– We want everyone to speak freely.

In front of the national convention, the Socialist Party (SV) splits its meeting up by sex. The purpose is to prevent male dominance and control techniques, according to Bergens Tidende.

An hour before the convention commences at Gardermoen Friday’s SV-delegates are invited to gender separated preparatory meetings that are closed to the press.

– We are concerned with that there should be equal participation of women and men in all debates. Therefore we will have these meetings, to sensitize delegates about it, SV leader Audun Lysbakken said.

He says the party has used such meetings in other contexts, and that it has worked well.

– We are a feminist party, and it means to be aware of how some invisible structures works. We do this in order to have an inclusive congress, says Lysbakken.

Party Secretary Kari Elisabeth Kaski says SV does not want journalists present during these meetings, because it would be “counterproductive.”

– We want everyone to speak freely, and with media people in the audience, people may have to restrain themselves, she says.

Kaski also rejects BT’s request to take a picture during preparatory meetings and says the following about the point of them:

– The point is to have some short meetings of about half an hour where we talk about the party culture, meeting culture and control techniques. We want safe meeting places, she says.

Source: dagbladet.no / Norway Today