BASICS Issue #22 (Sep/Oct 2010)
by Ashley Matthew & Pet Cleto
August 16, 2010 now marks the formation of the International Women’s Alliance. On that sunny historic day in Montreal, over 300 women representing some 130 countries together declared the creation of a global anti-imperialist alliance of feminist and women’s groups. Through the International Women’s Conference workshops that were held over the course of that weekend, avenues were opened for delegates to discuss several topics, and then convened to declare the birth of the alliance, agree on its bases of unity, and form an action plan.
In doing so, the International Women’s Alliance began to adopt, at the outset of the second century of the International Women’s Day (declared by an international body of women workers in 1911), a highly critical role: guiding women’s groups aspiring to forge a militant anti-imperialist women’s movement.
The workshop themes addressed timely topics: women workers; migration; combating racism, discrimination and genocide; the struggles of indigenous women; resisting wars of imperialist aggression; religion; sexual orientation and identities; health; violence; socialist and national liberation movements; resisting developmental aggression; women from peasantry/rural lands; and women’s experiences in parliaments and legislative bodies.
Each workshop gave opportunity for women to share their stories and experiences, analyze the roots of their various conditions, and ignite the passion that all shared, in relation to their specific struggles and victories. When organizers of the conference presented for the body’s discussion a draft of the alliance’s bases of unity, the document was eagerly discussed and debated. A committee will now write and consolidate a revision for deliberation and feedback from the members and member-groups of the now international body. The document will be finalized at the coming general assembly of the International Women’s Alliance.
This incredible alliance marks and formalizes the global unity of women organizing against imperialism. Some women leaders present at the conference were asked what they envisioned as the work and impact of this alliance on women around the world, and they all stated that women now have greater potential of realizing goals in their areas of concern, in every sector and every field of endeavour.
