We are delighted to be writing to your group about the World March of Women in the Year 2000.
You have perhaps already heard of this huge education and action project involving women's movements around the world that is planned for the year 2000.
Over 2169 women´s groups in 135 countries are already participating in the project and we hope that your group will join them.
In a world where--no matter where we live--violence against women is a daily reality and poverty is making women increasing vulnerable, global action and solidarity-building are important. Women everywhere are struggling for equality, development and peace.
The World March of Women is a stimulating global action that will mark the new millennium by demonstrating women's continuing determination to change the world!
Enclosed is a brief document explaining the World March of Women and a Sign-up Coupon. If your organization decides to participate in the March all you need to do is get in touch with us so that we can send you more information and a sign-up coupon.
If you wish to learn more about this project you can visit our web site.
Do not hesitate to inform other women's groups in your country or elsewhere about the March.
We hope that this information concerning the World March of Women has sparked your interest and made you want to participate!
In solidarity,
JC Chayer
Communications and Outreach
World March of Women in the Year 2000
World March of Women in the Year 2000
As of July 1st 1999, 2169 groups from 135 countries have joined the March!
Where Does the Idea for a
World March in the Year 2000 Come From?
The idea to hold a world march of women in the year 2000 was born out of the experience of the Womens "Bread and Roses" March Against Poverty, which took place in Quebec in 1995.
This march, initiated by the Fédération des femmes du Quebec (FFQ), was hugely successful. Fifteen thousand people greeted
the 850 women who marched for ten days to win nine demands related to economic justice. The entire womens movement mobilized for the march as did many other segments of the population.
Founded in 1966, the FFQ is a non-partisan pressure group whose aim is to promote and protect the interests and rights of women. The FFQ defines itself as a pluralistic, feminist organization.
What We Want
- To stimulate a vast movement of grassroots women's groups so that the march becomes a gesture of affirmation by the women of the world.
- To promote equality between men and women.
- To highlight the common demands and initiatives issuing from the global women's movement relating to the issues of poverty and violence against women.
- To force governments, decision-makers and individuals the world over to institute the changes necessary for improving the status of women and women's quality of life.
- To enter the new millennium by demonstrating women's ongoing determination to change the world.
Values underlying the action
- the leadership of the organization is in the hands of women;
- all regions in the world share leadership in the action;
- participating groups must subscribe to the objectives and overall plan of action for the March but - remain independent as regards organizing the action in their respective countries;
- we recognize, respect and value the diversity of the women's movement;
- the World March of Women in the year 2000 is a pacifist action.
End Poverty and Violence Against Women
The World March of women in the Year 2000 is an action to improve
womens living conditions. More precisely, the specific demands centre on the issues of poverty and violence against women.
Three levels of action have been proposed for the March.
First, there will be an action demonstrating women´s mass support of the overall demands, signified by signing support cards.
Secondly, women´s movements in each country will organize national actions that will present demands reflecting their realities and priorities.
The entire project will be developed and supported by a process of popular education.
Finally, a world demonstration or rally will be held.
The actions will begin March 8, 2000, and end October 17, 2000, with the world rally.
An International Preparatory Meeting for the March was held in Montreal on October 16-18 1998. 140 delegates from 65 countries discussed the international demands and the action scenarios. An international liaison committee was also created. The names of the members of this committee are available on our web site.
On the Subject of Joining
The World March of Women in the Year 2000 is not an organization or an agency (with a legal status or a charter) with members. It is a
project for collective action in which women participate actively, which is why we have been asking groups interested in joining in the action to send us a sign-up coupon. Then they become participating groups in the project.
Joining the World March in the Year 2000 Means:
- making a commitment and adopting the project as your own;
- encouraging other groups in your country to join the project
and working in tandem with them;
- wanting to help organize actions being planned nationally and
internationally;
- wanting to participate in the popular education campaign
where you live;
- passing on information about the March to members of your
group, inviting them to have discussions and mobilizing them to
act.
Who can join?
- non-governmental women's organizations;
- women´s committees of mixed groups (women and men);
- mixed organizations that do not have a women´s
committee but where women are taking the leadership for the
March.
Please note that, for the time being, we are only letting groups join,
which means that women cannot do so individually.
We urge those who want to keep abreast of how the project is unfolding to contact a participating group in their country or to visit our Web site regularly.
If your group is interested in joining the project please send us a sign-up coupon. Please contact us for a copy or if you need further information.
World March of Women
Fédération des femmes du Québec
110 rue Ste-Thérèse, #307
Montréal, Québec
CANADA H2Y 1E6
Tel: (1) 514-395-1196
Fax: (1) 514-395-1224
[email protected]
www.ffq.qc.ca