Global
Women’s Strike, 8 March 2001 Black, Immigrant and Refugee women's survival and Justice Work Asylum from Rape and Other Violence Black, Immigrant and Refugee women's survival and Justice Work We are Black, immigrant and refugee women from Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, of Nigerian-German descent, Native American, and other descent, mobilising for the 2nd Global Women’s Strike on 8 March 2001. We are taking action in every continent – in Britain, across Europe and in our home countries – and invite you, women and men, to participate. Women in 64 countries took part last year, and we aim to make it an even bigger event this year. The Strike makes visible the enormous contribution women and girls make to every society and economy through waged and unwaged work. Women do 2/3 of the world’s work. Most of it is unwaged, and itself worth at least $11 trillion a year. Women produce 80% of the food consumed in Africa; in India and elsewhere women do much of the unwaged agricultural work, yet we are told we are economically inactive. Women look after and raise the world’s population in addition to whatever other jobs we do. Everywhere women are central to justice campaigns and getting services for our families and communities. For those of us who are immigrant, refugee or seeking asylum, particularly if we are also Black, justice work establishes our right to live where we are, to have freedom of movement, asylum from rape and other violence and not to be imprisoned, tortured or discriminated against. This work includes: fighting to get our papers, individually and collectively, defending our families against immigration authorities, the police, and often even the very voluntary organisations supposed to be supporting us; fighting to get legal representatives to properly defend us; surviving detention, getting out and keeping ourselves and others out of detention; keeping the movement together and independent from those who want to advance themselves at the movement's expense. All of this is not usually seen as work, especially if it is done by women. Yet many women spend a huge part of our lives doing this work, which is even harder in countries where resources are fewer. These are some reasons why immigrant and refugee women are striking. The Global Women's Strike Demands Payment for all caring work; pay equity for
all, women and men; paid maternity leave, breastfeeding breaks and other benefits;
abolition of Third World debt; accessible clean water and non-polluting technology;
healthcare, housing, transport; protection and asylum from all violence and persecution;
freedom of movement. Click here for the full list of demands You can contact us at: Black Women for Wages for Housework Striking statements from other Black & Immigrant Women Black Women's Website against Racist Sexual Violence |