[E-rundbrief] Info 992 - Womens struggles around the world

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief - Info 992 - Letter of solidarity with women’s struggles
around the world - February 11th 2011, at the World Social Forum,
Dakar, Senegal

Bad Ischl, 1.3.2011

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

================================================

Letter of solidarity with women’s struggles around the world

February 11th 2011, at the World Social Forum, Dakar, Senegal

This “Letter on solidarity with women’s struggles around the world”
was written by a working group composed by women from different
organizations considering the debates carried out during the World
Social Forum held in Dakar, February of 2011. We thank the gender and
equity committee of the Senegalese steering committee for having
organized the space “Women’s Village”, as well as several debates on
women’s rights that have contributed to the content of this letter.

The content of this letter was presented as a declaration proposal to
the Women’s Assembly in the morning of 11th February. It wasn’t
possible to finish the debate because a minority, but a very active
one, sector in the Assembly was against mentioning the right to
self-determination of the Saharawi women. Some organizations that
participated in the Assembly had decided to spread out this content in
the form of a signed Letter. Still, we are aware that many other women
and organizations have contributed to the content of this Letter and
that the gender and equity committee continue working on the attempt
to have a consensual declaration among the organizations that were in
the Women’s Assembly.


Letter of solidarity with the struggle of women in the world

February 11th 2011, at the World Social Forum, Dakar, Senegal

In this year, 2011, the World Social Forum joins with the peoples of
Africa for the third time, following Mali in 2006 and Kenya in 2007.
We, women from different parts of the world who have gathered in
Dakar, recognizing that uniting our strengths will eventually bring
change, confirm our solidarity and our admiration for the struggles of
Senegalese women, African women, and women of the world. Their
struggles, alongside the struggles of all men and women, strengthen
resistance everywhere against the globalized capitalistic and
patriarchal system.

Today, we are still experiencing the same world crises - economic,
food, ecological and social - and we are concerned to observe that
these crises are persisting and deepening. Here, we reiterate our
analysis that these are not isolated crises, but that they represent a
crisis of the model characterized by the overexploitation of labour
and the environment, and by financial speculation on the economy. This
is the reason why we as women continue to call for change of this
model of society, this economic model, this production and consumption
model, which generates increased poverty for our peoples, in
particular for women.

We as women, who are attuned to respect and defense of the principles
of justice, peace and solidarity, need to make progress in building
alternatives in the face of these crises; however, we have no interest
in palliative responses based on market logic.

We cannot accept that attempts to maintain the current system in place
are made at the expense of women.

In this regard, we say no to intolerance, to the persecution of sexual
diversity and to cultural practices that undermine the health, body
and soul of women.

We condemn all kinds of violence against women, in particular,
femicide, the trafficking of women, forced prostitution, physical
violence, sexual harassment, genital mutilation, early marriage,
forced marriage, rape, rape used as a systematic weapon of war, and
impunity for those who commit these acts of horror against women.

We also say no to a society that scorns the rights of women by not
allowing them access to resources, land, credit, and employment in
dignified conditions, where women's jobs are rendered precarious in
order for capital to grow.

We condemn the monopolization and colonization of the land of rural
farmers, both men and women, whatever form it takes, by States or
multinational corporations, and we condemn transgenic crops, which
harm biodiversity and life.

We say no to the arms and nuclear race, which are carried out at the
expense of state investment in social, health and educational programs.

We condemn a society that excludes women from access to knowledge and
education, and where women are marginalized and discriminated against
in decision-making.

We say no to armed conflicts, wars and occupations. We say YES to a
just peace for oppressed peoples.

In the face of all of this, we propose to strengthen our struggle so
our countries will achieve economic, political and cultural
sovereignty with respect to international financial institutions. We
want the cancellation of odious and illegitimate debts, and a
citizen's audit that would allow people to be compensated:  women do
not owe anything - they are the primary creditors of this odious debt.
We also demand the effective implementation of the Tobin tax.

We demand food sovereignty for peoples and the consumption of local
products, the use of our traditional seeds, and women's access to land
and productive resources.

We want a world where men and women have the same rights, the same
opportunities to access knowledge, primary and higher education,
literacy and decision-making positions, and the same rights to work
and fair salaries.

We want a world where States invest in the health of women and our
children; in particular, maternal health.

We demand the ratification and effective implementation of all
international agreements, in particular, International Labour
Organization (ILO) Conventions 156 and 183.

We want the democratization of communications and access to information.

We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian women for a democratic,
independent and sovereign Palestinian State, with Jerusalem as its
capital, and the return of refugees in compliance with United Nations
Resolution 194.

We stand in solidarity with the women of Casamance for a return to peace.

We support the struggle of the Tunisian and Egyptian peoples for
democracy,
with the women of the Democratic Republic of Congo for an end to the
conflict, and, with the Kurdish women, for a society that is
democratic, ecological and free, with equal status between women and
men, and where there is the right to use their mother tongue in education.
We stand in solidarity with the right to self-determination for the
Sarahoui women, in line with the United Nations Resolution, and to
find a peaceful solution according to the Maghreb Social Forum.

We are with all women victims of natural disaster, such as Haiti,
Brazil, Pakistan and Australia.

We stand in solidarity with the millions of women and children
refugees and displaced persons.

We call for the return to their land and freedom of movement.

We propose the creation of alert and information networks on and for
women in conflict or occupied areas. We propose 30 March as the day of
international solidarity with the Palestinian people and call for a
boycott of products from the Israeli occupier. We call for the
creation in 2012 of an international forum for solidarity with the
struggle of the Palestinian people.

We recognize all the struggles of all the women in the world and see
their demands as ours: what happens to one of us happens to all of us.
This is why we must fight all together.

Dakar, 11 February 2011


Signatory organizations:


World March of Women
La Via Campesina
CADTM
Marcosur Feminist Articulation
Attac Argentina
Attac Pais Valencia
Brazilian Women's Union (UBM)
Centro Brasileiro de Solidariedade aos Povos e Luta pela Paz
(CEBRAPAZ, Brazilian Centre of Solidarity with Peoples and Struggle
for Peace)
Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT, Unified Workers' Central) (Brazil)
CEAS – Sahara (Coordinadora Estatal de Asociaciones Solidarias con el
Sahara)
Colectivo Granada – España
CTB
Democratic Federation)
Fédération Démocratique Internationale des Femmes (FDIM, Women
International Generattac
Groupement Dang Dang – Senegal
Groupement Défense Bargny - Senegal
Latin American Continental Students Organization (OCLAE)
Le Monde selon les Femmes – Belgique
Red Vasca de Apoyo a la Unión Nacional de Organizaciones Saharauis
WIDE

-- 

Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
Wolfgangerstr. 26, A-4820 Bad Ischl, Austria,
fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
Impressum in: http://www.begegnungszentrum.at
Spenden-Konto Nr. 0600-970305 (Blz. 20314) Sparkasse Bad Ischl,
Geschäftsstelle Pfandl
IBAN: AT922031400600970305 BIC: SKBIAT21XXX

--

Ausgezeichnet mit dem (österr.) "Journalismus-Preis von unten 2010"

Honoured by the (Austrian) "Journalism-Award from below 2010"