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April 2002 - Actions to Revolutionize the World
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Women's Marching Feet
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Solidarity with the worldIn December 2000, the British movement against the discrimination of homosexuals had a major success when a set of guidelines was issued to assist the Immigration Appellate Authority in making decisions regarding asylum seekers. The guidelines recognize refugee status for women fleeing their country because they are lesbians, because they express feminist viewpoints or because they were the victims of sexual attack or wife assault. European women mobilized in the year 2000 in solidarity with immigrant women and women excluded from the job market in Europe. Women work part time more often than men, they have lower salaries and most of them do the daily double shift. In Europe, the World March of Women revived or initiated feminist battles that have been neglected under the pretext that women have accomplished a great deal in the past 30 years. Free abortion is banned in Ireland and Portugal, and has been restricted in Poland. In Switzerland, the issue of the cutoff date at which an abortion is no longer authorized was hotly debated. Everywhere Catholics on the extreme right are raising their heads. Religious fundamentalism is on the rise. Another phenomenon considered was Europe's withdrawal into itself; it was closing the door on immigrants and chipping away at social rights. The European platform, adopted by 22 countries participating in the March, called for a democratic, open Europe demonstrating solidarity; a place where the gap between rich and poor would be narrowed; where women would take part, on an equal footing with men, in political decision making; where women would have control over their bodies and lives, and the right to make free choices concerning their sexuality; where wife assault would be considered a crime; a place advocating peace and sustainable, fair and social development; a place helping the poorest countries of the planet; a place rejecting dictatorship and fundamentalism. The European women demanded that Europe be open so that foreign and immigrant women enjoy the same rights as nationals and are given their own individual papers for their stay in the host country. 
March 8 in Geneva: Tribute to the women of Chiapas |
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Last modified 2006-03-23 03:09 PM This item is available in Français, English, Español |
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