|
Call For a Women's Day at the European Social Forum 2004, London Appel
pour une Journée des femmes au Forum Social Européen 2004,
Londres Dear Sisters and Brothers As
you may know the next European Social Forum (ESF) is being planned for
London this October 14-17. Previous
ESFs in Florence (2002) and Paris (2003) brought together 60,000
movement, community, trade union activists and other people from across
Europe and the world, and were an opportunity for those of us in
grassroots, independent networks to get together, in some cases meeting
for the first time. At the Paris ESF, a Women’s Day took place the day before
the main Forum started, and we are pressing for a similar event at this
year’s ESF. We
have been attending planning meetings, and have also been pressing for
free and low-cost entry for people with no- or low-incomes –
particularly sans-papiers (people without papers) and asylum seekers;
free transport and full access for people with disabilitities; no
affiliation fees for groups which cannot afford it and in general
visibility for people who are most discriminated against including
people of colour, people with disabilities, single mothers and more. As
a part of this we have been circulating this proposal for a Women’s
Day at the Forum since January, and we are now asking if you and/or your
organization would endorse it, joining the growing pressure to ensure
that there is a Women’s Day in London, with the widest possible
participation. MIXED ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL MEN ARE WELCOME TO
SIGN. We
also welcome any information/ideas/suggestions you have.
We have been meeting with women and men at our Women’s Centre
and would like to hear from you, whether or not you have been involved
in the European Social Forum. Please
feel free to circulate this proposal in your networks and/or at meetings
and events you attend. For
more info on the efforts to make the ESF accessible and accountable:
www.esf2004.net, and www.indymedia.org.uk.
Global
Women’s Strike: www.globalwomenstrike.net
Power
to the sisters to stop the world and change it! Sara
Callaway and Anna T, Global Women’s Strike Call
For a Women's Day at the European Social Forum 2004, London We
were asked by the Programming group in London to prepare a written
proposal for a Women’s Day, for the UK Assembly and European Assembly. Our proposal continues what was established at the ESF
meeting in Paris Nov 03 where a Women’s Day was held the day before
the full Forum started. Over
3,000 women and about 800 men attended (men were not speakers).
Many more women came to the main forum as a result and grassroots
women were seen and heard. Sans
Papieres (women without documents), and other women of colour had an
impact at the final plenary because they got together at the Women’s
Day. Why
we need a Women's Day
We
are in touch daily with women and men organising in both mixed and
women's organizations, in Scotland, North & South of England, Wales,
across Europe and internationally who support this demand.
On widening participation, Droits Devants, a grassroots organization of asylum seekers and others in Paris, succeeded in getting safe passage for Sans Papiers stopped at borders on their way to the Paris ESF. It is urgent to find out from Droit Devants how they achieved this, so the same rights can be secured for Sans Papiers/es to attend the ESF in London. Also can we organize video links to enable activists who can’t travel to participate in the Forum. Proposers: Sara
Callaway and Anna T (England) Email us at womenstrike8m@server101.com to endorse the call for a Women's Day at the ESF in London |