Motivation and Information: Here we are!

Personal report from a stundent from Bradford about the March for Women’s Rights in London, 7th November, organized by the NUS (National Union of Students)

Claims were not less as:
equal pay (despite over 25 years of equal pay legislation women are still paid only 75% of men’s wages)
against violence ( more rapes but fewer convictions are reported),
for free abortions on request (a women who wants to have an abortion, still needs two docters to agree and NHS provision is inadequate)
for free education (tuition fees and the scrapping of grants force many women out of education)
for decent childcare (free, accessible, publicly provided childcare is essential for women’s participation in education and employment)
for trade an union rights ( for women’s rights at work to be real, there a the need for the right to organise collectively against exploitation and sexism
against homophobia (lesbian and bisexual women still have no legal protection against discrimination)
for the health care we need (existing women’s health services are not enough)
against racism and fascism (racism and facsism devide us in our struggle for liberation)

We left Bradford at about 2 pm. Crazy tour, why I am doing this, I am thinking to my self , on the way to London, 4 hours caught in a Minibus with 10 other people.
In London, we hardly find the university, where the marches starts. On the footsteps of the suffragettes – we will walk the route which feminists used to walk over 100 years before us. In front of the University of London Union 200-300 people with torches banners and lots of posters, mostly women (men were asked to walk in solidarity). The mood is ecited. Nearly everybody seems to hand out leaflets. In the first ten minutes I have already a range of about 5 leaflets, and I take every new with gratefulness and so do the others. Feminist information is rare in everyday-world! The most leaflets are about anti-war protest and announce events in London like the next big demonstrations, but also conferences and congresses like the “Women’s Speak Out” (an open collective of anarcho-feminists) and “Global women’s strike on the 8th march 2002”. During the march the mood, especially in the first lines is becoming loud. Chants like “Rise up, unite, fight for women’s rights” and “Equal Rights- Now!” are shouted. A seldom and good experience, to be on the street in the dark, in the night, together with many other women, and the feeling “The road is ours”. It reminds me also, that since I am living in Bradford specially, but also everywhere else where I was living, there was always a covered feeling of fear and carefulness, when I had been out at night.
This demonstration gave a taste of freedom, a lack women usually don’t recognize (because it is so usual).
Anyway, the highlight after an hour of walk through London, are speeches in a huge and warm meeting room. The first speaker is a refugee-women from Afghanistan, and activist of RAWA (Revolutionary Association of the Women
of Afghanistam:  http://www.rawa.org). Her speech treats the history of
Afghanistan, the US involvement in the creation of the political situation of Afghanistan, and points out specially the horrifying situation of the women in
Afghanistan.
Jenny Hautman, the next on the podium, speaks for the worldwide network of “Global women strike” ( http://womenStrike8m.server101.com). She presents her organisation with members in over 65 countries, which all joined in the last women strike day on 8th march. The strike demands are such as “ Payment for all caring work” “Pay equity“ for all women and men in the global market”. The motto is “caring not killing”!
(here will be a part about the speech on abortion)
The last speaker was Maryam Namazi from the International Federation of Iranian Refugees ( http://www.hambastegi.org/) from New York. Very clear she pointed out the connection between US Imperialism and the Situation of women in Afghanistan. She demands the un undeniable right of the people of Afghanistan to escape from the US led bombing and the reactionary Taliban”. Thus she reproves that the borders with Afghanistan must be opened and Afghan refugees must have the possibility to seek asylum in Europe. We should condemn the evil of the US-attacks as well as the system and the terrorism of politically and non-secular Islam.

All in all it was worth to go down to London – worth for getting many information and much motivation. And last but not least worth for to show: Here we are! Women’s movement is not dead, in spite of all pronouncements!