International Womens Day 2007

vigil and conference

Vigil to mark International Women’s Day on March 8th

Time: Thursday 8 March 2007, 5-7pm
Place: Statue of Edith Cavell, Trafalgar Square, Central London

United not Divided for Women's Rights in Iraq:
Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq - Act Together: Women’s Action for Iraq - Iraqi Women’s League - Middle East Centre for Women’s Rights - Marem Reshakh: Assyrian Women’s Human Rights ­ Iraqi Community Centre/Women’s Section ­ Kurdistan Refugee Women’s Organisation

We - a network of Iraqi women’s rights organisations based in Iraq and the UK ­ want to draw attention to the plight of Iraqi women.

For almost 4 years since the invasion and occupation of Iraq, extreme violence, terror and barbarism against women has been increasing day after day.

Our society has been driven into a state of instability and chaos. At times like this, everyone suffers, but it is women who are the first victims. Lack of adequate health care, clean water and electricity, unemployment, abductions, rape, sex trafficking, honour killings, violence at the hands of occupation forces, Islamist militias and insurgents, criminal gangs and families as well as sectarian killings and targeted assassinations terrorize the lives of thousands of women.

Please join us in our vigil to protest against the occupation, sectarian violence and the systematic erasure of women’s rights.

Conference to mark International Women’s Day on March 8th

Time: 9 March 2007, 6-9pm
Venue: SOAS, Khalili lecture Theatre (nearest tube Russell Square)

Draft programme:

Nadje Al-Ali: Welcome & Opening

Session I: Contextualizing the Current Crisis

Cynthia Cockburn, Women in Black: 'Gender as a motor of war: can we switch off the ignition'

Nadje Al-Ali, Act Together: 'Iraqi Women and Gender Relations during the Baath Regime'

Houzan Mahmoud, OWFI: 'The Constitution, Islamic Sharia Law and Women's Rights in Iraq and Kurdistan'

Jean Lambert, MEP: 'Whose Constitution?'

Question & Answer Session

Letters and Greetings from UND supporters

Coffee & Tea Break

Session II: Living Under Occupation

Suad Al-Jazari, IWL: 'Iraqi Women's Struggles Post 2003'

Shoshan Lamassu, MR: 'Double Suffering of Assyrian Women: Gender and Ethno-Religious Intolerance & Discrimination'

Nadia Mahmoud, MECWR: 'Women's Human Rights in Iraq: Future Perspectives'

Question & Answer Session

Presenting the Petition

For further information, please contact: iraq_8march07@yahoo.co.uk