International Women's Strike

International Women's Strike
Demonstrators in Santa Fe, Argentina, where the protest was called Paro Internacional de Mujeres
Date March 8, 2017

The International Women's Strike, also known as Paro Internacional de Mujeres, is a global movement coordinated across over 50 countries and coinciding with International Women's Day, March 8, 2017.[1] The United Nations announced the theme of "Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030", calling for gender equality around the globe.[2] In the United States, the strike was branded as "Day Without a Woman".[3]

Importance

The International Women’s Strike is extremely important to women worldwide because it helps them get across the significance of equality for women. This day is meant to demonstrate what the world would be like without women.[4]

This Strike addresses issues like gender violence, reproductive justice, labor rights, anti-racist feminism, anti-imperial feminism, social provisioning, and environmental rights.[5]

Background

The International Women's Strike, occurring on March 8, is meant to boost gender equality.[6] This day addresses many issues such as gender violence, reproductive freedom, labor rights, and environmental protections.[7]

The first International Women's Day occurred on February 28, 1909 instead of in March like it does now.[8] On this day in 1909, 15,000 women marched through New York and demanded better pay, voting rights, and shorter hours. It was organized by the Socialist Party of America, and was specifically on a Sunday, so that the women could participate.[9] Thousands of participants lined up to take part in this first ever day. Leonora O'Reilly, suffragist, gave the main address to the crowd.[10]

The 1975 Icelandic women's strike was the inspiration behind many modern strikes.

On October 3, 2016 women in Poland organized a nationwide strike following a Polish parliamentary decision to consider a ban on abortion that would criminalize all terminations.[11] The day became known as Black Monday.[12]

October 19, 2016 saw the #NiUnaMenos protest against femicide in Argentina, a large-scale response to the murder of 16-year-old Lucía Pérez.[13] Similar demonstrations took place in other South American countries including Mexico, El Salvador, Chile, and others.[14] A week later, on October 25, 2017, Brazil held its own #NiUnaMenos strike.[15]

Women showing their support in red

Preparation and planning

During the strike and on International Women’s Day, women are urged not to go to work, not to go shopping, and to wear the color red. This is meant to emphasize the importance of a woman’s role in society.[16]

There are many ways to prepare and join in on this special day. On the day before the strike, join a women's strike social coalition. Find a women's strike meeting in an area near you or organize your own meeting. There is a list of meetings on the women's strike webpage.[17] To prepare, become aware of the issues and existing struggles women face, and wear red! If for some reason you can't leave work, then get your workers together and organize a strike there. Most importantly, participate in a strike on March 8![18]

Participating countries

Over 50 countries participated in the International Women's Strike.[19]

Ireland

In Ireland, the platform titled "Strike 4 Repeal" demanded: "[...] that the Irish government call a referendum to repeal the 8th amendment by the 8th of March. If not, we will strike."[20] The strike action was inspired by the Black Protest in Poland months earlier.[21]

United States

Women strike in Baltimore on March 8th

In the United States, A Day Without a Woman was a general strike held on March 8, 2017 and organized by two different groups—the 2017 Women's March and a separate International Women's Strike movement. The two groups asked that women not work that day to protest the policies of the administration of Donald Trump, encouraging women to refrain from working, spending money (or, alternatively, electing to shop only at "small, women- and minority-owned businesses"), and to wear red as a sign of solidarity.[22][23] More than 2 million marched in the streets of Washington DC on January 21 and on March 8, 2017 they striked.[24]

School Systems

During the International Women’s Strike, as part of the preparation for women, women are advised not to go to work. However, many school teachers are women. Recently, on March 8, several school districts decided to close their schools for the day, so that the women teachers had a chance to march in the strike.[25]

Men

Even though this day is for women to show that they have an equal place in the world, men are also asked to participate. For example, they are asked to do domestic chores while the women participate in the strike.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "About the IWS – womenstrikeus.org". www.womenstrikeus.org. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
  2. ↑ "International Women's Day 2017". UN Women. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
  3. ↑ Cooney, Samantha (2017). "Meet the Organizers Behind the Upcoming Worldwide Women's Strike". Motto. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
  4. ↑ "A Day Without a Woman: What you need to know". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  5. ↑ "Our Platform".
  6. ↑ "A Day Without a Woman: What you need to know". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  7. ↑ "A Day Without a Woman: What you need to know". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  8. ↑ "The Surprising History of International Women's Day - History in the Headlines". HISTORY.com. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  9. ↑ "The Surprising History of International Women's Day - History in the Headlines". HISTORY.com. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  10. ↑ "The Surprising History of International Women's Day - History in the Headlines". HISTORY.com. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  11. ↑ Davies, Christian (2016-10-03). "Women to go on strike in Poland in protest at planned abortion law". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  12. ↑ "Black Monday: Polish women strike against abortion ban". 3 October 2016 – via www.bbc.com.
  13. ↑ Español, Por CNN (19 October 2016). "#NiUnaMenos: el brutal asesinato de Lucía Pérez en Argentina moviliza a las mujeres del mundo".
  14. ↑ Goñi, Uki (2016-10-19). "Argentina's women joined across South America in marches against violence". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  15. ↑ Jensen, Emily. "Ni Una Menos Reaches Rio: Is There Hope To End Gender Violence In Brazil? | The Bubble | Argentina News". www.thebubble.com. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  16. ↑ "How You Can Join the International Women's Strike on March 8". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  17. ↑ "How You Can Join the International Women's Strike on March 8". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  18. ↑ "How You Can Join the International Women's Strike on March 8". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  19. ↑ York, Alexandra Topping Molly Redden in New (7 March 2017). "'We are international, we are everywhere': women unite in global strike" – via The Guardian.
  20. ↑ "Strike for Repeal | March 8th 2017". strike4repeal.org. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
  21. ↑ Moskalewicz, Magdalena (2017-03-08). "Today's women's strike has its roots in Poland — where women have a lot to be angry about". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
  22. ↑ CNN, Ashley Killough and Eric Bradner. "Female lawmakers support 'Day Without Women'".
  23. ↑ Abrams, Susan Chira, Rachel; Rogers, Katie (8 March 2017). "'Day Without a Woman' Protest Tests a Movement's Staying Power" – via NYTimes.com.
  24. ↑ "Women's Strike: 'A Day Without a Woman' events take place worldwide". NBC News. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  25. ↑ "Women's Strike: 'A Day Without a Woman' events take place worldwide". NBC News. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  26. ↑ "A Day Without a Woman: What you need to know". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
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