PAY WOMEN NOT THE MILITARY LETTER TO THE INDEPENDENT
27 Sept 2001 (Published)

The Independent
letters@@independent.co.uk

Independent Letters Page,

Dear Editor,

Anne McElvoy’s flippant dismissal of anti-war sentiments, hides the fact that the majority against the war are women, and welcome Jenny Tong’s call for “groceries” instead of bombs. Women know all too well the connections between poverty, starvation, war and other desperate measures.

Women do 2/3 of the world’s work, mostly unwaged, and after every disaster, death, destruction and brutalisation it’s women who help people recover and rebuild their lives. But because this work is unwaged and invisible our voices are largely ignored. Women and children are also 90% of those killed or wounded in armed conflicts, and 80% of refugees worldwide. Mothers everywhere struggle to raise children, only to see them slaughtered as cannon fodder. As the first caregivers, the lives destroyed are loved ones in whom we have invested our lives’ work.

The demand that the $800 billion spent worldwide on military budgets be redirected into women and children’s hands is growing and found a voice in the Global Women’s Strike which demands a complete change in priorities from killing to caring. Since 11 September this has become increasingly urgent. Bush got $40 billion for a “war on terrorism”, on top of $500 billion already committed to Star Wars. But just $80 billion would provide everyone with the essentials of life. Instead of bombing a country seeded with 10 million landmines, where five million people face starvation, why not allocate the $40 billion to women and children, beginning in Afghanistan? This would prevent the destruction of more innocent lives and strengthen women’s opposition to the Taliban. Ms McElvoy asks: “what would you do”? The answer is stop war, poverty and starvation by putting military budgets into women and children’s hands.

Kay Chapman
Wages for Housework Campaign
230A Kentish Town Rd
London NW5 2AB
0207 482 2496

email: womenstrike8m@@server101.com
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LETTER TO THE GUARDIAN (Edited and published)
27 SEPT 01

Women oppose war (Women Voice War Fears, 23 Sept) because we pay the highest price for it. Women and children are 90% of those killed or wounded in armed conflicts, and 80% of refugees worldwide. Mothers everywhere struggle to raise children, only to see them slaughtered as cannon fodder. As the first caregivers, the lives lost are loved ones in whom we have invested our lives’ work. After every disaster, death destruction and brutalisation it’s women who help people recover and rebuild their lives. But because this work is unwaged and invisible our voices are largely ignored.

The demand that the $800 billion spent worldwide on military budgets be redirected into women and children’s hands has found an international voice in the Global Women’s Strike which demands a complete change in priorities from killing to caring. Since 11 September this has become increasingly urgent. Bush got $40 billion for a “war on terrorism”, on top of $500 billion already committed to Star Wars. But just $80 billion would provide everyone with the essentials of life. Instead of bombing a country seeded with 10 million landmines, where five million people face starvation, why not allocate the $40 billion to women and children, beginning in Afghanistan? This would prevent the destruction of more innocent lives and strengthen women’s opposition to the Taliban.

Kay Chapman
Wages for Housework Campaign
230A Kentish Town Rd
London NW5 2AB
0207 482 2496

email: womenstrike8m@@server101.com