Canada Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights IWD 2012 Statement

March 3

Vancouver, Canada

The Canada Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights joins the women of the world in the celebration of the 101st anniversary of the International Women’s Day. Our members, supporters and partners stand on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery on this rainy day on March 3rd to highlight and pay tribute to women and their role in the struggle for rights, survival, justice, freedom and peace.

The current economic and financial crises continue to hit women the hardest.  These have made women more vulnerable to the different forms of oppression, discrimination and violence inside and outside the home. These are the working class women, peasant and indigenous women, migrant and immigrant women.  These are women from North America to Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

All around the globe, in communities, neighbourhoods, farms and factories, and fields and mountains, women are at the forefront of every struggle for rights, food, jobs, justice, survival, freedom, and peace. Women workers are in the  picket lines and marches to demand decent work, higher wages, better working conditions, job security and workers benefits. Rural women continue to organize themselves and lead campaigns against transnational corporations, landlords and land grabbers.  Thousands of women of all ages, colour, background, culture and religion joined a movement for economic justice and social change popularly known as the Occupy Movement. In the Middle East and North Africa, women participate and take leading roles in demonstrations and actions against fascist and corrupt rulers. The Arab Spring provided an opportunity for women to challenge the old system based on patriarchy, fundamentalism and other reactionary values that bind women to exploitation, discrimination and abuse.

On International Women’s Day, we remember that we stand on the shoulders of women who have struggled and faced great odds to make our world a better place, to fight and defend those who have less in life, those who have no voices, and those who are oppressed and exploited.  We remember our sisters and the ties that bind all of us together, as we continue to resist crises, war, occupation and imperialism. As sisters, we hold hands in solidarity in our rightful places, which is in the forefront of the struggle.

Long Live International Women’s Day!