INTERNATIONAL GATHERING
The struggle against poverty, war and occupation
 Five major events, London, 31 January – 8 February 2009
 International speakers
 

To interview or invite speakers contact Global Women’s Strike press office:
0207 482 2469 or 07958 152 171

The Global Women’s Strike & the International Women Count Network are bringing together distinguished, dynamic and dedicated grassroots women activists and some men from around the world. This unprecedented Gathering kicks off on 31 January and includes three day-long conferences, an evening public meeting and a memorial.  Details here.

 

At the forefront: news from war-torn Iraq; worldwide protest against the massacres of Palestinian children, women and men in Gaza; expectations for the anti-racist movement which in the US elected a Black family to the White House in order to oust the neo-cons and stop the war, and in Latin America elected Bolivia’s first Indigenous president and constitution to get rid of poverty and discrimination.

SPEAKERS from Bolivia, Canada, China, Greece, Guyana, Haiti, India, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Palestine, Peru, Scotland, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, US, Venezuela and Wales, and from the many other countries resident in the UK.

 


Esther Morales Aymá
 (above) First Lady of Bolivia, sister of President Evo Morales  
and Rosario Panozo (below). Organisers in the movement that elected the first Indigenous President, and the new constitution passed last Sunday with 61% of the vote.

____________________


 Wang Shu Mei (China)
valuing women's work from
countryside to city

 
Maggie Ronayne (Ireland) Ireland – Lecturer in archaeology at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Her expertise on cultural destruction helped
to stop the construction of the Ilisu dam in Turkey.


Hanaa Ibrahim (Iraq) courageous and independent women’s organiser,
founder of the Women's
Will Association

 
Margaret Prescod (Barbados/USA) dynamic KPFK radio presenter & brilliant speaker, on the movement that elected
Barack Obama


Marbell Thomas (Guyana) spearheading Indigenous activism against rape & violence


Lori Nairne (USA) long-time activist for lesbian & gay rights, nurse & homeopath


Rachel West (USA) Spokeswoman, US PROStitutes Collective which campaigned for decriminalisation in San Francisco winning 41% of vote


Sara Kershnar (USA) founder of International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network


 Andaiye (Guyana) Former Gender Adviser to Caribbean governments;
co-founder of Red Thread, the only multiracial women’s organisation active against racist violence, rape and domestic violence.


 Conrada Millinga (Tanzania) Colleague and widow of Ntimbanjayo Millinga, founder of the Ruvuma Development Association (RDA) which was central to President Nyerere’s rural development policies


Suleman Toroka Tanzania – Head-teacher of the RDA school. Speaker at the Memorial in honour of RDA founder Ntimbanjayo Millinga.


Leddy Mozombite (Peru) Mujeres Cuentan Kutikuy, newly elected general secretary of domestic workers union


Manju Gardia (India)
Founder of Nawa Chhattisgarh Mahila Samiti which brings women together,
rural and urban, Dalit
& Tribal, against bonded labour and rape, and for pay equity


Selma James
co-ordinator of the Global Women’s Strike, inspiring anti-racist organiser for recognition & payment for unwaged work; member of International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network


Phoebe Jones (USA) opposing unjust
removals of children
from families

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PROGRAMME:
 Saturday 31 Jan:  Grassroots struggling vs sexism and racism: an international comparison

Sunday 1 Feb:  Iraq, Haiti, Palestine: occupation is the crime

Tuesday 3 Feb:  Rape and Prostitution – a question of consent

Saturday 7 Feb:  Invest in Caring not Killing – valuing the work of caring for people & the planet

Sunday 8 Feb:  Tanzania’s Ujamaa –Tribute to the great Ntimbanjayo Millinga & the Ruvuma Development Association


VENUES: All except one event will be held at Bolivar Hall, 54 Grafton Way , London W1 5AJ.  We are most thankful to the Bolivarian Embassy of Venezuela for their gracious hospitality. The meeting on Rape and Prostitution will be at the House of Commons, Committee room 6.