Call to Action | 08 March 2023 – International Working Women’s Day | La Via Campesina
by La Via Campesina
#8M23: "BY REBELLING, WE SOW POPULAR PEASANT FEMINISM, BUILD FOOD
SOVEREIGNTY, AND ORGANIZE AGAINST CRISES AND VIOLENCE!"
23/02/23, BAGNOLET: La Via Campesina is calling for global solidarity
actions on 8TH MARCH 2023, THE INTERNATIONAL WORKING WOMEN'S DAY. As
peasants, landless women, indigenous women, fisherfolk, pastoralists,
farmworkers, migrants, and diversity organizations within La Via
Campesina, we acknowledge the specific struggles, the organization, the
development of popular feminism, and the rebellion and resistance of
women who fight on their own land and around the world to defend
sustainability, food sovereignty, and social justice.
We condemn the patriarchal and racist dimensions of capitalism that
oppress society, particularly women, children, and individuals who do
not conform to binary gender identities. In the current crisis of war
and inequality, it is urgent to reaffirm our values of solidarity and
internationalism, demand greater democracy and participation for
communities, and continue to fight against all types of violence.
Collective organization is essential to resist, to continue producing
healthy food, and to reinforce Food Sovereignty as a way of life in our
communities.
As we prepare for La Via Campesina's 8th International Conference and
6th International Women's Assembly, scheduled to take place from
November 23 to 28 in Nicaragua, we are actively working on the creation
of the Peasant and Popular Feminism movement. Additionally, we are using
our 'Stop Violence Against Women' campaign as both internal and external
educational tools, engaging with communities, playing a transformative
role in policymaking, and recognizing our fundamental role in food
production.
Our Peasant and Popular Feminism movement is anti-systemic, and we are
engaged in a struggle against the hetero-patriarchal, racist, and
colonialist system that imposes various forms of oppression on people
and communities. Over the 30 years of our movement's existence, we have
come to understand that it is only possible to dismantle this capitalist
model if we simultaneously succeed in overcoming these oppressive
relationships.
The current expansion of capitalism in rural areas is sustained through
a combination of oppression in agribusiness and extractivism, manifested
in dispossession, evictions, and land grabbing. There has been a surge
in criminalization and violence in rural communities. On this day of
action and unity, we face the challenge of taking a stronger stance on
global issues in the face of the prevailing model and the urgent need
for a new society with new relationships, alternative ways of sharing
work, and the creation of new values based on independence and
reciprocity. As women members of La Via Campesina, we struggle for the
land, because through Land Reform, peasant women are guaranteed the
legal right to land. On this land, we produce food to feed our families
and societies, secure our income, reduce violence, and combat machismo.
Moreover, on this day, we are urging Member States to demonstrate a
serious and sustained commitment to the UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON
THE RIGHTS OF PEASANTS, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO ARTICLE 4 [1], which
addresses non-discrimination against women. This article states that
'Member States shall take appropriate measures to eliminate all forms of
discrimination against peasant women and other women working in rural
areas, and to promote their empowerment, enabling them to enjoy full and
equal access to all human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to
participate in economic, social, political and cultural development in
the rural sector, and to benefit from it in full freedom.'
In light of the alarming rates of feminicide worldwide, which expose the
inadequacy of justice systems that perpetuate impunity and inaction, we
must act urgently. It is imperative that we implement public policies
aimed at eliminating all forms of gender-based violence and promote a
more equitable society for everyone. Member states should prioritize
investment in prevention, education, and communication programs that
foster healthier and more compassionate communities and relationships.
Today, we must remember and stand in solidarity with our peasant and
indigenous women in Peru, who have been protesting in the streets for
over two months against state and criminal repression in defense of
their fundamental rights, including democracy. We must also celebrate
the bravery of plantation workers in Sri Lanka who are striking for
better wages and working conditions, and we must support the millions of
peasant women in Asia and Africa who are fighting to protect their land,
seeds, and forests. We must stand with Angelina, Oliva, and Rosa in
Guatemala, three Q'eqchi' Maya leaders who were unjustly sentenced in a
political trial for defending their land against the plundering and
land-grabbing of businesses and state officials. This verdict exposes
the structural racism of the Guatemalan justice system, which
criminalizes those who defend their land and territory. We stand in
solidarity with Palestinian women and the Palestinian people in their
struggle for dignity and the right to live on the land illegally
occupied by Israel for over 50 years. Let us draw inspiration from the
courageous resistance in Haiti and the fight against imperialism. These
rebellions are fueling the growth of popular peasant feminism, inspiring
working-class women around the world to stand up and fight for their
rights.
In the last three years following the pandemic, the perpetuation of
feminicide has undergone changes in terms of its conditions and
characteristics. The violence against women has become more dangerous
and misogynistic, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives and
leaving children orphaned without any support from the state. This is
precisely why the significance of #8M23 is more pronounced than ever
before, as it provides a platform for women to voice their concerns and
be seen as agents of political change. Through this movement, women can
denounce the violence being perpetrated against them and expose
instances of feminicide that are not limited to families alone but are
also related to economic crime, territorial disputes among
narco-traffickers, and the high prevalence of criminality.
_BY REBELLING, WE SOW POPULAR PEASANT FEMINISM, BUILD FOOD SOVEREIGNTY,
AND ORGANIZE AGAINST CRISES AND VIOLENCE!_
To find out more about Peasant and Popular Feminism, SEE OUR PUBLICATION
HERE [2].
-------------------------
JOIN THE MOVEMENT! #8M23
* We are actively preparing for #8M23 by creating banners, organizing
public protests, and taking direct action.
* Join and follow us on social media using hashtags such as
#WOMENINSTRUGGLE, #FOODSOVEREIGNTYNOW, #8CONFLVC, and #8M23.
* Participate in symbolic actions such as marches, forums, fairs, and
public speaking events to demand recognition of our rights in government
policies and justice, and to put an end to violence against women and
marginalized communities.
Please send your press releases, statements, photos, and videos to
COMMUNICATIONS(a)VIACAMPESINA.ORG
We also invite you to make your own posters by downloading our templates
and translating them into your own language. All the necessary resources
for communication are available for DOWNLOAD HERE [3].
-------------------------
Links:
------
[1] https://viacampesina.org/en/undrop-illustrations/
[2]
https://viacampesina.org/en/graphic-book-the-path-of-peasant-and-popular-...
[3] https://cloud.viacampesina.org/s/6Gxct8dEPzzWkJN
1 year, 10 months
- 1
- 0
Earthquake in Syria & Turkey: La Via Campesina extends solidarity to affected communities
by La Via Campesina
*|MC:SUBJECT|* *|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*
Earthquake in Syria & Turkey: La Via Campesina extends solidarity to
affected communities
20 February 2023 Emerging Regions
<https://us13.mailchimp.com/mctx/clicks?url=https%3A%2F%2Fviacampesina.org...>,
International Solidarity
<https://us13.mailchimp.com/mctx/clicks?url=https%3A%2F%2Fviacampesina.org...>
Bagnolet, 16-02-2023
La Via Campesina expresses its deepest condolences to the communities in
Turkey and Syria affected by the devastating earthquakes. We mourn with
those who have lost family, friends, and neighbors, and stand in
solidarity with all those who have been injured or affected by the
earthquakes. We also extend our gratitude to the civil movement that
immediately responded to rescue and save lives in the affected areas.
*While we have received information about the situation in urban areas,
we urgently call for access to information about the situation of
peasants and rural areas affected by the earthquake.* Beyond the loss of
human and animal life, the destruction of production and means of
production, such as animal feed and other inputs, is crucial for food
production and survival. We request that all restrictions to
communication channels enabling access to information from and toward
the affected populations be removed to assess the specific needs of the
affected rural communities.
We urgently call for the withdrawal of any sanctions that harm the
people, and for humanitarian aid to be sent to those in need of basic
supplies such as water, food, and shelter, without discrimination based
on race, ethnicity, religion, or gender.
The earthquakes have exacerbated the vulnerability of communities in
Syria affected by war and forced displacement for over a decade. In
Turkey, the existing effects of the economic and political crisis on the
population were multiplied by the earthquakes. *The vast majority of the
human losses and damage is due to unplanned and unmonitored
urbanization, which has occupied areas that were once agricultural lands.*
The earthquake has also left many children orphaned and at the mercy of
child-trafficking networks. Therefore, urgent policies to prevent this
terrible situation are needed.
We believe that the deaths and devastation resulting from the
earthquakes are not solely due to natural disasters, but rather the
consequence of inadequate political decisions that prioritize
speculation and economic profit over life and nature. *Despite warnings
of an earthquake of this magnitude for many years, constructions were
not designed considering the right to safe housing. *The losses
resulting from the earthquakes are not isolated incidents, but political
crimes! We strongly defend the strategic importance of increasing
agricultural lands in the region to ensure food sovereignty instead of
real estate speculation that endangers human lives.
*Therefore, we demand:*
* *Immediate action to abolish any restrictions and sanctions that
harm the people to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to
the victims in Syria.*
* *That the Syrian and Turkish governments open more crossings to
allow aid delivery, rather than relying solely on the Bab al-Hawa
border crossing between Turkey and Syria.*
* *Holding those responsible and corrupted accountable for the
destruction of agricultural lands for real estate projects and
stopping this practice.*
* *The Turkish and Syrian governments work together with peasants and
people in the planning and implementation stages during the
reconstruction and rehabilitation processes, by fulfilling their
right to adequate and safe housing, and their right to food and food
sovereignty so that there is no dependence on imported food and land
grabbing through reconstruction and rehabilitation programs.*
La Via Campesina once again reiterates its solidarity with all the
peoples and peasants in Turkey and Syria during the reconstruction
process. We will continue to work with our member organizations in
Turkey and in the Arab Region and North Africa to globalize hope and
struggle.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Facebook
<https://us13.mailchimp.com/mctx/clicks?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com...>
Twitter
<https://us13.mailchimp.com/mctx/clicks?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twitter.com%2...>
Link
<https://us13.mailchimp.com/mctx/clicks?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.co...>
Website
<https://us13.mailchimp.com/mctx/clicks?url=https%3A%2F%2Fviacampesina.org...>
To unsubscribe from the distribution list click here
<https://us13.mailchimp.com/mctx/clicks?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.viacampesin...>
For questions or comments, email *lvcweb(a)viacampesina.org*
<mailto:lvcweb@viacampesina.org?subject=Newsletter%20Comments%3A%20>
*Website:* www.viacampesina.org
*TV:* www.tv.viacampesina.org
To subscribe to this newsletter - Click Here
<https://us13.mailchimp.com/mctx/clicks?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.viacampesin...>
1 year, 10 months
- 1
- 0
- ← Newer
- 1
- Older →