Minister Accepts Charter on Behalf of All Australian Women

A Women’s Expo showcased the Australian visit of the World Charter. Held in Canberra (the nation's capital) on Monday 27 June, the Expo was opened by the Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher who in a symbolic ceremony, received the Charter on behalf of all Australian women. In her brief speech the Minister picked up on the themes of poverty, industrial issues, education and peace.

The ceremony was attended by representatives on many women’s organisations, elected representatives and government officers. Outside it was a very cold winter's day, but inside the Expo there was much warmth and good spirits.

Organised by the Women’s International league for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) the Expo featured posters, photos, quilts and T-Shirts collected over 20 years at women's gatherings, marches and conferences. One wall was dedicated to the World March of Women, with a large copy of the Global Charter flanked by enlarged copies photos that had been taken at the World March in Washington and New York in 2000. The diversity of the women from the World March was truly wonderful to share. Information tables were very popular, with the Expo being supported by Amnesty International, YWCA, Australian Reproductive Health Alliance, Pan Pacific and South East Asian Women’s Association, Women in Black, and the Ordination of Catholic Women.

Originally the Expo, held in the Exhibition area of the Legislative Assembly, was to be a one day event so we were absolutely delighted when the Minister (Ms Gallagher) offered to sponsor the Expo for the rest of the week. This meant the displays stayed up and all visitors to the Assembly that week got to read the Charter. WILPF also had printed copies for all guests to take with them.

In an address to the Legislative Assembly on the Tuesday evening, the Minister drew the attention of all members to the Expo and spoke of the World Charter... "On Monday this week it gave me great pleasure to receive the women’s global charter for humanity and solidarity on behalf of Australian women.

The Australian part of its journey was organised by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.  This charter 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.  Those affirmations are based on the five values of equality, freedom, solidarity, justice and peace.  It was an honour to have the charter here in Canberra if only spiritually as the charter went missing on route to Australia and it was only here for one night, or two nights supposedly before it went to Japan.

So hopefully it has been found by the time we are speaking tonight.  Before it got lost it had travelled many miles and through many countries to arrive in Australia since it first left Brazil in March this year.  The leg of its journey from Spain to Australia was the hand-over from Europe to Oceania.  Once it left Australia spiritually, the charter will continue onto Japan and other parts of Asia, then to the Middle East and finally to Africa.  There has been tremendous support for the relay of this charter with approximately 3,000 indigenous and peasant women from Paraguay gathering on the boarder with Argentina to watch the charter being handed over. 

This week’s events give us cause to celebrate not only to hand over the charter but also to acknowledge the work that all of us have undertaken to ensure that the values of  equality, freedom, solidarity, justice and peace continue to be strengthened in our community."

From Australia, the Charter went to Japan. Lyn Lane, the World Relay Coordinator for Australia travelled to Japan to hand over the square for the Quilt – the Quilt itself being lost at that time. The warmth and generosity extended to Lyn by the women in Tokyo was amazing and Lyn wants the world to know how special these dear women are. Their tireless work for peace and improving the conditions for their country women is truly inspirational.