For Feminism and Socialism: Solidarity With Women of Palestine

jeffmackler

2 years ago

[International Women’s Day Statement of Socialist Action Canada/Ligue pour L’action Socialiste, Socialist Action/USA’s Canadian sister party]

* Low paid women increasingly hold more than one job to survive. This is particularly apparent in the health sector, including in Long Term Care, where female front-line workers fell victim to the global pandemic. 56 per cent of multiple job holders are women. The latest available Sustainable Development Goal 5 data shows that the world is not on track to achieve gender equality by 2030. At the present rate it will take another 286 years to close the gender gap.

* 1 in 3 women have experienced physical or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime.
* Aboriginal women and girls suffer shameful economic and social conditions. They are systemic victims of racism, inequality, physical assault, disappearance and murder.
* Most women still bear the double burden of doing most of the domestic labour, in addition to work outside the home.
* In 2023, MPP Sarah Jama was censured by the Tory-dominated Ontario Legislature for demanding an Israeli state Ceasefire, and was booted out of the ONDP caucus. In 2022, women politicians and journalists faced violence and threats in Canada. MPP Jill Andrew’s office was vandalized. Racialized women on the campaign trail also were harassed. The Canadian Association of Journalists exposed threats of violence against women journalists.

While trillions of dollars are wasted globally on corporate bail-outs and militarism, women and girls are denied adequate education, economic opportunities, clean water, health care, reproductive choice and personal security. From Palestine to Haiti, from Guatemala to Syria, from Kashmir to Ukraine, women and children are disproportionately the casualties of wars and military occupation in which Ottawa is directly involved or complicit. Millions of women and men have demonstrated against the corporate agenda which threatens to increase sexism, racism, homophobia and exploitation on all levels.
   To transform society our demands must be sharp and clear:  No money for war.  Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against the Zionist apartheid state! Canada Out of NATO! NATO out of eastern Europe! RCMP off Wet’suwet’en land!  Imperialist Hands Off Venezuela!  End all subsidies to Capital.  Tax big business and the rich.  Fund health care, education and social services.  Provide universal, free, quality child care and pharma care.  Enforce equal pay and equal access to good jobs.  No multi-tier wages/benefits.  Restore funding to women’s social justice organizations, emergency shelters and legal aid.  Build quality social housing.  Raise E.I. rates and ensure real access for part-time workers.  Legislate a $25 per hour minimum wage.  End precarious employment.  Provide paid sick leave to all, especially front-line workers.  Nationalize private, for-profit Long Term Care companies.
   Phase out the Alberta Tar Sands development.  No new pipelines.  No reconciliation without restitution for Indigenous people.  Conscript corporate profits to fund the conversion of industry, business, homes and schools to renewable green energy power.
    For public ownership of the commanding heights of the economy under workers’, Indigenous and community control.  For a Workers’ Government.  Fight for working class political independence and for socialist policies in labour unions and the NDP.  Women’s Liberation through Socialist Revolution.  No socialism without Women’s Liberation.
   If you agree, join Socialist Action / Ligue pour l’Action socialiste today.   Visit: www.socialistaction.ca  Call: 647–986-1917. E-mail: socialistactioncanada@gmail.com

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