A Global Women’s Strike event for International Women’s Week
Venezuela: 
Creating a caring economy


 Nora Castañeda

President of Venezuela’s
Women’s Development Bank (Banmujer)

 "To eliminate poverty we must give power to the poor" President Hugo Chavez.

"Micro credit is an excuse to empower women. We believe that the economy must be at the service of human beings, not human beings at the service of the economy. We want to create an economy based on co-operation and mutual support, a caring economy. We are not building a bank. We are building a different way of life..."
“We women won our rights in the constitution. We won Article 88, which recognizes that housewives create added value and must be compensated with social security.”  
Nora Castañeda


Angélica Alvarez

Banmujer’s Promoter Co-ordinator in Bolívar state

2005 - UN Year of Micro Credit
 Nora Castañeda and Angélica Alvarez European Tour March2005:
Spain, England, Scotland, Austria, Italy

Monday 14 March, 8pm   London School of Economics
New Theatre, E171, East Building, Houghton Street, WC2 (Holborn Tube)
Introduced by Richard Gott, author of In the Shadow of the Liberator and Cuba: A New History
Chaired by Selma James, Global Women's Strike co-ordinator
Sponsored by LSE Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! Society

Tuesday 15 – Edinburgh
1.30-2.30 pm  Scottish Parliament, Room T22, Holyrood
Hosted by Rosie Kane MSP
5pm  Napier University, Merchiston Campus, Room B2
Hosted by Napier University United Left Society

Wednesday 16 – Manchester
7.30pm  University of Manchester, Students' Union Building, MR1 (meeting room 1), Oxford Road, near Royal Infirmary.
Hosted by University of Manchester Students' Union, Women's Collective, Latin American Society

Thursday 17 – Leeds
1pm meeting at University of Leeds, Students Union building
Hosted by University of Leeds Students’ Union

Thursday 17 – Sheffield
7.30pm  St Matthew’s Church Rooms, Carver Street
Co-sponsored by Sheffield Cuba Solidarity Campaign, South Yorkshire Women’s Development Trust, Sheffield Women’s Forum

Friday 18 – Leicester
7.30pm  Secular Hall, 75 Humberstone Gate
Sponsored by Leicester Social Forum

Monday 21 – Nottingham
7pm Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone St, Nottingham
Sponsored by Nottingham Student Peace Movement

Thursday 24 – Galway, Ireland
7pm, Huston School of Film and Digital Media, Blcok Q, Fisheries Lane, nr Catherdral
Sponsored by Women's Studies Centre, National University of Ireland, Galway 

UK tour sponsors so far: Latin America Bureau; Leicester Social Forum; NATFHE (University and College Lecturers' Union); South London Cuba Solidarity Campaign; Sheffield Cuba Solidarity, Peace and Human Rights Trust; David Raby (Institute of Latin American Studies, University of Liverpool).

Please let us know if you would like to sponsor this Banmujer tour. 
All proceeds will go to grassroots women in Venezuela working with Banmujer.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the world’s 5th largest oil exporter, yet the majority of people, mainly people of colour, live in poverty. They elected President Hugo Chávez to get the oil revenue back to tackle poverty, and passed a revolutionary constitution. In 2002 they defeated a US-backed coup and then an oil sabotage. In 2004, elections ratified Chavez in power and won 20 out of 22 states. Literacy, education, healthcare, housing, land rights, food security . . . have leapt forward. The users of Banmujer, housewives and mothers who form co-operatives and associations, have been key in every initiative. 

Defying US attempts to intervene and discredit this “participatory democracy” based on grassroots self-activity, the Bolivarian revolution is a beacon of hope for people everywhere who demand an end to the twin terrors of poverty and war. 

Nora Castañeda, an economist committed to grassroots women, was appointed by President Chávez to head Banmujer in response to women’s demands. 

Of African and Indigenous descent, and daughter of a low-income single mother, Ms. Castañeda is a remarkable spokeswoman for a revolution led largely by women. 

Angélica Alvarez, originally from Chile, fled to Venezuela after the 1973 military coup against President Allende. As Banmujer’s promoter-co-ordinator, she provides crucial support and direction to the Red Popular de Usuarias – the users’ autonomous organisation. 

The Global Women’s Strike demands a change in economic priorities and the return of military budgets to the community, beginning with women the first carers. Women in over 60 countries, and men who support our goal that society Invest in Caring Not Killing, take Strike action on/around 8 March, International Women’s Day.

For times, venues and videos “Venezuela - A 21st Century Revolution” and “Enter the oil workers” both featuring Ms. Castañeda, contact: womenstrike8m@server101.com   www.globalwomenstrike.net   Tel: 0207-482 2496

The Strike videos aim to make visible the different sectors active in this revolution, and how grassroots leadership, starting with women and people of colour, works in practice.  A new video “Talking of power” will be premiered on the tour.

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