Mothers March leaflet
All welcome Assemble 12 noon: Trafalgar Square (north side)
Speak-out 2pm: Room G2, SOAS, London Sign language interpreter
School of Oriental & African Studies, Thornhaugh St, WC1H OXG
For Everyone’s SURVIVAL & WELFARE
End Cuts, Poverty & Discrimination
Invest in caring not killing
WOMEN, MEN, YOUNG, OLD BRING YOUR DEMANDS!
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Everywhere people are risking their lives to bring change – from Palestine to Egypt, from Haiti to Colombia, from Kashmir to Congo and Nigeria . . . Fathers, sons, brothers, partners . . . join us. It’s time to show your support!
ENDORSERS:
All African Women’s Group ~ Amma Resonance Healing ~ Association for Improvement in Maternity Services (AIMS) ~ Biofuelwatch ~ Birkbeck Students Union ~ Black Women’s Rape Action Project ~ Climate Camp London ~ Caribbean Labour Solidarity ~ Colombia Solidarity ~ Disabled People Against Cuts ~ Donne in Lotta (Cremona) ~ EMERGENCY (UK) ~ Eusi & Tchaiko Kwayana (Guyana &USA) ~ Franca Rame (internationally renowned playwright & actor) ~ Gillian Weaver, milk banker ~ Gruppo Donne No Dal Molin (Vicenza) ~ International Prostitutes Collective ~ John McDonnell MP ~ Kay Adshead (internationally renowned playwright) ~ Latin American Workers Association ~ Legal Action for Women ~ Lesbian Bi Trans Queer in the Global Women’s Strike ~ Maternity Action ~ Melissa Callaghan (midwife & infant feeding coordinator) ~ Michelene Wandor (writer) ~ Mom’sy Gwen Omega Radio & Rain Forest Cuisines Ltd ~ Naomi Stadlen (author of What Mothers Do) ~ New Japan Women’s Association ~ Nina Power (Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Roehampton University) ~ Noel Lynch, Chair, Green Party, London ~ Nursing Matters ~ NUS Black Students ~ Oliver James (child psychologist, author) ~ Outrage! ~ Payday men’s network ~ Queen Mary Students Union ~ Quinto Suyo ~ Saltley Feeding Friends ~ SOAS Students Union (School of Oriental & African Studies) ~ Sheila Kitzinger (natural childbirth campaigner & author) ~ Single Mothers’ Self-Defence ~ UK Uncut ~ Welsey Hall Mammas ~ WinVisible (women with disabilities) ~ Women Against Rape ~ Women of Colour in the Global Women’s Strike ~ Women Solidarity for an Independent and Unified Iraq ~ World Forum of Fisher Peoples
Why I’ll be marching:
| Ø ‘My daughter has a life threatening disability. Mothers like me get no respite. They are even pushing us to go out to work. We are heading for disaster.’Ø ‘It’s frightening to raise children in a world where they are not valued.’
Ø ‘Asylum seekers were cut first. No recourse to public funds, food vouchers, destitution. That’s what they intend for everyone.’ Ø ‘We run a small health food shop. Times are hard. My oldest child is losing his EMA. I don’t know how we’ll manage.’ Ø ‘We use the library all the time, for revision, books and films for holidays.’ Ø ‘Women are not believed. I was raped, accused of lying and jailed.’ Ø ‘Legal aid enabled me to sue the police for assault and wrongful arrest. Without it only the rich can afford justice.’ Ø ‘Mums of young children are treated as “workless”. When I was on Income Support I could be available to my son.’ Ø ‘After a life of labour, pensioners are told living longer is an economic crisis.’ Ø ‘Grandparents are expected to step in. We’re also expected to retire later.’ |
Ø ‘After school clubs are closing. Children are “collateral damage” for the cuts.’Ø ‘I was tortured and claimed asylum. My children weren’t allowed to join me. I worry about them terribly.’
Ø ‘My partner was violent. I reported him and social services took my children. Why punish us?’ Ø ‘We share our house with others to reduce costs. Cuts in housing benefit will make it impossible, especially in London .’ Ø ‘I went into sex work to support my kid and pay for my degree.’ Ø ‘People are told to blame “others” for the cuts. Racist attacks go up, bullying, against immigrants, disabled people, lesbians, gays, trans. It’s scary.’ Ø ‘Child Benefit should be universal. Kids should see they and their mums are valued. Means testing stigmatises; many kids hide they’re on school meals.’ Ø ‘Young people want to find their own way to activities. Without out-of-school clubs, sports, music . . . we are impoverished.’ Ø‘Flooding, drought. Now they want to take our forests. They don’t respect anything.’ |
Videos: Women explain why they are taking part
Letter to the Press from a mother taking part: Cuts that strike at the very heart of our children’s lives
Marches in: Guyana, Haiti, India, Italy, Peru, US (LA, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, San Francisco), Venezuela
ASK ORGANISATIONS TO ENDORSE THE MARCH
Why a Mothers March? Because:
* Mothers produce and care for the world’s people, while brutal market forces destroy us and our planet.
* Mothers’ basic contribution to survival and welfare is unrecognised and unpaid.
* Governments invest in weapons of war, banks and corporations. Feeding, housing, health, support, education, the environment – they couldn’t care less.
* Our young people are victimised for defending everyone’s right to education.
* Everywhere people are risking their lives to bring change – from Palestine to Egypt , from Haiti to Colombia , from Kashmir to Congo and Nigeria …
Why march with us? Because:
* Most women do caring work, whether we’re mothers or not.
* We’re all being robbed of benefits and services our labour and taxes paid for.
* We’re thrown out of jobs or made to work harder for less.
* Mothers can help bring together all who stand for life, against war & exploitation.
* Everyone’s contribution and struggle must be counted and supported.
* Fathers, sons, brothers, partners . . . it’s time to show your support
Global Women’s Strike demands
The Mothers March is unfunded. We urgently need donations to help with costs of leaflets, phone calls, access, travel fares and more. Please donate online THANK YOU!
www.globalwomenstrike.net Tel: +44 (0)20 7482 2496 gws@globalwomenstrike.net
Join gws on facebook & on twitter.com/WomenStrike
Also: International Women’s Day – campaign with the Public and Commercial Services Union about the effects of the cuts on women