In 1995 the Quebec Women’s Federation organised a march for "bread and roses" to protest against poverty. Its success prompted the federation to do the same again and call on feminists throughout the world to take part in a women’s march against poverty and violence against women. Scheduled for this autumn, the march will mobilise more that 4,000 women’s groups in 153 countries.
The organisers describe it as an attempt to inform women of their civic rights - an unprecedented exercise in creativity intended to forge an international network. Most of the feminists involved come from groups dealing with the nitty-gritty of daily life. Their activities encompass human rights, trade unions and international cooperation. Women of all ages, from town and countryside, of all nationalities and beliefs, have one key objective: to make the world a better place.
They know that the effect of globalisation combined with the patriarchal ideas present everywhere to varying degrees has been to leave millions of women throughout the world in poverty. The dramatic increase in trafficking in women for a multi-million sex industry is proof enough of that. In addition, in the countries of the northern hemisphere, significant cuts in social programmes are leaving women to cope with everyone the state now refuses to take care of.
There are many reasons for marching - two million at least, according to the women’s slogan. The world march signals rebellion, and makes clear-cut demands to the world’s decision-makers. The women have formulated a set of demands addressed to the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. They are in tune with the lobby - of both sexes - opposing globalisation and championing human rights - in other words, the demands of all who are working for a fairer world.
The women have also established national platforms and will be addressing very specific demands to their governments. In France, for example, that will take place on the day of the big national demonstration of 17 June. It will call for stable jobs with decent pay, strict application of the existing laws on violence against women and minors, and equal rights for foreign women. And French women will join with women the world over in calling for a tax on international financial transactions and the abolition of the poor countries’ debt burden.
The autumn will see thousands of women - and men - take to the streets in national marches in other countries. There will also be some regional events. In Europe, for instance, women - and men - will assemble on 14 October in Brussels. On 15 October an international delegation will open the United States march as it passes in front of the headquarters of the World Bank and IMF in Washington. Then, on 17 October, there will be an international gathering of women in New York where they will deliver to the United Nations the millions of cards in support of the march. Two hundred of them will meet with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
These fervent and active feminists will not have resolved all the problems by 18 October. But they will have made public and political leaders understand that it is time for women to take their proper place in society. They will no longer agree to be treated as second class citizens, looked down on by institutions and still subject to the slights of chauvinism.