international women's day 2012

Iranian Women’s Rights Activists Say No to War On March 8

Change for Equality:

War does not happen in the course of a day. There is no need for war to land in our cities with a bomb. The shadow of war is also frightening. The possibility of war too changes the lives of women. Every day that we spend at war or in conditions of war, is filled with the fear of the death of the our achievements, which have come about through years of struggle. War for us, means destructive violence committed against women and children. It means more severe crackdowns. It signifies the silencing of our demands and civil protest and…Still our bodies are covered in the dust of the eight year war with Iraq, and our country is once again faced with the threat of war.

War is not just bombs and the destruction of our homes. Even before we embark on a war, it seems that the lives of women have already become more difficult. War has focused its gaze on women and moves closer, step by step.

We do not want to become the silent victims of this monster. On March 8, 2012 while being denied the opportunity to celebrate the day or express our demands in the streets, we have taken this opportunity to say that we are opposed to war and each of these short films express our reasons for that opposition. Please join us, so that perhaps together we can become a strong voice opposing those who with the slightest of excuses and with a smile adorning their lips, welcome the possibility of War.

Videos with English subtitles at https://www.we-change.org/english/spip.php?article954

16 March 2012 at 3:15 pm

Migrant & Refugee Woman of the Year Award on International Women’s Day

More than 250 people gathered at the Royal Festival Hall for the first ever Migrant and Refugee Woman of the Year Award on International Women’s day to honour three outstanding women.

This year’s winner was Nazek Ramadan, founder of Migrant Voice, and two honorary awards were also given to Luljeta Nuzi, founder of Shpresa Programme for the Albanian speaking community, and Clara Osagiede, London Underground RMT Secretary for Cleaners.

The ceremony was hosted by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Natasha Walters, and Zrinka Bralo.

Last autumn a group of organisations that supports migrants, refugees and women joined forces to launch this award to honour inspirational migrant and refugee women who are improving the lives of people and communities across London. 40 nominations were received.

“Women cross borders to come to the UK for many reasons; many of them come fleeing human rights abuses. They have often faced great challenges to get here and further challenges once they arrive here in our asylum and immigration system. Yet their courage and resilience is so often remarkable. The leadership many provide at the grassroots to others is an inspiration, and it’s wonderful to be able to celebrate this.” said Natasha Walter, author of The New Feminism and Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism, and director of Women for Refugee Women.

Read more about the award winners and pictures of the event at https://www.mrcf.org.uk/award

9 March 2012 at 8:18 pm

A Poem For International Women’s Day: Bridget Minamore Performs ‘Hypocrites And Double Ds’ (VIDEO)

Bridget Minamore is a 20-year-old writer and student from London who has won numerous poetry slams across the capital, including respected spoken word events Farrago and Hammer & Tongue.

In addition to being a regular on the slam scene, she has performed at 10 Downing Street and the King’s College Cambridge Women’s Dinner and is a member of poetry collectives Rubix and Point Blank Poets.

Here, to mark International Women’s Day 2012, she gives an exclusive performance of her poem Hypocrites And Double Ds, a piece she wrote while working with a group of teenage girls in a drama workshop.

“We discussed role models and realised we couldn’t think of one female celebrity who had unanimously positive press,” Bridget explains.

“For me, International Women’s Day is about highlighting the problems women face and celebrating the positive female role models we have already.

“There are so many issues women have to face, both in our country and around the world, that are dismissed as something we just have to ‘deal with’.

“Well I don’t want to deal with anything. Inequality is inequality and the fact it exists should be a problem for everyone – men and women.”

Read and / or listen at https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/03/08/bridget-minamore-poem-international-womens-day_n_1332168.html?ref=uk

9 March 2012 at 8:11 pm

Some IWD articles from the mainstream media and from campaign groups

Calm down, dears? Why it’s a bad time to be a British woman
International Women’s Day marks the first era in living memory that the equality drive has gone into reverse

As feminists, united we fall apart – divided we may yet succeed
My International Women’s Day thought? We should act more like a football team and less like synchronised swimmers

Women’s Day: Taking a stand with women in the Middle East
People around the world should show their solidarity with the courageous women who were pivotal in uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa, Amnesty International said.

International Women’s Day: Remembering the Murdered Women Writers of Mexico
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/cathal-sheerin/murdered-writers-mexico-international-womens-day-_b_1326564.html

International Women’s Day – what to celebrate, what to condemn?
It’s international women’s day today and the media and blogosphere are bouncing with ‘glass half full’ and ‘glass half IWD1empty’ discussions of the state of women’s rights. So let’s look at both halves of the glass (for a more pop version, this Independent on Sunday curtain-raiser is hard to beat, and I loved my friend Claire Melamed’s tirade against IWD cupcake feminism).

Launch of World Atlas of Gender Equality in Education
To mark International Women’s Day, UNESCO and the UIS have jointly released the World Atlas of Gender Equality in Education, which includes over 120 maps, charts and tables featuring a wide range of sex-disaggregated indicators.

IT industry celebrates International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day has prompted a number of organisations to examine the uneven gender distribution in the IT industry, and examine ways in which technology can improve the lives of women at the bottom of the economic pyramid.

International Women’s Day perfect time to celebrate women chemists, says RSC’s first ever female President
The role of women in chemistry finally parallels that of men, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry’s first ever female President.

9 March 2012 at 8:09 pm

Convention On Violence Against Women – Statement from Number 10 on International Women’s Day

“By signing the Convention we would ensure that British offenders who commit their crimes abroad would still face justice in our courts.”

The Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg have issued a joint statement on the Government signing the Council of Europe’s Convention on Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence.
Read the joint statement below:

“International Women’s Day is about reflecting on the strides that have been taken to give women more power, more choice and more control over their lives. But it is also about pushing for more to be done. Because the truth is, there is still a lot of work we need to do on the basics: ending violence against women and ensuring the physical security that is everyone’s fundamental right.

The UK already has some of the most robust protections against violence towards women in the world. But we know we’ve got to do better. So today we can confirm that we are working towards signing the Council of Europe’s Convention on Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence before ratifying the treaty and incorporating it into UK law.

This agreement is unprecedented, and it is vital. Across Europe millions of women suffer physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes. In the UK nearly one million women experience domestic abuse each year. This is an utter scandal – and together we are going to work harder than ever to bring this violence to an end.

The agreement is not just a piece of paper. It’s going to lift the standards of protection for women across Europe, give greater support for victims and – crucially – bring many more perpetrators to justice.

By signing the Convention we would ensure that British offenders who commit their crimes abroad would still face justice in our courts. This is what we do in cases of murder and paedophilia. We believe rapists and abusive men from the UK who seriously harm women should face the same fate – wherever they commit the offence. Our message must be loud and clear: there must be nowhere to hide.”

https://www.number10.gov.uk/news/violence-against-women/

See also:

International Women’s Day 2012 – UK government action
This week (5-9 March), the UK government came together to focus on International Women. This is our story, which will be updated throughout the week.

Foreign Secretary William Hague paid tribute to those working to advance the human rights of women around the world ahead of International Women’s Day.
https://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=739185982

International Women’s Day: Nick Clegg calls more women in top jobs
The Deputy Prime Minister said a wider cultural change was still needed in the workplace as he marked International Women’s Day at an event in the City of London.

Commons debate on International Women’s Day
https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201212/cmhansrd/cm120308/debtext/120308-0002.htm#12030895000001

International Women’s Day — House of Lords
That this House takes note of International Women’s Day on 8 March and the contribution of women to economic growth.

International Women’s Day 2012: equal pay for equal work
The EP has dedicated this year’s International Women’s Day to the theme “equal pay for equal work” as women in the EU are still on average paid 17% less then men.

9 March 2012 at 7:52 pm