IWD: 'Women and workers united'

Wednesday, January 27, 1999 - 11:00

IWD: 'Women and workers united'

By Margarita Windisch

MELBOURNE — The International Women's Day Collective has decided that this year's theme will be "Women and workers of the world united in action". The day's core issues will be child-care, work, reproductive rights and international solidarity.

The collective voted to adopt a charter, outlining basic principles and associated aims and objectives. The charter provides the direction for building the 1999 International Women's Day Collective, rally and march.

The document notes the radical and rich history of IWD, with its origins in socialist and working class solidarity and struggle. IWD has always been a day of protest and mass action, when women and men take to the streets worldwide to demand an end to women's oppression.

While the collective endorses IWD as a day of celebration of women's solidarity and achievements, the charter also insists on the necessity of IWD to be a day of political opposition to the attacks women are facing.

The document promotes IWD as a feminist political protest and an important opportunity to build a continuing and independent women's movement. The charter states that the collective must be open and inclusive of all women who wish to fight against oppression and support the aims of IWD.

To build strong and public campaigns against cuts to services and attacks on women's rights, the collective wants to build alliances with other progressive groups and individuals, and unite people in action. The charter recognises that all supporters of the women's movement — female and male — should be permitted to attend the IWD rally and march.

The IWD rally and march will be on Saturday, March 6, 1pm, at the State Library. To get involved with IWD contact Margarita on 9386 7168/9329 1320 or write to the collective at PO Box 1198, Carlton, Victoria, 3053.