Women demand Equality, Justice and Peace #InspireInclusion

Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), a global campaign working in 66 countries on the issues of inequality, gender inequality, poverty, hunger etc has released a statement on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2024 demanding equality, justice and peace for the women! The statement reads as following:

We the women of diverse backgrounds and experiences— including Dalit women, Indigenous women, women with disabilities, women of African descent, women in remote rural areas and other multiple discriminated groups – stand united at the International  Women’s Day 2024. We embody strength, resilience and the unwavering demand for a world where our voices are heard, our rights respected and our dignity upheld. Today, our collective call echoes through the corridors of injustice, demanding change on crucial fronts that shape our existence.

End Wars, End Violence against women

In the face of wars and violence, our perspective is one of anguish and determination. We condemn, in the strongest terms, the weaponisation of sexual violence against women in conflicts including killings. The pattern of rape, mutilation and extreme brutality against women is an affront to our shared humanity.

We condemn the terrorist acts on 7 October 2023 killing more than thousand women, men and children in Israel. They don’t justify the killing tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza. Both are sins against humanity. More than 1.9 million people — 85 per cent of the total population of Gaza — have been displaced and are facing a humanitarian disaster, including what UN Women estimates to be nearly one million women and girls. We call on Israel and Hamas to immediately end the war. We call on the international community to stop the war and to stand against atrocities and for human rights, and to foster an environment where especially women are not casualties of war but champions for peace in this and all other wars including in Ukraine, Sudan and Eastern Congo.

Social Protection for All

Amidst the lack of adequate social protection, women find themselves in a landscape fraught with challenges. Our plea extends beyond the confines of policy; it calls for a profound shift in perspective. We demand a system acutely attuned to the distinctive struggles encountered by Dalit women, Indigenous women, women with disabilities, Afro-descendants and those facing discrimination based on work and descent. The resounding call is for universal social protection floors, embracing our inherent right to live devoid of discrimination. This entails granting every girl and woman including widows, irrespective of her background, unfettered access to education, healthcare, and dignified livelihoods.

Universal Health Coverage and Inclusive Education

Health is not just a physical state; it is the essence of our well-being. We demand for universal health coverage that prioritizes women’s and girl’s health from a holistic standpoint. The lens must encompass our diverse needs, acknowledging the challenges faced by Dalit women, Indigenous women, and women with disabilities, Afro-descendants, adolescent girls, and widows. A healthcare system that is inclusive, responsive and free from discrimination is a right and it is an imperative step towards a just society.

We demand that governments commit to ensuring inclusive and non-discriminatory access to basic education services. We stress the importance of guaranteeing a 12-year span of secure, cost-free, and high-quality education for girls. We advocate for investments in skills training tailored for girls and collaborative efforts with educators to eradicate gender stereotypes. Embracing inclusivity in fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), dismantling gender norms hindering women’s progress, and fostering supportive environments are crucial steps.

Gendered Vulnerabilities in the Climate Crisis

Amidst climate change, women and girls face heightened vulnerability due to their majority representation among the world’s poor and increased dependence on threatened natural resources. Despite mounting evidence, a critical reluctance persists in establishing vital links between gender, social equity, and the climate crisis. This amplifies vulnerability to gender-based violence, burdening women globally with securing essential resources. Scarce necessities and extended travel open them to multiplied threats, including human trafficking, sexual violence, and child marriage. In our call for justice, we demand recognition of these intricacies, emphasizing the imperative to address climate change with a gender-sensitive lens.

Empowering Voices, Transforming Realities

We call for political leadership of women, for gender balance and equality in all processes from the local to the global. We call for transformative change that goes beyond rhetoric, beyond borders. As we stand united, we envision a future where women irrespective of their caste, class, creed, region, religion, age, sexual preference and educational qualification thrive – free from hunger, poverty, violence, fear and insecurity. Let our collective voice be the catalyst for a world that recognizes our worth, respects our rights, and celebrates the strength of every woman, no matter her background.

We, the women of diverse backgrounds and experiences, demand a world where equality, justice, and peace prevail.