Annual Report 2001 - 2002 — UNPAC (Mb)

UN Platform for Action Committee (Manitoba)

UNPAC Coordinating Group (2001-02)

Roberta Simpson, Chair
Susan Hancharyk, Secretary-Treasurer
Muriel Smith
Babs Friesen
Nancy Buchanan
Gisèle Saurette-Roch
Brenda Maxwell
Manju Lodha
Audrey Myers
Allison Graham Myers
Tara Pratt
Betty Hopkins
Jennifer Moyes
Stella LeJohn

Project Manager: Jennifer deGroot
Web manager, UNPAC site: Karen Hiscott
Web manager, Women and the Economy: Memery Miller
Internet access courtesy of Shaw

Congratulations! to Muriel Smith and Mary Scott on their appointments to the Board of UNIFEM Canada (United Nations Development Fund for Women)

Locally and globally, this has been a very eventful year, and UNPAC members have tried to keep themselves informed and involved as events have unfolded.

At our last annual general meeting on May 11/01, we were treated to a video (now available in book form) called Peace is …Women Imagine a Peaceful World, by UNPAC’s Project Manager, Jennifer deGroot. Jennifer also outlined UNPAC’s ambitious project, Women and the Economy, which has been developing and evolving over the past year. The focus of the project to date has been our website, www.unpac.ca, which is comprised of two sections. One section contains general information on UNPAC, United Nations conferences and documents (including the Beijing Platform for Action), current happenings of interest and concern to women, and links to other relevant websites. The other section of the website contains our Women and the Economy project. I will leave it to Jennifer deGroot to report on the project, and simply say that we are very pleased with what has been accomplished to date. Jennifer’s report is part of this Annual Report.

Our last AGM was followed by a meeting on June 1st at which we heard reports from attendees of the Peoples Summit of the Americas in Quebec City, and the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Since then, another World Social Forum has taken place in Brazil, and another Peoples Summit will be held shortly — at the University of Calgary, June 21-25. Details of this upcoming Peoples Summit can be found in this Annual Report.

Our first meeting after the summer break was held on September 21st, ten days after the horrific events which occurred in New York City and Washington on September 11th. In an effort to understand events unfolding on the world stage, and their relationship to terrorism and the realities of life in Afghanistan, we made contact with the Together Group. This group works with refugee families in Manitoba to reunite them with stranded family members. Through the group we met members of a refugee family from Afghanistan and heard their moving personal accounts of life under the Taliban, and their ongoing attempt to be reunited with family members still in a refugee camp in Pakistan. We were able to assist in a small way in the fundraising efforts of the Together Group to reunite this family.

In looking back over UNPAC’s activities during the past year, the struggle of women to gain their human rights stands out. In addition to hearing about human rights abuses in Afghanistan, we heard, through MATCH and Rosie Yee, a first-hand account of the plight of women refugees in subsistence camps on the Burmese-Thai border. Rosie works to raise funds to provide sewing machines for the women in these camps so that they have a chance to be productive and earn an income. There is new hope for these women, and for the world, through women leaders such as Dr. Sima Samar, now Deputy Premier of Afghanistan, and Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader of Burma’s National League for Democracy, recently released after years of house arrest.

Closer to home, UNPAC members, together with members of the Provincial and Winnipeg Councils of Women and aboriginal women’s groups, have been providing moral and material support to the women of Dakota Tipi First Nation in their struggle for recognition of their basic human rights, including the right to be part of the political process on their reserve. This struggle against oppression is ongoing, and UNPAC will continue to maintain its solidarity with these women and to do what it can to assist them.

The issue of human rights in Canada was the topic of an evening with human rights activist Josephine Grey at the University of Winnipeg on February 15/02, sponsored by UNPAC. The evening featured the showing of a video produced by LIFT (Low Income Families Together) of Toronto: Human Rights: Use Them or Lose Them. To quote Josephine:

This was the message that a group of Canadians, including Josephine, took to a meeting of the U.N. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Geneva. LIFT’s excellent video based on this meeting is available for loan from UNPAC.

Many of us have been at several meetings during the past months to hear personal reports from attendees of the 2001 United Nations Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in South Africa. As follow-up to that conference, the Manitoba Chapter of the Congress of Black Women has held one workshop and is planning at least two more to develop strategies to address racism. The first workshop also raised the issue of reparations. UNPAC will advertise these workshops on its website as the details become known.

UNPAC values its connections with groups that share its goals of equality, development and peace for women. We want to especially thank Kim Clare and Sue Barnsley of the Manitoba Women’s Advisory Council for their ongoing support of UNPAC, and for their Lunch &Learn program, which is a valuable source of information for women. We appreciate opportunities for UNPAC members to support, work and network with, the members of organizations such as LEAF, the Provincial and Winnipeg Councils of Women, MATCH, IWAM, the Congress of Black Women, the Child Care Coalition of Manitoba, Aboriginal women’s groups such as MORN and OWN, the University Women’s Club. We look forward to further networking with these organizations and others, from which we all benefit. And we are grateful to Status of Women Canada for providing us with funding for Women and the Economy.

Lastly, our thanks to the members of UNPAC who have volunteered their time to serve on the Coordinating Group and the project advisory group; to our Secretary-Treasurer, Susan Hancharyk, and to Mary Scott for Snippets.

In sisterhood,

Roberta (Robby) Simpson, Chair

Report on the Women and Economy project
UNPAC Annual Report, May 2002

Over the last year UNPAC’s Promoting Women’s Economic Literacy project has evolved from an idea into a very tangible reality. Our new website currently has nearly 90 separate pages of information on women and the economy, and the stacks of videotapes containing interviews and discussions on women and the economy with women around the province, are waiting to be transformed into an engaging documentary.

UNPAC chose to dedicate energy to this project because of certain assumptions about women’s experience of the economy, specifically that women’s contributions to the economy have been ignored and diminished, that women are in many ways excluded from economic decision-making, and that women’s exploitation in the economy is increasing due to globalization. At the same time we believed and still believe that women do contribute greatly to the economy, that women have much to say about how the economy is structured, and that women are developing viable alternatives to the traditional economic model.

While women we’ve approached have sometimes been hesitant to talk about the “economy,” at least initially, by using Marilyn Waring’s time-use analysis we have been able to create a space in which women feel free to share their stories. Our assumptions have been reinforced and expanded as we listened to Manitoba women talk about the struggles they face: living with a disability, trying to get an education, working for “women’s” wages, the lack of access to quality child care, the “deskilling” that accompanies motherhood, the challenge of aging, working in a globalized industry, and choosing between children and income. At the same time we have heard stories about women running their own businesses, getting out of poverty, finding ways to consume ethically, challenging globalization, finding non-financial ways to value their worth, and working for community economic development.

The stories we have gathered act as the foundation of the website and provide the energy for our efforts towards “promoting women’s economic literacy.” Along with the stories, the website features statistics on women’s paid and unpaid work, minimum wage and social assistance rates and their relation to poverty, guidelines for ethical consumption, parts of the Beijing Platform for Action, and articles on child care, ability, the feminization of poverty, women and consumption, community economic development, and more. We have also developed an economic literacy toolkit featuring information on the history of economics, economic systems, banking and the money system, and an extensive section on globalization and its impact on women in Manitoba and around the world. We have endeavoured to make the site as interactive and user-friendly as possible by including photos, quizzes, glossaries, quotes, and even humour.

Through the Women and Economy project (as we usually call it), UNPAC has had the opportunity to connect with many individuals and organizations across the province. Besides the 13 women (ages 10-72) whose stories are featured on the website, nearly 200 other women, men, girls and boys, have offered their input in some way. More than 2500 brochures have been distributed throughout the province letting people know that UNPAC remains a strong force in the struggle for women’s equality. We have been privileged to work closely with a number of organizations including the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities, Brandon Women’s Centre, Dauphin Friendship Centre, Burntwood Community Health Resource Centre (Thompson), Family Community Centre (Winnipeg), YWCA (Thompson), and the Manitoba Child Care Coalition. Most recently we’ve been asked by SEED Winnipeg to participate in the creation of an inner-city shopping guide that supports community economic development.

As the website expands, we will continue to examine the barriers women face in gaining economic equality. We hope to examine such issues as age and aging, race, alternative food systems, measuring economic progress, alternative economic indicators, issues surrounding women and paid work, and aboriginal peoples and the economy. We also hope to add many more photos to make the site more visually engaging. At some point during the year we will conduct a review of the website.

Much of our energy during the next year will be devoted to making the video. While the website allows us to consider many issues, the website will need to be more focussed. We hope that it will be a tool to be used to stimulate discussion around women and the economy. Once the video is near completion we will be considering ways to publicize it and the website and will be applying for funds specifically for promotions.

Besides the organizations mentioned above, we have many others to thank for their contributions to the Women and Economy project. First of all, without the funds provided by Status of Women Canada, the project would simply not have been possible. At the same time we are extremely grateful to the Manitoba Women’s Advisory Council for providing photocopying, FAX, and mailing services. Members of the project Advisory Committee (Roberta Simpson, Tara Pratt, Brenda Maxwell, Muriel Smith, and Deborah Stienstra) have followed the project from the beginning, offering time, insight, and encouragement. Other UNPAC members have also made contributions especially Justine Kiwanuka and Nancy Buchanan. Jen Moyes and Memery Miller have provided technical support as well as Roberta Bishop. And most importantly, the women who’ve shared their stories with us have allowed us to portray the issues surrounding women’s relationship to the economy in a very real way. Finally, Roberta Simpson has spent countless hours editing, listening, and offering suggestions. Her support has been invaluable.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this exciting process. It has been a wonderful experience and I look forward to what is to come.

Respectfully,

Jennifer deGroot

G6B
The People’s Summit of 6 Billion

June 21 to 25, 2002 — University of Calgary
www.peaceandhumanrights.org

On June 26 and 27, the leaders of the world’s most industrialized countries, the G8, will meet in Kananaskis, Alberta. They will make critical decisions that will have global impact. Past G8 Summits have consistently failed to offer an effective means for individuals, civil society or even other states, to provide input to, or engage in, meaningful dialogue with G8 leaders.

The People’s Summit will offer a means for the views and concerns of all of the world’s peoples to be expressed and considered. It will offer an alternative view of the planet’s future — one which is not rooted in increased militarism and poverty, and decreased human and civil rights. Committed to bridging the divides and inequalities that exist between the developed and developing world, the conference will bring forward recommendations in six theme areas: trade and economy, human security, health, education, environment, democracy and governance.

The Conference brings renowned speakers, respected experts, and activists from the frontlines of poverty and conflict, together with an anticipated audience of 500, to explore a number of crucial issues and recommendations within the G6B’s six themes. Consistent with the priorities of the G8, all sessions will have a special focus on the issues of Africa.

The International Society for Peace and Human Rights (ISPHR) has taken the lead in organizing this conference and is working with a steering committee made up of other national and local organizations, including: Amnesty International, Partnership Africa Canada, Rights &Democracy, Canadian Labour Congress, University of Calgary G8 office, Calgary African Community.

For more details: www.peaceandhumanrights.org or contact Lynn Foster at (403)202-0638 or e-mail fosterlf@shaw.ca

Letter from Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund Manitoba
501-294 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg MB R3C 0B9
www.leaf.ca

November 2001

Ms. Robby Simpson
UNPAC (MB)
Box 36, Station L
Winnipeg MB
R3H 0Z4

Dear Robby:

Our 11th Annual Person’s Day Breakfast was a tremendous success. Over 900 people attended the breakfast this year, and once again, a long list of community leaders supported LEAF-Manitoba by being Breakfast sponsors.

We’d like to share our appreciation with UNPAC (MB) for leading the way in supporting the work of LEAF in advancing equality for women. Your willingness to contribute as a LEAF Friend again this year makes an important difference. The funds will support the important cases we will be taking on, and your leadership provides LEAF-Manitoba with a strong endorsement for our work.

We were very pleased to be able to acknowledge your support at a LEAF Friend in a 1/4 page Winnipeg Free Press advertisement. We’ve enclosed a copy of the ad for your records.

On Behalf of LEAF-Manitoba and our 11th Annual Person’s Day Breakfast Committee, our many thanks for your support.

Yours sincerely,

Betty Hopkins
Chair, LEAF-Manitoba

Sharron Gould, Chair, 11th Annual Person’s Day Breakfast

Letter from The WTN Foundation
1440 Rapelje Avenue, Winnipeg MB   R3G 0L7
www.wtn.ca/foundation

Roberta Simpson, Chair
UNPAC (MB)
P.O. Box 36, Station L
Winnipeg MB R3H 0Z4

Dear Roberta Simpson,

Just a quick note to thank you for taking time out of your busy life to support WTN and the WTN Foundation with your letter in November.

Your effort sent a powerful message to Corus Entertainment, confirming the need for programming and training opportunities for women. Over 80 other individuals and organizations joined you in your call to maintain the award-winning programs of the WTN Foundation. It is inspiring to know that so many people share this vision. We are involved in continuing discussions with Corus about the future work of the WTN Foundation and will inform you of new developments.

The women of WTN and the recipients of the WTN Foundation’s funding are very lucky to have friends like you. Thank you.

Best regards,

Sylvia Hamilton, Chair
The WTN Foundation

cc: WTN Foundation Board

UNPAC’s RESPONSE TO THE FEDERAL BUDGET

January 14, 2002

UNPAC Manitoba commends the government’s concern for the security of Canadians as demonstrated in Paul Martin’s Dec 11, 2001 federal budget. In these times of uncertainty we need to work together to find ways to protect and care for both ourselves and our neighbours.

However, as women of Manitoba, we ask why many of our security concerns have not been taken seriously. Housing, child care, health care, and other measures to secure the social well-being of Canadians were but small parts of the federal budget in comparison to the $7.7 billion set aside for “security”. We ask how the government plans to create real day-to-day security for families suffering from basic lack of food, housing, and work that pays enough to survive. Increasing health and social transfer payments and introducing more progressive taxation are just a few steps that could have been taken to better the lives of the most vulnerable Canadians and create long-lasting security for all.

While we commend the government for setting money aside for aboriginal children, we ask a deeper question. Poor children are born to poor mothers. And mothers are poor for many reasons including lack of child care, lack of affordable housing, excessive student loans, and low minimum wage and social assistance rates. We believe that Head Start programs are an important step but we urge the government to ask questions about the roots of poverty and to work at long-term poverty alleviation solutions. Specifically in terms of aboriginal children we ask the government to look at the whole situation of aboriginal peoples in Canada and the economic racism that has been part of Canadian history from the very beginning. We ask that the government consider the broad changes that need to take place in the relationship between aboriginal and non-aboriginal Canadians, such as were laid out in the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.

We have questions about local security but we also have questions about global security and insecurity. We believe that violence such as was manifested on September 11 is related to inequality and injustice. When the world’s resources are shared unequally so that a few have much and many have little, we create a climate in which dissent breeds. We are not saying that the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington are direct products of poverty and oppression, but we are saying that the current world structure in which there are a few rich and many poor, creates a climate in which these types of tragedies take place. We question the government’s move to adopt economic policies and agreements such as the Free Trade Area of the Americas. While many believe that trade is to everyone’s benefit, our experience shows otherwise. As women we see that it is our sisters across the world who are carrying the brunt of the burden created by a world of growing inequality, and we are saddened that it is policies of our countries that are contributing to this. We fear that increased inequality will only bring more violence.

To this end we laud the government’s commitment to international assistance through the creation of a $500 million Africa Fund as well as their commitment to aid refugees affected by the war in Afghanistan. It worries us that this commitment is contingent on a surplus in next year’s budget. We wish that this commitment would hold no matter what the shape of next year’s budget, that we could share our wealth both in times of excess and of so-called “need”. We cannot help but note that this commitment is a small amount in comparison to the $7.7 billion the government has set aside to improve security measures in our own country.

At the same time, we urge the government to work towards trade that produces more equitable results. We believe that our richness comes at the expense of the world’s poorest and we urge the government to move towards Fair Trade rather than Free Trade. In this way we may strengthen the capacity of poorer nations to take care of their own citizens and work towards a world in which resources are divided fairly among all peoples.

Finally, we worry about what the increased security of our borders will do to those searching for a home in our country. We worry that increased “security” for us will mean increased insecurity for the rest of the world. While an increase to the Head Tax will be used to off-set some of these costs, we see this as another way of taxing the most vulnerable members of our society. We want our country to be a welcoming place especially for those who have been forced out of their own countries.

We urge the government of Canada to consider long-term solutions to create a secure world for all Canadians and for all peoples of this earth. We believe there is more than enough to go around and all who share life on this planet are equally entitled to share in this wealth. We ask that our country be a leader in demonstrating that peace and justice for all is possible even in times of fear.

This response prepared by Jennifer deGroot. UNPAC also submitted a pre-budget letter to the Manitoba Government.

WORLD SOCIAL FORUM 2002

by Gisèle Saurette Roch

The minute that I saw the attack on the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, I feared for all individuals who are advocating for change. I wondered if some anti-terrorism strategies would prevent activists from attending the second edition of the World Social Forum January 31- February 5, 2002 in Porto Alegre. After the tumultuous year that witnessed police brutality in Quebec City’s Summit of the Americas, the death of a young protester in Genoa, Italy at the G8 Summit, the holing out of the WTO in Doha, Quatar, and the all-out assault in Afghanistan, I was very concerned for the health of our so-called democracy. It certainly seemed very clear that the big businesses had a stranglehold of the neo-liberal agenda, and this, with the collusion of most national governments and media.

I was very pleased to learn that activists were not deterred, that some sixty thousand delegates were registered, including 15,000 youth (16-30 years old) at the Youth Encampment Area. Participation quadrupled, in effect, since the first WSF held in January 2001! This year, 4,970 organizations sent 13,500 delegates to present and /or attend the more than 800 workshops and plenary sessions. Delegations of 900 and 600 participants came from Italy and France respectively. There was a strong contingent of South American participants, especially Brazilians and Argentinians. In fact, many more of the speakers and panelists spoke in Spanish or Portuguese this year.

The colourful dress of the participants, spontaneous chanting of one slogan or other, street theatre, all contribute to the camaraderie of a festival-like atmosphere, such as the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Someone turned in to the Lost and Found, my tripod which I had forgotten somewhere!

Because of the great increase in participation, several other venues, scattered across the city of Porto Alegre, were secured off campus. I chose to attend sessions at the Campus in closer vicinity to each other to maximize my options. I attended sessions that were to be hosted in English and French to maximize the value of video taping them for future reference in Canada. However posted, translation in Spanish or Portuguese occurred at all the workshops. I have video-taped a large number of sessions, available to the public on request.

I found this year’s WSF II to focus on solutions to issues raised. Again, intentionally, no official declaration was issued at the end of the six days. The organizers see the role of the WSF as being a convergence for groups opposed to neo-liberalism. They do not want to risk alienating any group who may not completely embrace all of the terms that a closing declaration may hold.

In this second edition, there were 43% women participants, however, they were not proportionately featured as presenters or panellists. In fact, Elsa Beaulieu from Quebec, made a poignant intervention at the Youth Plenary where only men were featured as panelists. This was the first time that I heard the slogan,

The preliminary report of the World March of Women reflects that there were significant strides achieved in bringing in the feminist perspective since last year. Representatives of the World March of Women participated in a significant number of presentations and workshops, but they were especially visible in the inaugural demonstration in support of the Landless Movement and also at the FTAA protest. Please refer to the reports on both the World March of Women site www.marchemondiale.org/en/ and on the World Social Forum web-site www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/. More reports are published every week, more translations are produced as well. I understand that the women hope to establish an International Court to try cases of Violence against Women at the next WSF in 2003.

The WMW can identify with the challenge of the WSF in that they both do not want to get caught up in a host of maintaining an infra-structure, per se. It is a challenge to maintain enough of a structure to be effective but not so much that it becomes an end in itself.

Strategies and Alternatives:

ATTAC- promotes a Tobin Tax of .1%-.25 % on speculative investment on capital which could produce as much as $ 300 billion /year (per 1990 figures) which could be spent on the most vulnerable citizens to provide basic health care services and education to the young. Add these funds to the amounts of the debts forgiven to the most vulnerable countries and sums promised in development aid by the First World countries. That should provide substantial funding to provide basic health and education everywhere.

Vandana Shiva, passionate activist of India, biologist by profession, promotes local self-sustainable economies to counter the existing monopolies. She cited many courageous examples of communities working together in order to achieve this. An alternative accounting system to the U.N. National Statistics Accounts System needs to be incorporated in such a strategy. Video available.

John Bunzl presented his concept of Simultaneous Policy. This is a concept whereby all proponents of the Simultaneous Policy, be they individuals, groups, political parties or governments, who sign on, agree that, at a pre-designated time, the terms of the Simultaneous Policy will come into effect, not unlike the process by which the European countries changed over to a common exchange, the euro. In that case, the national governments interested in the project of a single European currency, identified the issues, negotiated in good faith , agreed upon the date January 1st, 2002 to do the formal transition.

The content of the Simultaneous Policy has yet to be defined but it would involve measures to protect the environment, protect workers’ rights to safe workplaces and to living wages, minimally. This would strive to redistribute wealth more evenly. One suggestion was that we could begin, possibly, with the fifteen principles of the World Social Forum.

John Bunzl knows that there will be resistance from the Multi-National corporations, but this SIMPOL program also provides a tool for popular education about the issues at stake. If a swelling of support for a fair-trade Simultaneous Policy is felt around the world by the governments, they may have to acknowledge that they really have little choice but to sign on — especially given the escalation of assaults on our planet and on our brothers and sisters all over the world in order for precious few to achieve a Western life-style.

The exercise of promoting this program and educating the public about the issues in the process has a lot of potential to inject vigour in the democratic process of all nations. Pressed on a timeline for the actualization of this program, Mr. Bunzl admits he may be considered optimistic to think about 2015. I hope that with technology at our disposition, that the timeline may be compressed to 10 years. Check the web-site www.simpol.org to see the rate of new signators in the different countries, every month and to learn more about the program. Video available.

Jeff Cohen of FAIR — Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting — FAIR is an NGO that Mr. Cohen founded to provide counterbalance to the private media interests. It celebrated 15 year anniversary this year. Please visit the site www.fair.org for responsible reporting of the alternative perspectives of the news in current events. The issues are identified by topic with much archival material for reference. For your information, www.indymedia.org and www.rabble.ca are two other independent media outlets for alternative reports to current events picked up or not by the large private media companies. I have video-taped the presentation "Concentration of the Media." Meanwhile, I learned that Canada’s Quebecor had just purchased the four Brazilian magazines with the largest general readership from Brazil’s media giant Globo, which boasts of owning 50% of all television, radio and print media.

International Aid and Social Development — World renowned economists gave their perspectives of the impact of structural adjustments required by the World Bank and the IMF when they decide to assist a country with financial challenges. The consensus among them was that the best students of the IMF, the countries which subscribed 100% to the stipulations put upon them by the World Bank and the IMF still have run into deep trouble, examples: Turkey and Argentina. On the other hand, other countries who have kept a diversified economy still manage to defy the economic odds set up by the World Bank and IMF.

There was a time when the latter directed the country to devolve all education programs except primary level education. After a few years, there was no access to higher levels of education and few people able to fill in as the senior public servants moved on or retired. Faced with this fact, they change their requirements to insist on high school education programs. The reality is that the World Bank and IMF’s views are very short-sighted and self-interested. The presenters hoped that NGOs would speak out at the Monterrey UN Conference on Social Development to be held in March 2003 in Mexico. A video-tape of this session also available.

CONCLUSION:

It is very important that the peoples of the world get together and let their respective governments know that they are interested in transparent and responsible governance. We need to inform ourselves of the truth, by objective facts. Individually, we need to take responsibility to inform ourselves and then let our respective networks know of the issues and possible actions. Let us hope that large organizations can collaborate with one another.

Porto Alegre has challenged the other southern continents to host the World Social Forums so that their peoples have greater opportunity to participate and that the present organizing committee will be glad to assist with the organization. Given the exponential growth in participants, it is indeed a gargantuan task to plan such huge events. This is why Porto Alegre has agreed to host the WSF in their city for 2003, in order to allow enough time and experience for Africa or Asia to develop the necessary infrastructure for January 2004.

There was a recommendation that there be organized Regional and Sub-regional Social Forums this year and next to enlist as much participation locally and regionally as possible. The recommendations and highlights would be forwarded onto the next WSF.

In solidarity,

Gisèle Saurette Roch