On 21 October 2006, over 220 feminists attended the Feminist Fightback activist conference at SOAS, Central London. Topics discussed included feminism and sexual expression, women's movements in the Middle East, women workers organising against low and unequal pay, Asian women's struggles, men's role in the fight for women's liberation and union organising in the sex industry.

For a longer report of the conference, initiated by Education Not for Sale Women, see  http://www.socialistfeminist.org.uk
For a report by Abby Lee, author of Girl With a One Track Mind, who spoke at the conference, see  http://www.girlwithaonetrackmind.blogspot.com (scroll down!)

One of the campaigns the organising session of the conference decided to initiate is a national protest for abortion rights in central London on the evening of Saturday 3 March - the weekend before International Women's Day on Thursday 8 March.

The march will call for:

- The right to abortion on demand (this means an end to having to get the consent of 2 doctors) up to the legal times limit.
- The extension of abortion rights to women in Northern Ireland.
- Abortion to be integrated into the NHS as an ordinary medical service.
- An end to privatisation and fragmentation in the NHS; increased public funding to guarantee free and equal access abortion.
- Improved access to and increased choice of publicly funded contraception.
- Clear, honest, comprehensive and confidential sexuality and relationship education for all children which addresses issues of consent and domestic violence.
- A real 'right to choose' which also means the right to have a child free from economic and social pressure. This requires a real living wage for all workers, benefits which can be lived on and rise with earnings, universal publicly funded childcare and an end to the stigmatisation of single mothers.

An organising committee has been set up, and will meet for the second time early in the New Year. To get involved or for more information please email us.

Please publicise the march through your campaigning groups, union branches and student unions - a model motion can be found at  http://www.fightback.org.uk/motion.html