iusy tool kit for international women´s rights day

YOUNG FACESIN TODAY‘S POLITICSLEADERS OF TOMORROW

TOOL KIT FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S RIGHTS DAY


JOIN MARCH 8 WITH US

The International Women‘s Rights Day on March 8 is an important reminder of the struggle for gender equality. It started with a mass protest in New York, 1857. Later Clara Zetkin demanded the intro-duction of an International Women‘s Day. Socialist feminists then started to engage protests all over the world. Demanding equal rights and an end to their exploitation as workers.

Dear comrades,



March 8 became a symbol for global resistance of women struggling every day for their human rights, equality, recognition and respect. It sets in the context of an oppressive world that hits women even worse while a few profit.

Your IUSY Feminist Working Group

On March 8 we celebrate everything that has been achieved. And with standing together we will achieve even more! This toolkit is made for all of our member organizations to give inspiration for engaging in the activities of this important day.

The fight for gender equality needs to continue as it still has not reached its goals. Whether we look at equal pay, women suffering gender-based violence, sexism or the constant attacks on abortion rights.

No socialism without feminism!



Pakistani women on March 8


PRACTICAL IDEAS

If you haven‘t planned anything for getting engaged in activities for the International Women‘s Rights Day yet, let you inspire by the following activities that have been done by IUSY member organisations in the past.

PLEASE DON‘T FORGET TO SEND

US PHOTOS OF YOUR ACTIVITIES!


EAT CAKE AGAINST BEAUTY MANIA

Bake tasty pies and cakes and distribute them in your city. On each piece you can provide a small flag with the theme of the action. Or you are setting up posters whatsoever to point out that sexist and restrictive (ideal) images of women exist in our society and are transported through the media.

#1


STREET NEWSPAPER –

ATTENTION AND AWARENESS Take a huge piece of paper, stick many pieces together or use cardboard.

Set it on the street at a crowded place – a shopping street, in front of offices, a train station, schools, universities etc. At the top of the piece of paper you write in very big letters a question related to gender equality and March 8. A couple examples: Why do you celebrate March 8? Why do we need feminism? How can we achieve gender equality? Below the question you write possible answers, don’t make it too long, 8 should be max. People can tick the answer they indentify with most. Make sure to leave space for people to come up with own ideas! With this huge piece of paper and the questions, you will for sure get a lot of attention! Make sure to approach pedestrians openly!

#2


STREET NEWSPAPER –

ATTENTION AND AWARENESS

#2


Women still earn a lot less then men, the exact gaps depends on each country. On “Equal Pay Day” women’s rights activists use the opportunity to make this visible. But you can also use March 8 this year! You can find the exact numbers of income difference for your country online. If your country’s gender pay gap is 22 % for example, it means that women earn 78 Euro when men earn 100 Euro. A 78 Euro bill is therefore a striking and impressive opportunity to draw attention to this injustice. Spread your 78 Euro bill at International Women's Day to the people and print on the back your concrete demands for changing this.

#3

Please make sure to respect the laws in your country and make the bills very very obviously fake so you don’t get into trouble J

EQUAL PAY DAY-BILL


EQUAL PAY DAY-BILL

#3


STUMBLING BLOCKS OF DISCRIMINATION

Print out or write on pieces of paper facts about discrimination on women and stick them on a frequented street. The facts could include inequalities about wages and the labor market, abortion rights, sexism, beauty standards and so on. Hand out your info materials close by, people will stop and stumble out of curiositiy over the facts on the ground. It is a great way to get to talk with each other. #4


STUMBLING BLOCKS OF DISCRIMINATION

#4


PHOTO CAMPAIGN ON WHY WE NEED FEMINISM

Place yourself on a crowded street and ask people to participate in your photo action for gender equality. Either you print out before speech balloons on which it says „I need feminism because....“ and then people can add their stand on it. Or just use plain paper and everyone can write on it whatever she or he wants. Take a photo and upload it on the facebook page of your organization. You will have a great variety of different ideas on why feminism is still so important. And along the way you get a lot of new likes to your page. #5


PHOTO CAMPAIGN ON WHY WE NEED FEMINISM

#5


#5

!

I need feminism because....

!

!


CHANGE HIS-STORY! HISTORIC GUERILLA ACTIVISM WITH STATUES OR MONUMENTS

In many towns you find historical statues of important people – and usually only men got their statues. Not onlyconcerning state leaders, but scientists, poets, musicians or resistance fighters

#6

Hardly ever you can find a statue of a woman – or of how many could you think? Start to rewrite his-story and make it to her-story! Make visible that women are also part of the past but are forgotten when writing and speaking about it. You can dress up a statue as a woman, position signs in front of it, use chalk, put paper signs on the existing ones – be creative! But again please always remember to respect the laws in your country.


CHANGE HIS-STORY! HISTORIC GUERILLA ACTIVISM WITH STATUES OR MONUMENTS

#6


LADDER OF PROMOTION

Use a ladder to symbolize the „glass ceiling“ and the hard way to a promotion or even getting a job. Tag it with „ladder of promotion“. Hang pieces of paper on some of the ladder spokes (for example, they could say „more child care, equal work – equal pay, more women in leadership positions). Put it on a crowdy place, passengers can take photos or you can upload them on your facebook page.

#7


LADDER OF PROMOTION More women in leadership

positions

Equal work, equal pay

#7


BREAD AND ROSES

Nothing is more connected with the International Women's Day as these two symbols and the spreading of bread and roses to classmates, colleagues and/or pedestrians in your town.

#8

This picture could already be an inspiration: wrap up your March 8 material in a rose and a corn stalk

The tradition goes back to the origins of International Women's Day when textile workers went on a strike in New York. The poem "Bread and Roses" was found on a demonstration banner: "We want bread and roses, too". Bread and roses afterwards became the symbol of the international women's movement. One version of this theme could be to pack up bread in small packages on which you put your political message for Women’s Rights Days.


BREAD AND ROSES

#8


HISTORICAL WOMEN CITY TOUR

Dress up in historical costumes and meet up in the city for a tour. In lively places you stop and spread your information to pedestrians. Thanks to your eye-catching costumes you will for sure get a lot of attention. In addition, you can stop at buildings or places that are important for gender equality and do small activities there, explain their importance or whatever needs to be said. Maybe you can use chalk and music to draw more attention to your group? Of course you can also use different costumes or only offer a feminist tour through your city and raise awareness for a different view on it.

#9


HISTORICAL WOMEN CITY TOUR

#9


...AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

HAVE FUN!

iusy tool kit for international women´s rights day

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