Filipina feminist groups rallied on November 25 to demand an end to violence against women and war.
By Global News Service
On the first day of an 18-day global campaign to end violence against women, feminist groups in the Philippines highlighted the call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza as a step towards a permanent solution to the question of Palestine. November 25 is commemorated across the globe as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
“War is violence against women,” argued Judy Ann Miranda, secretary general of Partido Manggagawa. “The history of conflicts reveals this ugly truth. Thus, we call for a stop to the war in Palestine and elsewhere. And demand a just peace.”
One hundred women leaders from various organizations that comprise the World March of Women-Pilipinas marched to the grounds of the Commission on Human Rights today to launch the Violence Against Women campaign. Community assemblies in several working-class areas in metro Manila followed later in the day.
The launch of the campaign served as an opportunity for women to raise the urgent call for solidarity with the people of Palestine. In the statement released for the event, the World March of Women-Pilipinas stated that “Israeli forces through persistent bombings on Palestinian communities, kill[ed] more than 14,000 Palestinians. Most hurt were women and children, as hospitals were also bombed. World March of Women members in Palestine were [also among those] attacked.”
“The so-called humanitarian pause should give way to a sustained ceasefire… A permanent ceasefire then enables political negotiations to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine,” Miranda stated.
from the Peoples Dispatch / Globetrotter News Service