8 March 2011 marked the 100th IWD, marked by celebrations and events across ActionAid - the examples given are only a selection of the many activities organised by virtually all our country programs.
ZAMBIA
What: What Zambian Women Want!Who, when, where: AA Zambia used the 100th IWD to launch ‘What Zambian Women Want!’, which captures the voices of Zambian women to demand their rights.
Zambian women are demanding land, education, and ending of violence. The posters and post cards with their messages were distributed amongst the AA Zambia districts. The project runs on as a means of creating public, media and political interest in the issues. click here to find out more.
UK
What: ‘Get Lippy’– celebrating and supporting women who speak out on women’s rights, and encouraging our supporters to ‘get lippy’ too by sending messages of solidarity.
Who, when, where: AA UK organized a number of events under the ‘Get Lippy’ communications drive, including a PR photo shoot of female celebrities; online stories, photo and video collections: supporter messages of solidarity to women fighting for their rights in other countries; and a delegation of Afghani women visiting the UK via the Foreign office.
The women spoke at a parliamentary event where MPs signed-up to support ActionAid’s advocacy work on Violence Against Women. The new Minister for Women, who acts as champion on VAW issues met the Afghani women at ActionAid’s offices in Clerkenwell in London.
THAILAND
What: Encourage social change to realize Women’s Rights and Gender Equality
Who, when, where: AA Thailand commemorated the 100th IWD with a National Parade, involving 37 women’s organisations, as well as the general public on 8 March from Thammasat University to Thai Democracy Monument. 16 seminars were also organized in Bangkok and nearby provinces.
The seminars covered Thai Women Labour Situations, Gender Equality, Women and Thai Arts, and Women in Thai Democracy and Gender Law. An open market in which products produced by informal women labour groups were sold and proved very popular. The events created excellent media of the AA IWD celebrations and events.
TANZANIA
What: “100 years, 100 women, 100 messages, 1 voice.”
Who, when, where: To commemorate the 100th IWD, AA Tanzania, in collaboration with other NGOs, held an event under the banner “Women are active agents of social and economic change”, in order to recognise and acknowledge women’s active contribution in social and economic change at household, community and national level.
Events took place in Mafia, Newala, Tandahimba, and Dar es Salaam. The Dar es Salaam event, hosted by the IWD Coalition of Tanzania, featured the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children, Mrs. Kijakazi Mtengwa. A collection of 100 women stories were gathered and are planned to be published into a booklet (100 years, 100 women, 100 messages, 1 voice) for further advocacy work by the coalition partners.
SIERRA LEONE
What: Three year women’s right to land projectWho, when, where: The project, which aims to provide women with land, was launched on IWD by the Minister of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs at a government celebration in Magburaka.
AA Sierra Leone has been instrumental in the set up of the project and supported the event which included a march. Numerous women also participated in workshops and conferences held on 6-7 March organized by the Ministry, regarding issues that HIV positive women face in owning and acquiring land; events also included women involved in the VAW and WWW campaigns.
SENEGAL
What: Women’s access to resources (land and means of production)
Who, when, where: AA Senegal held a forum on women’s rights, with panels considering the successes and challenges of women’s rights, eith a particular emphasis on women’s access the resources and land, which was followed by a press conference generating national media interest on the issue.
PAKISTAN
What: Women’s right to land campaignWho, when, where: To commemorate the 100th IWD, AA Pakistan promoted its women’s right to land campaign which has its roots in the ‘HungerFREE Women Campaign’ launched back in 2007.
Since then, ActionAid has proactively taken up women farmer’s issues particularly denial of their right to land which results in their political, social and economic subjugation. Despite the gains made in previous years, the recent floods resulted in women farmers have again meant that women face land re-demarcation and resettlement issues and prejudice.
The campaign involved women from all parts of the country and amplified their unjust treatment to media, the public and political community sparking rewed interest around women’s right to land in Pakistan.
GREECE
What: Listen to her story
Who, when, where: On 8 March, AA Hellas launched a Global Action Week with a story telling event, emhasizing the importance of the education of women and girls.
Celebrities read true stories of Southern women across the media; whilst 30,000 supporters were invited to organize a storytelling event in their neighbourhoods using stories of Southern women and their struggles.
Supporters were also encouraged to arrange a special screening of the movie “A small act” that showcases the importance of education and to organize a photo exhibition of women portraits. The IWD commemorations continue in Greece.
GHANA
What: “Equal access to education, training and science and technology: pathway to decent work for women”
Who, when, where: The Center for Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs and AA Ghana in collaboration with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) organized a training seminar to commemorate IWD in Sunyani. The event’s theme was “Equal access to education, training and science and technology: pathway to decent work for women”. AA Ghana also created significant media work which resulted in Ghanaian women calling for the government to ensure that women enjoy rights such as affirmative action and maternity leave.
THE GAMBIA
What: Women farmers challenged duty bearers to keep the promises on investment.
Who, when, where: A rally of women smallholder farmers marched through the streets of Mansonko, gathering at the Rural Development Institute, where they met with regional and national members of the Ministry of Agriculture, to challenge them on the promised “enhanced investment in women smallholder farmers”.
The women reminded the Gambian government of their urgent need for tools, fertilizers and general assistance to boost agricultural production.
The event was organised with AAI The Gambia’s partners, the Local Area Council, senior officials from the Department of Community Development, the National women farmers Association, the National farmers’ Platform, Regional Education Directorate, the FAO and representatives of women small holder farmer cooperatives. AAG also used the occasion to launch the report Food Price Rise.
INDIA
What: Rally for Women’s access to resourcesWho, when, where: AA India held a rally and public gathering in Bhopal focussed on women’s access to resources and violence against women. The immediate objective was to get the state chief minister of one of the largest states in India to retract a dysfunctional law on the continuing destruction of people’s resources, making the poor further marginalized, particularly women – an ongoing campaign.
ActionAid International’s Chief Executive Joanna Kerr joined community members and delivered a speech about the indivisibility and universality of women’s rights. Following the meeting, the women marched in defiance of a police order against any public assembly.
The march culminated with a confrontation with the police deployment and eventual arrest of several women, causing considerable media attention BURUNDIWhat: “Education for girls, a pathway to justice for women”Who, when, where: Rights-building workshops were held at national and DA level, highlighting the need for girl’s education, and covered by the Burundian media, and were connected-up to a national event that took place in Kayanza Province, supported by AA Burundi. The event highlighted the need for the empowerment of women, in all spheres of Burundian society, especially education, science and technology.