World March of Women

Women’s Global Charter for Humanity and World Actions 2003-2006

THE WOMEN’S GLOBAL CHARTER FOR HUMANITY

• formulate alternative proposals • based on the 17 world demands of the March • proclamation of universal principles • describe the social model we want, our feminist utopia • guide us in designing our action strategies.

To whom is it addressed?:

• women of the world and their organizations • civil society • social movements • institutions (local, national, regional and international)

To be used during the various actions and popular education activities of the WMW

THE PROCESS OF DRAFTING THE CHARTER

•

International Charter Sub-Committee (I.S.C.)

•

WMW National Coordinating Bodies (N.C.)

September-December 2003:

• ISC : writing of the first draft • NC : send in inspiring writing material (in the form of poetry, charters, manifestos, historical or current-day texts, etc.) and comments on the General Outline of the Charter’s Content (for November 3)

January-May 2004:

• the first draft of the Charter is sent out (February) • NCs : organize grassroots contributions, debates and discussion on the first draft (February-June)

June-August 2004:

• ISC : finishes 2nd version of the Charter based on comments and contributions received

September-December 2004:

• final draft in sent to NCs (September) • NC : Discussions and reactions to the final draft and send sending amendment suggestions to ISC • December 2004 : Adoption of the Charter at the 5th international meeting of the WMW in Rwanda

GENERAL OUTLINE OF THE CHARTER’S CONTENT

(this is only a working proposal as of September 2003, it will be modified)

5 main themes:

Universal rights:

universality, indivisibility and interdependence of rights, physical integrity, right to live free of violence, peace (vs. militarism linked both to the economic and patriarchal system), etc.

Freedom and Equality:

freedom of expression, liberty of choice, sexual freedom, tolerance, cultural diversity, celebration of the sanctity of life, attaining de facto equality, freedom of movement, free access to basic services, etc.

Economy

: external debt, commodification, market and production, reproductive work, feminist economic alternatives, notion of wealth, the economic system = tool for the common good, economy centered on demand, production and consumption, redistributive justice, fair international distribution of work, etc.

Democracy

: political participation, democratic exercise of power, new forms of representation/democracy, ‘global governance’, State’s role, role and power of international political institutions, role of society/the community in the attainment of gender, racial, class equality, etc.

Ecology

: preserving the environment, the earth = living creature, water = heritage of humankind, biodiversity, self-sufficiency, health of the planet = physical and mental health of human beings, sustainable development, recognition of the knowledge of Aboriginal peoples, etc.

WORLD ACTIONS 2005+

World Relay of the Charter

• Launch March 8, 2005 • Charter (and a world map) begin their world tour : • stopping in 50 focal points (3-4 days per country) • itinerary : beginning in Brazil, continuing through the Americas, Asia and Oceania, the Middle East, Europe and Africa • End of Relay on October 17, 2005 in Africa

Relay Marches (national, regional...)

• organization of relay marches between March 8 and October 17 (ideally coinciding with the Charter’s arrival)

Global Patchwork Solidarity Quilt

• March 8, 2005: popular education activities based on the Charter • expressing our vision for another world / our feminist utopia creatively on pieces of material (to make a global patchwork solidarity quilt)

Global Patchwork Solidarity Quilt (cont’d…)

• October 17 2005: use of the quilt at the action in Africa • November 2005-2006+: 5 global quilts will tour the different world regions (to be seen and used by women during various actions)

Arrival of the Charter and Solidarity Quilt

• action by an international delegation in Africa on October 17, 2005

24 Hours of Solidarity and Actions

• October 17, 2005 at noon (local time) : • local one-hour long actions, all over the world • beginning in Oceania, following the sun westward (24-hour-long feminist relay action)

ACTION CALENDAR

March 8, 2005:

• Launch of the Charter in each country • Beginning of the Charter’s World Relay in Brazil • Activities to create patchwork pieces for the quilt

March 8-October 17, 2005 :

• Relay marches

October 17, 2005 :

• International delegation event in Africa and arrival of the Charter and the quilt • 24 Hours of Women’s Global Solidarity

Beginning October 18, 2005 and continuing until 2006 at least:

• The global patchwork solidarity quilt tours different world regions (five global quilts will be circulated)