tirelessly works to draw public attention to
civic problems in Romania's immediate neighborhood,
especially in Moldova and Ukraine.

Liliana Popescu is best known, however for her women's rights
activism. She is the author of a widely acclaimed book, "The
Politics of Sexes" published in 2004. She also has edited or
contributed to many other volumes dedicated to this same
topic. She was the director for a UNDP program aimed at
increasing the role of women in Romanian politics which she
held until 2005. Her role as the principal women's rights
activist was first prominent during the so-called "Playboy
Scandal" in the spring of 2000. Popescu mobilized the
widespread protest, including leading a march through
downtown Bucharest, following the publication of an infamous
article in the Romanian edition of Playboy magazine titled
"How to beat your wife without leaving traces." Her efforts
brought to light the frequently hidden issue of domestic
violence, and forced a public apology from Playboy
International and the Romanian editors. The international
media recognized this event as one of the first real
successes of post-communist Romanian civil society in
defending civil rights and liberties.

Liliana Popescu also has an active, leadership role in
ACCEPT, a leading Romanian NGO promoting the rights of LGBT
community. She courageously works to raise public awareness
on the existence and rights of sexual minorities in
homophobic Romania, much to the dismay of the highly
conservative institutions, including the Romanian Orthodox
Church hierarchy. Popescu also promoted the Romanian
Festival of Diversity in 2004. For her active involvement in
defending the rights of women, combatting domestic violence,
and promoting the rights of minorities in Romania, and for
her initiatives and leadership role for the emancipation of
women in Romania, we nominate Liliana Popescu for the "Women
of Courage" prize.

2. (U) Post would also like to bring to the Department's
attention our runner-up Iana Matei, who we also consider a
strong contender for recognition. Iana Matei is the founder
and coordinator of "Reaching Out" shelter for trafficked
women. Matei founded the shelter in 1998 and since then has
provided direct assistance to 127 victims of human
trafficking. Matei's shelter offers a one-year recovery and
assistance program that provides victims with shelter, health
care, legal aid, and the opportunity to complete their
education and to learn new skills that enable them to enter
the work force Upon completion of the program, "Reaching
Out" acts as a mediator for victims while they seek
employment, with the aim of reducing the victim's chances of
re-entering the trafficking cycle. "Reaching Out" also
carries out information-awareness campaigns targeting
potential victims in several cities in the country. Ms.

Matei has managed to maintain an active dialogue with local
officials, earning their respect and cooperation. Today,
police routinely refer victims to Matei's shelter. She has
done a tremendous job of helping the victims of trafficking,
and educating officials on the importance of helping these
vulnerable people. Matei was praised as a "TIP Hero" in the
latest U.S. State Department report on trafficking in persons
(TIP).

3. (U) Contact person at post for women's issues is
Political Officer John Moor, who can be reached at
MoorJ@state.gov, and/or 40 (21) 200-3321.
TAUBMAN

© Scoop Media