THE WEEKLY GLEANER (UK)      6-12 March 2002
Women unite for global strike
Women of Colour in Africa, the Caribbean, India, Korea, South America and indigenous nations in many countries, as well as in Europe, Aotearoa (New Zealand), North America and more are part of the third Global Women's Strike on Friday, March 8.

A spokeswoman for the event told The Weekly Gleaner the strike aims to highlight a number of issues which affects women globally. "We are striking for a world which values all women's work and every life, and to end all wars. We raise children only to see them in the hardest jobs for the least pay; attacked on the street, excluded from school, imprisoned unjustly; or used as cannon fodder for the military. We confront dis­crimination and indignity daily, but the survival work we women do gets little thanks from our own communities. Racism combines with sexism to ensure we get paid little or nothing for our labour, " she said.

The Strike brings all women together, rural and urban, older and younger.  Striking Caribbean activities: Guyana, Red Thread women's group is holding a pots & pans demonstration bringing together Indigenous, Indo and Afro­Guyanese for an end to exorbitant prices for electricity, phones and water, and for affordable land and housing materials for single mothers. National Union of Domestic Employees, Trinidad, is hosting a Speak-Out to which "MPs are not invited - grassroots women are taking the floor." Activities have also been planned by women's groups in Jamaica.

In London there will be a Whistle Stop Tour and Cacerolazo (pots and pans protest) to "Sweep Out the Global Killers". Meeting at 12pm, Shell Centre, Waterloo. Bring brooms, pots, costumes; at Ministry of Defence - women of different faiths will bear witness; ending at World Bank with IMF & World Bank Wanted for Fraud Campaign.

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