international women's day

It’s a day that marks the social, political and economic struggles of the women’s movement and an occasion to remember that the place of women in society is far from the feminist ideal, our collective vision of life without fear, oppression and violence. Over the years, we have come together with other women’s groups and organisations, including those affiliated with the Left parties, student groups and others to celebrate our togetherness, raise issues and make demands of the State and society on the occasion of International Women’s Day. 

Yet there have also been times when we have decided to go solo with programmes of our own due to political differences with the joint platform. e.g. in 2000 when the Left party affiliated groups objected to presence of Campaign for Lesbian Rights (CALERI) with its banner or even the word “lesbian” in the leaflet for the occasion, or in 2008 when despite all the evidence to the contrary these groups denied the horrors of what was happening in Nandigram. Yet, despite the ups and downs, the endeavour of most groups has been to find a common voice, or at least to move forward together on issue-based alliances. 

In fact, 2010 saw very large number of women’s groups coming together to celebrate 100 years of the International Women's Day. After all, which of us can resist the energy, enthusiasm, songs and slogans or indeed, the hope that one day, we will together cause the downfall of patriarchy… and the rise of an even more compassionate, meaningful sisterhood!