Selma James
Selma James is an antisexist, antiracist campaigner. In 1972 she put forward Wages for Housework (WFH) as a demand and a political perspective that redefined the working class. The International WFH Campaign she founded coordinates the Global Women’s Strike. She coined the word “unwaged,” which incorporates all workers without wages. She co-authored the classic The Power of Women and the Subversion of the Community and is the author of Sex, Race and Class and other pathbreaking writing.
Global Women's Strike
The Global Women’s Strike and Women of Colour GWS, which have campaigned for financial recognition for unwaged caring work for decades, contributed to the Green New Deal for Europe and jointly called on governments everywhere to provide a Care Income, starting now. As mothers, carers, farmers/farm workers, land and human rights’ defenders, women do most of the work of feeding (starting with breastfeeding) and protecting families and communities, the soil and the environment.
Wages for Housework
Wages for Housework begins with those of us with least power internationally – unwaged workers in the home (mothers, housewives, domestic workers denied pay), and unwaged workers on the land and in the community.
Wages for Housework is a demand, it is also a perspective, a way of organising from the bottom up, of autonomous sectors working together to end the power relations among us.
We are part of a global collective of a number of autonomous organisations within the Global Women’s Strike. Each has its own constituency and campaigns, each can count on the collective power of all.
In 2022, the International Wages for Housework Campaign, which co-ordinates the Global Women’s Strike, celebrated its golden anniversary. We held a series of events and launched our 1972-2022 archives at the Bishopsgate Institute.
Caring for the land: A natural farming movement in Andhra Pradesh in India, spearheaded by women’s self-help groups is regenerating the soil, and if widely practised, can help stop global warming and even be key to reversing it.
Our recent news >>>
Webinar: Compensating Care: How U.S. Policy Can Support Unpaid Family Caregivers
TODAY, May 2 – join us for this pathbreaking one hour webinar on Compensating Care: How U.S. Policy Can Support Unpaid Family Caregivers, Thursday, May 2, 2-3pm Eastern Time, 11am-12noon Pacific Time – It is a joint event by the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), Global Women’s Strike & Women of Color/GWS.…
Read MoreWhat Mothers and Other Caregivers Want – findings from international survey, May 11
From March 2022 to May 2023, this survey asked 1065 mothers and other caregivers from different generations and in different countries what they want and need. Assumptions are always being made about this, but in fact caregivers are rarely directly asked about how we spend our time, the resources we have or don’t have, or…
Read MoreHappy Birthday Mumia Abu-Jamal!
Dearest Mumia, Thinking of you especially on your landmark 70th birthday and sending arm-loads of love and every good wish. We can’t say enough how precious you are to us and many around the world. You’ve made and continue to make a remarkable life under the most challenging circumstances – inspiring, thoughtful and compassionate. What…
Read MoreJoin us at conference in support of the movement against the military coup in Burma/Myanmar.
Join us on 20 April at the conference we are organising with Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), No Sweat and Peace & Justice Project, in support of the movement against the military coup in Burma/Myanmar. See below and book your tickets here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfLXLTMLikaNO84eh5GUk8gyGPz3woxJJy8e-9jSfWP1NjzOA/viewform We are also hosting a benefit comedy gig for Myanmar trade…
Read MoreEmergency Appeal for women in Burma/Myanmar
Dear sisters and friends, Burma/Myanmar: Urgent Appeal for Donations We enclose below the latest appeal from the Karen Women’s Organisation (KWO) which is working to ensure the survival of people in the Karen area of Burma/Myanmar. More than 1 million people have now been displaced by the extreme violence and killing of the…
Read MoreWomen of Colour speaking at Mothers Rebellion
Women of Colour speaking at Mothers Rebellion London circle weekend, in solidarity with the people of Palestine before the National March, Hyde Park corner, Sat 9 March 2024. See the speech here.
Read MoreDía Internacional de la Mujer Acto para Juntar Fondos En Apoyo de Mujeres y Niñes Palestinas/os
Este Día Internacional de la Mujer, nosotras estamos en en solidaridad con mujeres, niñes y familias Palestinas en contra del genocidio llevado por Israel y EE.UU, incluyendo el bombardeo de Palestina y la hambruna causada. Acto para Juntar Fondos En Apoyo de Mujeres y Niñes Palestinas/os Estamos juntando fondos para la organización Alianza del Medio…
Read MoreInternational Women’s Day fundraiser to support Palestinian women & children, Sunday March 10
This International Women’s Day, we stand with Palestinian women, children, and their families against the Israel/US genocide including bombing and starvation.
Online fundraiser for Palestinian Women and Children
All proceeds to Middle Eastern Children’s Alliance (MECA) who are organizing food & other direct support in Gaza.
Sunday March 10, 1 PM PST / 4 PM EST
Read MoreWe denounce the gay Israeli Defense’s (IDF) soldiers
We denounce the gay Israeli Defense Force’s (IDF) soldiers in this article https://www.jta.org/…/israeli-lgbtq-soldiers-hope-the… and all vicious Israeli pinkwashing. There is No Pride in the Slaughter of Others! Palestinian people in Gaza being bombed, starved, and denied all human rights, will not care if the IDF soldiers killing them and their loved ones are gay or…
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