Q: If 8 March is International Women’s Day, what happens the rest of the year?
A: Discrimination.
In a world where one in three women experience violence at the hands of a male partner, where less than a third of UK parliamentary representatives are women, where 85,000 women are victims of rape in the UK every year but only 15% ever get reported to the police, we still need International Women’s Day. It’s a day where we can highlight the continuing injustice of patriarchy and stand together and say: ‘We are not going to put up with this shit any longer’. Most importantly it’s a day to celebrate and stand in solidarity with all the amazing women already fighting against injustice across the world.
Climate change is a feminist issue; women are disproportionately affected by its impacts and are central in the fight against it. On 8 March we saluted the environmentalists, human rights defenders and activists in our international movement: women like Berta Caceres, an indigenous campaigner in Honduras who was murdered last year. Here in Birmingham there is no shortage of women to celebrate; these are just some of the dynamic, inspirational women taking action with Birmingham Friends of the Earth:
Poppy Buckingham: Lead air pollution campaigner at BFOE. Also campaigning for climate justice & a fossil free future!
Jodie Etheridge: Campaigning for BFOE for a couple of years on lots of different issues. Particularly passionate about recycling and sustainable farming.
Libby Harris: Been campaigning with BFOE for 3 years, passionate about fighting for a fair & sustainable world & supporting activists!
Franziska Hollweg: BFOE climate change campaigner. If everyone did small things for the environment it will have a huge impact. Actions have consequences!
Molly Luke: Climate Change is happening right now! Molly does all she can to campaign for divestment from fossil fuels.
Branwen Messamah: Trying to make the world a bit less rubbish. Teaching, tree planting, clean-ups & shouting at people who step on coral. Now for the bees!
Elin Strom: Campaigned in Sweden, South Africa and Birmingham. Climate change is global, Elin does all she can to spread awareness no matter where in the world she is.
