It is with great sadness that Amazone has learned of the passing of Miet Smet, co-founder of our feminist associations house in 1995. Her fight for gender equality and women’s rights has had a profound and lasting impact on Belgium’s history.
Born in 1943, Miet Smet served as President of the Women’s Labor Commission, as member of the Vrouwen Overleg Komitee, as chairwoman of the CVP Vrouw en Maatschappij (Women and Society) working group, as Member of Parliament, as Secretary of State, and as Minister. Among her many achievements, she worked tirelessly to ensure a more equitable representation of women and men on electoral lists. Thanks to her vision and determination, Amazone became a place of support and collaboration for numerous feminist organisations.
“I often attended meetings of the Vrouwen Overleg Komitee back then. These meetings were either held at a member’s house or in some small, isolated spaces. They never had solid infrastructure, like many feminist groups at the time, because they weren’t part of larger organisations. They had no secured places of their own. I felt that wasn’t right and wanted to help these new groups. And that’s how I started Amazone.“
Amazone and its resident associations extend their heartfelt condolences to her family and pay tribute to her courage and legacy, which continues to inspire every initiative in support of gender equality.
