40 YEARS SINCE 1967 - ORGANISE FOR ABORTION RIGHTS

Confirmed speakers so far are

- Katy Clark - Labour MP for North Ayrshire and Arran
- Michele Emerson - Communication Workers' Union Equality Officer
- Sofie Buckland - National Union of Students NEC
- Kate Ahrens - Leicester Health Unison
- Debbie Hollingsworth - Ruskin College Women's Officer
- Azar Sheibani, Iranian women's liberation activist
- Thea Cohen - Students for Choice (USA)

Supporters include:

Education Not for Sale Women
NUS Women's Campaign
University and College Union (UCU)
International Union of Sex Workers
Marge Berger - editor, Reproductive Health Matters journal
Organisation of Women's Freedom in Iraq (UK)
Alliance for Workers' Liberty
Debbie Hollingsworth - Ruskin College students union womens officer
Sussex University Women's Group
Nottingham University Women's Group
Emma Clossick - co-chair, Oxford University Women's Group
RMT Women's Advisory Committee
John McDonnell MP - chair, Labour Representation Committee
Carolyn Leckie MSP - Scottish Socialist Party
Petra Urwin - SOAS Women's Society president
Janine Booth - Hackney TUC president
Kate Ahrens - Leicester Health Unison
Socialist Youth Network
Mary Partington - SYN women's officer and Feminists 4 John McDonnell
Scottish Socialist Youth Women's Network
Louise Gold - Sheffield University, NUS Women's Committee 2004-6
Laura Sterry - Nottingham University
Laura Schwartz - University of East London
Susie Orbach - author of "Fat is a feminist issue"
Teodora Todorova - Nottingham University Women's Officer.
York University Women's Committee
British Pregnancy Advisory Service
Respect Coalition

Rhythms of Resistance will be playing.

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More information:
Dear sisters and brothers,

We need your help in building the protest for abortion rights due to take place on Saturday 3 March.

On 21 October, more than 220 people attended the Feminist Fightback conference at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London to discuss issues including feminism and sexual expression, women's movements in the Middle East, women workers organising against low and unequal pay, men's role in the fight against sexism, sex workers' struggles - and abortion rights. To mark the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act which legalised abortion in Britain, the organising session of the conference agreed to hold a torch-lit march for abortion rights in central London a day close to International Women's Day (which is Thursday 8 March). With anti-choice right-wingers currently on the offensive, we believe that this protest is very important indeed.

We will be meeting on Saturday 3 March from 6.30pm at University of London Union on Malet Street (Goodge Street, Euston, Euston Square or Russell Square tube), to march followed by a rally. This event is open to all, men and women. Our demands are:

- No reduction in the 24-week time limit for access to abortion.
- The right to abortion on demand (this means an end to having to get the consent of two doctors) up to the legal time 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, marketisation and fragmentation in the NHS; increased public funding to guarantee free and equal access to 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.

What you can do:

- Officially support the march. If you, your women's group or other organisation would like to do so, just get in touch.
- Advertise the march as widely as possible by putting the information on websites, email lists etc, putting up posters, distributing leaflets (both of which can be downloaded for copying on the Fightback website).
- Bring a delegation on the march (if you can let us know in advance, that would be helpful for planning, but of course you can just turn up on the day - the more, the merrier!)
- Invite a speaker to your women's group etc to tell you more about the march, Feminist Fightback, ENS Women or feminist activism generally!

We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you on 3 March!

In solidarity,

Debbie Hollingsworth and Laura Schwartz
Feminist Fightback organising team

Sofie Buckland
National Union of Students National Executive

www.fightback.org.uk / www.socialistfeminist.org.uk
 team@fightback.org.uk
07890 209 479

Please publicise the march through your campaigning groups, union branches and student unions - a model motion can be found online.