8th March is International Women’s Day, established by the United Nations in 1977. It celebrates women’s contributions to society, raises awareness about the fight for gender parity, and inspires support for organizations that help women globally.
The theme for 2023, DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality, illustrates just one of the ways in which women are left behind in society and how they experience violence online. 37% of women do not use the internet. 259 million fewer women have access to the Internet than men.
A study of 51 countries revealed 38 per cent of women had personally experienced online violence . Everywhere, crises continue to exact their highest toll on women and girls. In fact, 2023 looks set to be one of the most challenging since UN Women’s establishment. COVID and its longer-term impacts are not behind us. The food and energy crisis fuelled by the war in Ukraine continues to impact those furthest left behind the most and threaten global security and sustainable development. Climate change, and in particular climate-driven disasters, still demand a gender lens in adapting and mitigating impacts. UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous,
In these days, we remember women and girls around the world whose lives are damaged by war, violence and disaster. Of the 25.4 million refugees worldwide, half are women and this figure will rise now with the war in Ukraine and the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
We invite you to:
Remember especially the women in Afghanistan, Colombia, Eritrea, Colombia, Israel and Palestine, Russia, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine and Yemen. Recall any women you know whose lives have been impacted by violence.
Think of the brave women peacemakers, aid workers, medics, journalists, judges and teachers, who speak up and act out for the rights and dignity of women in their own countries. Celebrate women in your own life who uphold the rights and dignity of women.
Offer solidarity to Women in Black members in Armenia, Israel, Belgium, Spain, Finland and to groups around the UK in Bradford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Leeds, Oxford and Plymouth. (Details here https://womeninblack.org/)
Advocate for the inclusion of women in decision making roles, especially UN Resolution 1320. This resolution of 2000, reaffirms the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peacebuilding, peacekeeping.
Women in Black hold vigils every Wednesday between 6-7 pm at the Edith Cavell Statue, opposite the door of the National Portrait Gallery, St.Martin’s Place, London WC2. Our vigils are silent, women-only and if possible we wear black. We welcome all women who support our call for an end to militarism and war. Contact us: Twitter @WIB_London FB @womeninblack.london http://london.womeninblack.org/ 1 and 8 March 2023