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Global launch of the Women’s Global Charter for Humanity
By Brigitte Verdière
Sao Paul, February 25, 2005 – On March 8, International Women’s Day, the World March of Women is launching the Women’s Global Charter for Humanity.
The global launch is taking place in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where Brazilian women are holding a march. Joining them will be women from Quebec, where the March was initiated, and delegates from Cameroon, Congo and Burkina Faso, where the relay of the Charter will end on October 17, 2005. Burkina Faso was chosen because it is one of the poorest countries on the planet; also, violence against women takes many different forms there: in addition to rape and domestic violence, women suffer forced marriage, early marriage, levirate, and genital mutilation.
Delegates of the World March of Women gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, adopted the Charter on December 10, 2004. The Women’s Global Charter for Humanity is a proposal to build a world where exploitation, oppression, intolerance and exclusion no longer exist and where integrity, diversity and the rights and freedoms of all are respected. It contains 31 affirmations describing the principles essential to the construction of such a world. These affirmations are based on five values: equality, freedom, solidarity, justice and peace.
From March 8 till October 17, women of the World March are organizing a Relay to pass the Charter around the world. The Relay will last till October 17, 2005, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. During the Relay, women will hold public education and information activities about the Charter, challenge their elected representatives, and question public opinion.
Women will also create a quilt reflecting the values contained in the Charter. The patchwork quilt will be gradually pieced together as the Charter is passed from country to country throughout the world. On October 17, 2005, at noon, local time, women around the world will carry out 24 hours of feminist solidarity actions.
The World March of Women is a global feminist action network made up of 5500 women's groups from 163 countries and territories. The World March of Women is struggling for an end to poverty and violence against women.
THE TEXT OF THE WOMEN'S GLOBAL CHARTER FOR HUMANITY IS AVAILABLE ON THE MARCH WEB SITE: http://www.marchemondiale.org/en/charter3.html
