Last year, women across the globe celebrated International Women’s Day by staging the first-ever Global Women’s Strike. It was women’s answer to the global market that prioritises the production of things over caring for people. In last year's International Women’s Day, women in 64 countries either stopped work-waged or unwaged- for a few minutes as a sign of protest. Some marched through the streets demanding 'wages for all work.'

The global strike was first called by women in Ireland to demand that International Women’s Day be declared a paid holiday for women all over the world in recognition of women's enormous contribution to society, most of which is unwaged. It was made global by the International Wages for Housework Campaign (IWFHC) to protest the grotesque discrepancy between world-wide military spending and the budget allocation for basic services for people's welfare.

This year, women and girls will go on strike to "invest in the enrichment of every life, rather than in the enrichment of a few." A world that is premised on people's needs, not corporate greed-without sexism, racism, ageism or any other forms of discrimination-must prioritise caring for people, value the experience of those who do it, and insist that men and boys must also perform caring tasks, said the organisers of this year's global strike, led by the International Wages for Housework Campaign and Crossroads Women’s Centre.

Women’s groups in several countries planning for the second global strike enjoin women all over the world to "make your work visible wherever you are by stopping for whatever time you can at home, work or in school" on 8 March 2001. Several organisations have also launched national and international build-up activities.

The specific demands of year 2001's global strike are:

• Payment for all caring work - in wages, pensions, land and other resources;

• Pay equity for all, women and men, in the global market;

• Paid maternity leave, breastfeeding breaks and other benefits;

• Abolition of the Third World's debt, the impact of which is heaviest on women and girls;

• Accessible clean water, health care, housing, transport, literacy and information;

• Non-polluting energy and technology that save on working hours: cookers, refrigerators, washing machines, computers and time off.

• Protection and asylum from all violence and persecution, including those by family members and people in authority; and o Freedom of movement.

The organisers seek assistance in disseminating information about the strike. Leaflets or flyers containing information about the global strike can be downloaded from their Websites and can be passed on to family members, friends, co-workers and other community members.

Volunteers who can help in the translation of the contents of the leaflet are also welcomed. For more information, contact International Wages for Housework Campaign or Crossroads Women's Centre, 230A Kentish Town Road, London NW5 2AB, UK-, Tel: (44-207) 482-2496; Fax: (44207) 209-4761; E-mail: < w o m e n s t r i k e 8 m@ serverl0l.com>; Website: < http://womenstrike8m. serverlOl.com>.@