THE STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN

The 8^th of March shall forever remain a commemorable day in our minds as class conscious women, the world over, for it is a day marked with the blood of the heroic women workers who were butchered by the cruel capitalist police in New York, in 1857. The demands of the women workers were: the reduction of the working hours to 10 hours per day; equal pay for women and men; demanding health and safety conditions at the work places.

The response of the government and employers was the brutal attack on the women for raising these legitimate demands. Today, as it was the case 155 years ago, the demands of those women still remain valid. This is also proof that the role of the working women cannot be anywhere but in the forefront in the struggles for the overthrowal of capitalism and the total emancipation of the working class as a whole.

This day, since 1910, has become the International Day of Women and as AWT we join together with the women of the whole world in the celebration with commitment to carry on the struggle to overthrow the system of neo-colonialism, colonialism, monopoly capitalism and imperialism that dominates our lives today.

In the era of the crisis of international monopoly capitalism our continent feels the heavy impact of the crisis. High numbers of women, young and old are unemployed or are reduced to providing the cheapest labour; they are either employed as casual labour or subjected to working under unbearable conditions. They suffer abuse at home and in the workplaces – raped and forced to prostitute; forced to emigrate; become victims of human trafficking and dehumanized. Food prices go up, electricity prices go up, oil prices go up and in all this women must provide for their families.

It is therefore the reason why as Abanqobi Women Together commit ourselves:

1. To struggle for the liberation of women and against imperialism – fight against exploitation of the working class and masses all over the world; against starvation; against mass unemployment; against the destruction of the natural environment; against the dependence that imperialism has imposed upon us, the people and nations; as well as against neo-apartheid regime, neo-colonialism and colonialism.

2. The necessary historical change is neither a formal one; nor an exchange of persons but a struggle to overthrow the capitalist system which is the reason for the crises and for the serious problems that humankind has to suffer. As women of the world that we want to cover many movements and many ways of struggle; experiences to organize ourselves as women.

3. Promoting debates and discussions among women in order to promote the women`s struggle to all forms; that they will fight in the front line to conquer our rights. Against sexual exploitation; women/child trafficking; for equal wages and safe jobs; social rights; against racism and xenophobia; for the right to participate in politics without discrimination.

As militant women we promote united solidarity of women in our African continent and in the whole world.

4. Under the conditions of state-monopoly capitalism, we commit to promote the working class mode of thinking in the working- class movement. This has acquired crucial importance for the development of the class struggle and the struggle for liberation of women from exploitation and oppression.

WOMEN OF AFRICA!!

Let us combine our will in the awakening of the militant world of women`s movement!!

The liberation of humankind will not be possible without our action!!

Let us all advance for the liberation of women to create a society without exploitation and oppression!!

THE WORKERS OF ALL COUNTRIES MUST UNITE!!!