International Women's Day

International Women's Day – 100 years on and still strong!IWD is historically significant for its origins in the struggle forwomen's full social, political and economic participation. In 2008 wecelebrate the 100th world anniversary and the 80th Australiananniversary of IWD.In 1908, 15 000 female textile workers went on strike in New YorkCity. These women agitated for voting rights, better workingconditions and shorter working hours. Many of them were migrants. This strike eventually led to socialist women organising the first IWD.Some 20 years later on March the 25th 1928, the Militant Women'sMovement initiated the first IWD march in Sydney. The women's demandsincluded gender pay equity, reduced hours in retail work and theabolition of piece work. http://www.isis.aust.com/iwd/stevens/IWD 2008 is a celebration of what women can achieve collectivelywithin government, civil society, the workplace and our families. Yetthe current three demands (see overleaf) reflect that we still have afair way to go to achieve gender equity.AFTER MARCH RALLY -- HYDE PARK NORTH 12:30-4:00pm30+ stalls with information, food, products for saleMemory Tent: Look at items from yesteryear and spark oral herstories& intergenerational story telling AND 3-4pm LIVING LIBRARY, NSWNetwork of Women with DisabilityMCs Cleone Quayle & Mel DaSilvaSpeakers include: MP Linda Burney, Senator Kerry Nettle, MinisterVerity FirthRepresentatives from: Abortion Rights Campaign, Asian Women @Work,Domestic Violence Support Workers, Immigrant Women's Speakout, StopThe War Coalition, The Unions, Women With Disabilities, etcEntertainers throughout the afternoon include: Camille & Shirley, JaneSeymour, Older Women's Network Singers, "Ramona & Julz" play , Snez,and other surprise performers.