Women protest for rights worldwide
Activists march in pride, protests in push for equality
Fueled by impatience over the long-running fight for equality and the sense that the glacial pace of change would just not do, women around the world find large and small ways to protest — from rallies and protests in the streets to “domestic strikes” at home.
ROME — In the era of #MeToo and Time’s Up, International Women’s Day arrived Thursday with a renewed sense of urgency.
For many women, there was a keen awareness of a major shift in the firmament when it came to gender parity, the treatment of women in the workplace and sexual dynamics.
But others — scratching out lives in developing countries in Africa, toiling away at jobs with little pay in Latin America or scrambling to raise children without help in the Middle East — most likely had little time left over to reflect on the day designated to celebrate “the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women,” and as a call to action, according to the website.
Nonetheless, Margrethe Vestager, the European competition commissioner, said on Twitter: “There is a lot to fight for: Engage! Women and men alike. We need power to make equality a reality.”
‘Today #WeStrike!’
Some women, fueled by impatience over the long-running fight for equality and the sense that the glacial pace of change would just not do, found large and small ways to protest — with pots and pans, raised fists and howls of rage.
Farida Nabourema, a rights advocate from the West African nation of Togo, tweeted: “Today I celebrate all the female activists that are being abusively detained by dictatorial governments all over the world and in #Africa more particularly. Your courage, dedication and empathy shall not be forgotten, and we will keep fighting with you and for you.”
To highlight gender inequality, feminist groups in Spain asked women to spend no money and to ignore chores for the day — to go on a “domestic” strike.
The newspaper El País posted a video explaining why it was not fully staffed: The women were away.
Hundreds of women gathered at midnight in Puerta del Sol, in the heart of Madrid, to kick off a day of protests across the country, with about 120 demonstrations scheduled later Thursday. Women banged pots and pans and shouted slogans during the protests.
The mobilization in Spain had the backing of most trade unions. Ten unions called for a 24-hour strike, while others called for two-hour work stoppages. Service on Madrid’s metro system was significantly disrupted after hundreds of trains stopped running.
Data from the European Union’s statistical provider Eurostat show that women in Spain were paid 13 percent less in the public sector and 19 percent less in the private sector than their male counterparts. In 2016, women’s gross hourly earnings in the European Union were on average 16.2 percent below those of men.
The call for a strike went out in England, too, where a group called the Women’s Strike Assembly UK posted on social media: “Today #WeStrike! Wear red, bring an umbrella & join us.” And in France, where the pay gap is 25 percent, according to one paper, Libération, the day’s edition was sold with two prices: 2 euros for women, and 2.50 euros for men.
In Italy, marches were held in dozens of cities and women were also encouraged to strike. The Italian post office issued four stamps dedicated to the “Italian female genius.” Countless mimosa tree branches were felled so that women could receive gifts of small bouquets of the odorous yellow flowers.
Representatives of a project called 100 Women against Stereotypes met in Rome to promote an online platform that sponsors female experts in a variety of areas.
In the Philippine capital, women took to the streets and denounced President Rodrigo Duterte as among the worst violators of women’s rights in Asia.
Hundreds of activists sang and danced in a boisterous rally in Plaza Miranda, in central Manila, while handing red and white roses to the mothers, sisters and widows of those suspected of drug offenses who have been slain under Duterte’s brutal crackdown.
‘My body, my choice’
In India, where the gang rape of women and sexual assaults on young girls have brought anguish and soul searching, students, teachers and workers in the sex industry marched toward Parliament, demanding action against domestic violence, sexual attacks and discrimination in jobs and wages.
“Unite against violence against women,” one placard read. “My body, my choice,” read another.
When the Taliban ruled parts of Afghanistan, many women were too afraid to leave their homes. But on Thursday, hundreds marched in Kabul, the capital, to remind their leaders that much work needed to be done to give Afghan women a voice, ensure their education and protect them from often brutal violence and an oppressive patriarchic system.
For the second year in a row in Argentina, social activists called on women to mark the day with a strike. Although the society as a whole seems more in tune with the problem of femicide — one woman is killed every 30 hours in Argentina — the issue has yet to resonate with everyone.
“Look around you,” said Nuria Cabral, 34, who works at the Science Ministry and was wearing a purple handkerchief around her wrist. “This is 90 percent women, showing men still don’t feel like they should be part of our struggle.”