The World March of Women continues!

Montréal, March 8, 2001. On this International Women's Day, the World March of Women reaffirms its intention to continue actions, begun in 2000, to construct a new world, and issues an urgent call for government action in support of Afghan women.

From March 8 until the great rally in New York City last October, almost 6000 non-governmental organizations from 161 countries and territories mobilized in their villages, neighbourhoods, cities and regions, declaring that without the respect of women's physical and mental integrity, equality between women and men, and equitable sharing of the planet's wealth, there will be no future for humankind. Hundreds of thousands, even millions, of women and men thought about, marched, and supported the demands of the World March of Women. In a record time of seven months, 5,084,546 signatures were collected, demanding that global political and economic decision-makers make a radical change of course in order to end poverty and all forms of violence against women once and for all.

The World March of Women spawned an extraordinarily vibrant and creative feminist movement in the international sphere that boasts an enormous capacity for mobilization and action and a commitment to popular education about subjects previously considered the domain of political and economic "experts." By uniting their efforts beyond borders and cultural differences, they gave multiple women's movements around the planet new life and determination.

The World March of Women succeeded in positioning the women's movement as a global social movement carrying its own analysis of current globalization-for which women and girls pay a higher price than men-and alternative proposals. It clearly identified the system of double exploitation (capitalist liberalism and patriarchy) that stands at the root of women's condition. Finally, it unveiled the perpetrators of violence against women, from individual men to groups, institutions, and governments.

In all the countries that participated in the March, women are now busy evaluating the actions that were undertaken, but we already know that we must continue this global network of feminist solidarity. A meeting will be held in October to adopt a structure and action plan. On this International Women's Day, we reaffirm our intention to continue our struggles and mobilize our communities to resist all forces bent on maintaining women in positions of subordination and misery. In particular, we call on the international community and governments to cease their complicity with a regime that espouses hatred of women and act rapidly to assure the survival of Afghan women. A new world is more than necessary!