Dear Sisters,

As we organise for the 3^rd Global Women's Strike, our world is in even greater turmoil. We grieve for the thousands who lost their lives in New York, and also for the millions who have died and are still dying as a result of policies the US government calls ‘full-spectrum dominance’* – in other words, US economic, political and military domination of the world. Afghanistan is just the latest example. On the day that over 3,000 of many nationalities died in New York, over 35,000 children world-wide died, and die every day, of malnutrition, some in the US.

Women taking Strike action together around the globe is our reply. We women are the world’s first carers, bringing new life, and protecting and caring for not only humans but the planet’s life. No wonder we have always been the invisible activists creating movements against war and injustice.

The Global Women’s Strike, a grassroots movement against the globalisation of mass murder and exploitation, is an extension of the caring work we do. In some countries, we have been holding weekly protests since ’America’s new war’ began. As carers we are pointing the movement in the direction that can stop all genocide: we demand an end to obscene military spending. These massive resources must be put into caring, feeding, healing, learning and educating. This is the way to end war and with it the glorification of uncaring macho militarism, which even some women are now following as the road to ‘equality’. It is a disaster that only half the human race is trained to care and the other half to believe it has ‘more important things to do’. Instead, all of us, women and men, must make caring central.

Can anyone deny that production should be at the service of caring, not killing and profit? Yet $800+ billion is spent on arms each year – and more money has been committed to bombing countries like Afghanistan where people are starving, and persecuting or imprisoning anyone anywhere who dares to oppose. The anti-globalisation, anti-war movement, to which women are contributing so much hard work and energy, is just beginning to recognise that Invest in Caring not Killing is a perspective for winning.

That is why the central demand of the GWS is:

Payment for all caring work -- in wages, pensions, land and other resources. What is more valuable than raising children and caring for others? Invest in life and welfare, not military budgets and prisons.

This establishes women’s entitlement – though we do the basic work in every society, our contribution is uncounted. The other demands are about specific needs, showing the ways that this first basic demand would change the world.

A strike is the strongest weapon that workers have, and women, who do 2/3 of the world’s work, are the hardest workers. When we stop, everything is disrupted. You’ll see on our website (or in the report enclosed by post for those without access to the web) how women and girls in over 60 countries made the first two Strikes a success by taking at least some time off from their work, waged as well as unwaged.

Women in Uganda walked for three days without food in order to demonstrate and celebrate with women globally. In India 5000 village women marched to the state capital. In Peru’s capital, domestic workers brought together grassroots organisations and rural and industrial trade unions; while Indigenous women had a gathering in the Andes. Argentinian housewives formed, and held a demonstration with, a coalition of women’s organisations. In Spain thousands gathered in Barcelona’s central square and a national trade union called for a two-hour strike. In Guyana women of African, Amerindian and Indian descent held a vigil against the murders of women and children. Women in Ireland picketed the tax office for the money women are owed. In England women marched to Parliament. Some US women launched the International Pay Equity Petition and others marched with Justice for Janitors . . .

Strike 2002 will protest against the devastation by many wars of the wealth we women and girls have contributed so much to producing, often from nothing. We protest that any of the world’s precious people, all of whom we have brought into the world, can be called ‘collateral damage’. We join the loved ones of victims in New York who say of any war of vengeance: "Not in our name."

People everywhere see that governments are promoting corporate greed against us while lining their own pockets. We also see that most women in positions of power behave just like men with power. They help impose on other women structural adjustment programmes and cuts in services and welfare benefits, impoverishing us and imposing killing overwork. What do they care that the gap between women's wages and men's is 25%-50% and growing, lowering our pensions and our social power at every age.

Together the Strike and its demands give a unique framework for grassroots women and girls to express our needs whatever our situation, race, nationality, age, income, occupation, dis/ability, sexual preference . . . in towns and cities but also in villages, where most of us live. We hope that whatever demands you highlight or add, you will list them ALL. The demands unite everyone taking part in the Strike, and to each local action they bring international power.

There has never been so much wealth in the world and there have never been so many of us, starting with women and children, who have nothing. At this crucial moment, we women must make our voices heard and our collective power felt.

Power to the sisters to STOP THE WORLD & CHANGE IT!

Selma James

Last year’s Strike leaflet is available in the following languages: Arabic, Basque, Bengali, Brazilian Portuguese, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Danish, French, Gaelic, Gallego, German, Greek, Gujerati, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Italian, Norwegian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swedish, Tigrignan, Turkish, Urdu. We are in the process of translating the leaflet for 2002. If you can help please get in touch!