2 post-women? 3 no empty slogans 4 from behind the ppe 5 anne & betty 6 claudia jones 7 abortion rights 8 sriyani arif - National Assembly of Women
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sisters
JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF WOMEN 50P SPRING 2021
2 post-women?
3 no empty slogans
4 from behind the ppe
5 anne & betty
6 claudia jones
7 abortion rights
8 sriyani arif
post-Brexit, post-Covid, post-women?
gender pay gap. During the pandemic, 15% of women had been made redun-
this situation worsened, as childcare facil- dant since the crisis began. Even among
ities largely closed. In response, nearly those who kept their jobs, nearly half
twice as many mothers than fathers (46%) of pregnant women who were sus-
reduced their working hours, thus sacri- pended from work due to their clinical vul-
ficing pay. nerability to Coronavirus lost pay as a
This crisis was no secret, with cam- result.
paigners raising the alarm from early on Reform is clearly needed, but the gov-
in the first lockdown, yet in both the ernment’s long-anticipated Employment
Summer Economic Statement and the Bill is nowhere to be seen and its plans to
Winter Economy Plan, the provision of “build, build, build” put men front and cen-
childcare was not mentioned at all – an tre by focusing investment into male-
oversight the Women and Equalities dominated industries such as STEM (sci-
Committee described as “astonishing”, ence, technology, engineering and
especially given evidence that barriers to maths) and construction.
childcare is a leading factor in employers Post-Brexit, the situation may just get
making women redundant during the worse left in the hands of a Business
pandemic. Secretary with a long-held obsession with
Between March and November 2020, eroding workers’ rights (although he now
160,000 women were made unemployed claims to have experienced a
W ITH the combined impact of Brexit
and the Coronavirus pandemic, the
UK is changing at such a significant rate
and it is expected that this figure will have
risen even further over the last three
months due to the disproportionate
Damascene moment on this issue!), a
leading party that forced through a Trade
Bill that leaves the female-dominated
that the post-pandemic world will bear impact of lockdown on female-dominated NHS up for sale, and an Equalities
little resemblance to what came before. It industries such as hospitality and low- Minister who promised to move the focus
need not be repeated that this crisis has paid retail jobs. While a similar number of of the Equality and Human Rights
exposed the inequalities embedded in men were also made redundant, the lat- Commission away from women.
our society – so much is clear, with est data shows that falling employment Perhaps this government’s attitude
BAME, gender and socioeconomic dis- amongst men was largely driven by work towards women can best be seen in
parities widening at an alarming pace. loss among the full-time self-employed, Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s dismissive
The real question is what a responsible while among women it was part-time response to news that his Self-
policymaker would do now, and whether workers that suffered the most. Women Employment Income Support Scheme
the policymakers we have are doing any- were also significantly more likely to be had short-changed around 75,000 moth-
thing at all. insecurely employed – such as on zero- ers because the programme he designed
Women have been at the heart of the hour contracts or agency work – where had based their allowance on their
fight against Covid-19. They make up earnings and hours have fallen signifi- income during maternity leave rather than
nearly three-fifths – 58% – of the 10.6 mil- cantly more than among those with their normal earnings. Self-employment
lion people identified as “key workers”, secure contracts. has its “ups and downs… for all sorts of
putting themselves at personal risk to These trends expose problems embed- reasons,” he retorted, “whether maternity,
serve on the frontlines of the pandemic. ded in the UK’s labour law framework, ill health or others”.
This includes 79% of social care staff, which has long failed to promote equal It’s clear that women will not find an
who have tended to some of the most work opportunities for men and women. equal footing in the workplace until
clinically vulnerable populations, and 81% The inadequate provision of parental employment is made secure, female-
of those in education and childcare occu- leave and pay, and the gender pay gap, dominated sectors like care are no longer
pations. have forced most families to stick to tradi- devalued, and families are supported by
But women did not just bravely fight to tional gender roles in which it is the moth- their employers to allow mothers and
keep our public services running, they er who reduces her working hours and fathers to equalise responsibilities for
also had to shoulder the bulk of the the father whose income is relied upon childcare.
burden at home. According to research more greatly. This, alongside the low We, at the Institute of Employment
by the Fawcett Society, two-thirds of wages and precarious conditions within Rights, propose that insecure work is
mothers did most of the housework in female-dominated industries like social abolished through the introduction of a
their households, much of which involved care, have destabilised women’s work, universal employment status of ‘worker’
childcare duties (58%) and caring for allowing them to fall more easily into that affords all people with the full suite of
other adults (30%). How did our country underemployment and poverty. workers’ rights from day one on the job;
repay women for these heroic acts? By Disturbingly, another significant factor paternity leave and pay should be
forgetting them entirely. in job losses among women during the improved to help women return to work;
The ways in which women’s issues pandemic was a horrifying rise in discrim- sectoral collective bargaining should be
have been dismissed during the pandem- inatory behaviour by employers – espe- promoted in female-dominated sectors
ic are multiple, but let’s start with child- cially against women starting families. like social care to lift pay and conditions;
care. Women lose out both when they Pregnancy discrimination has always and no one should be allowed to sack a
are professional carers and when they been shamefully under-regulated. Before pregnant woman without the approval of
are performing unpaid care duties for any of us had even heard of Covid-19, an independent labour inspector.
their own families. The vast majority one in nine pregnant women and new These changes would require a whole-
(96%) of childcare professionals are mothers were already being sacked or sale shift in the government’s attitude to
female, one in eight (13%) of which are made redundant, one in five were experi- both work and women, but what better
paid less than £5 per hour. Despite this encing harassment, and one in 10 were way could we respond to a time of extra-
shockingly low pay, the UK has some of discouraged by their employer from ordinary change other than through extra-
the most expensive childcare in Europe, attending antenatal appointments. ordinary changes?
forcing many mothers to sacrifice working But now, even more women are suf-
SARAH GLENISTER
hours even in pre-Covid times – a factor fering. By July – just a few months into NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
consistently identified as a major driving the pandemic – a survey by campaign INSTITUTE OF EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS
force behind the UK's stubborn 15.5% group Pregnant Then Screwed found that WWW.IER.ORG.UK
2
no empty slogans. time to campaign
mary victims of the drive to a low-pay, significant health and economic crisis of
low-skill economy based on zero-hours our generation.
contracts. The whole union movement needs to
We urgently need to see support for work tirelessly to persuade the govern-
collective bargaining, job security and a ment to do more to support working peo-
return to investing in our skills and pen- ple. We must campaign to protect jobs
sions, underpinned by economic policy and pull out all the stops to find new ways
and labour market regulation. of working and new products to manufac-
Protecting our public services from pri- ture.
vatisation; fair and ethical trade with the Women members in Unite know what
Global South; protecting workers’ rights; is in the bigger picture that will make a
social and environmental protections; no real difference to advancing a trade union
hard border on the island of Ireland; free- women’s agenda:
dom of movement of people; support for Economic justice, social justice, climate
industrial development. justice, peace and human rights, com-
We also have the immediate and exis- mon ownership of land and the means of
tential threat of climate change. We need production, migrant rights, workers’
to deliver a green new deal that works for rights, devolution of power, and equality.
working people, one that does not leave We got off to a good start this year with
women behind. the election of Unison’s first woman gen-
JANE STEWART LOOKS AT THE OPTIONS We urgently need to invest in a just eral secretary Christina McAnea. Who
FOR TRADE UNION WOMEN FOR 2021. SHE transition that delivers quality green jobs, knows, maybe Unite will see its first
WILL CHAIR THE TUC WOMEN’S
CONFERENCE IN 2022 one that promotes co-operation and inno- woman GS, Sharon Graham – already
vation, and one that benefits our commu- steering a path on organising and collec-
THERE’S NO TUC WOMEN’S CONFERENCE nities. Public ownership of energy pro- tivism.
THIS YEAR AS SUCH, INSTEAD THERE WILL duction, distribution and supply is a criti- A rallying call from me is:
BE AN OPEN-TO-ALL-WOMEN EVENT WITH
THREE DEBATES AND FOUR PANEL cal part of this. n Women be heard
DISCUSSIONS DURING 3-5 MARCH. There is deep and lasting mistrust in n Women be Reps
REGISTER HERE WWW.TUC.ORG.UK/ many communities who remain scarred n Move over brother this is our time.
WOMENSCONFERENCE2021 from the closure of the coal mining indus- n From keyboard to kerbside we will fight
try. We need to develop a conversation to for better pay, a better future and pro-
I have operated for 40 years to try and
progress women’s rights. I have
achieved this where I have control in my
show that the industrial strategy can work
for working people.
And we need to ensure that business
gressive change that puts People before
Profit.
We have all the ammunition to effect
workplace. I first attended a TUC delivers on its legal equality obligations, these changes, through collective bar-
Women’s Conference in the ’90s and it to ensure that women are able to attain gaining, communal action. We are the
taught me to cement women’s struggles well-paid, secure jobs as part of the just fabric of society – this is our time.
in every aspect of the labour movement, transition: apprenticeships in engineering;
and I have done this with determination tackling entrenched gender-based occu-
built up by sisters who share our goal of pational segregation; and equal pay JANE STEWART IS A SENIOR TECHNOLOGIST
true equality. I have described my path to auditing. IN THE CHEMICAL SECTOR; A DEPUTY
CONVENOR; ON UNITE’S EXECUTIVE
embed the importance of women having Our movement must continue to battle COMMITTEE; CHAIR OF ITS WOMEN’S
a seat at the table. It underpins the to protect our women members, and all COMMITTEE; AND A MEMBER OF THE TUC
importance of collective bargaining and members, against Covid-19 – the most GENERAL COUNCIL
demonstrates that where women have a
voice, progressive policies and equality
happen.
As women working on the frontline of
manufacturing, Unite’s National Women’s
Committee sees the real and devastating
impact of the government’s economic
policy on our industries, our pay, and our
communities.
Our starting point is that economic poli-
cy matters to women, it impacts on all
aspects of our lives, it is essential we
have a voice in framing economic policy.
We have the greatest challenges fac-
ing us, given the impact on the UK econ-
omy of: Covid-19; our trading relation-
ships post-Brexit; automation and digitali-
sation; and the growth of global corpora-
tions who seem to believe they are
exempt from contributing to our taxes.
It’s all too easy for remote investors to
asset-strip companies, close down pro-
duction and sell the land to the highest Following an outcry, the Conservative government swiftly
bidder, often for luxury housing rather withdrew its Covid graphic demonstrating its real view of
than producing the goods that are the women’s role in the home – childcare, home schooling,
backbone of economic recovery.
This has had a devastating impact on cleaning, whilst the male partner rests on the sofa...
women’s earnings. We have been the pri-
3
from behind the ppe...
government.
Evidence submitted to the NHS pay
review body by the Chartered Society of
Physiotherapy showed 80% of NHS
physiotherapists asked carry out unpaid
overtime on a regular basis. 58% of
respondents also considered leaving the
NHS in the last year, a sentiment I doubt
is unique to physiotherapists. This is a
measure of the UK government’s failure
to financially recompense and recognise
the value of the people who work in the
NHS. Waiting for a national crisis, such
as coronavirus, to recognise their worth is
a travesty.
I will keep donning my uniform, PPE
and graffitied visor and keep working in
the NHS because I truly believe that it is
a privilege to care for others. I urge you,
in the strongest of terms, not to just clap
on my behalf and all NHS workers. I urge
you start shouting. And keep shouting
until this government hears. Write to your
local MP, as I have done and call for an
I T is almost a year to the day since the
first national lockdown, a year that has
seen tremendous tragedy, and one that
care for. These extraordinary humans
have gone above and beyond their emo-
tional, physical and mental capacity. The
early and significant pay rise for NHS
staff and sufficient funding and protection
to safeguard the NHS for the future.
has exposed beyond any doubt the cost of this is unquantifiable.
widening gap between the richest in our Public support for the NHS has been MEGAN WRIGHT IS A MEMBER OF THE NAW
AND OF THE CHARTERED SOCIETY OF
society and the poorest. It has been a overwhelming. Local companies and indi- PHYSIOTHERAPY
year of phenomenal public support for viduals donating and delivering care
essential workers, a group that I am parcels of food, hand cream and biscuits FOR MORE INFORMATION:
proud to be part of. have boosted morale. Notable national #WITHNHSSTAFFCAMPAIGN AND TO FIND
OUT WHAT YOUR MP IS UP TO VISIT
The NHS is held as an exemplar of fundraising campaigns have raised mil- WWW.THEYWORKFORYOU.COM
public healthcare services worldwide and lions for the NHS and the weekly ‘Clap
an organisation I joined last year as a for Heroes’ initiative has made audible THIS ARTICLE INCLUDES EDITED EXTRACTS
newly qualified physiotherapist. I was the public’s appreciation. OF EMAILS SENT EACH WEEK TO THE
AUTHOR’S MP SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
able to change careers and retrain in my However, claps do not pay the bills! JANUARY. A REPLY WAS FINALLY RECEIVED
mid-30s due to an NHS bursary, for The NHS is not a charity. It should be a A MONTH LATER – THE DIALOGUE
which my university fees and a small public service completely free at the point CONTINUES...
annual award was paid. Bursaries for of care, funded through efficient and pro-
nurses and allied health professions, portionate taxation. It should not be bol-
such as physios, were scrapped in 2016. stered by charitable giving from those
Thanks to a politically aware upbringing, already poorest and most vulnerable in
public service is woven into my being our society, whilst those with the largest
and, although not a condition of the bur- incomes evade and avoid taxation by a
sary, I joined the NHS and East Sussex government that encourages such behav-
Healthcare trust in August 2019. These iour. This pandemic has revealed how a
first years of my practice have held well-funded, functioning healthcare sys-
unprecedented professional and personal tem is a priority in our society. That
challenges. Yet it has been a crucible for
forging my beliefs about what is essential
begins with a decent wage.
Many NHS staff, and those who work
A 5% pay rise for NHS
in our society.
On a daily basis, myself and my col-
for the private companies who profit from
the systematic dismantling and asset-
staff would cost £330m
– less than the figure on the
leagues ‘gown up’, ‘glove up’ and don our stripping of the NHS over successive side of the Brexit bus.
visors, decorated with our names and governments, are not paid liveable
smiley faces, to try to communicate our wages. A staggering four in 10 of NHS A study by researchers
kindness from behind our surgical masks. workers receive state benefits. The NHS LONDON ECONOMICS
Throughout this pandemic, I have seen was founded in the aftermath of WW2 commissioned by NHS unions
how hard my colleagues work as they when the UK economy was comparative- shows that by increasing the
care for the most vulnerable in our soci- ly worse than it is today. The national
eties, the elderly, the young, the sick and debt exceeded that of when the Tory wages of England’s 1 million
dying and their families. We have adapt- party launched 10 years of austerity, a nurses, midwives, health
ed to all that has been asked, the con- decade that saw public service workers professionals and NHS support
stantly changing requirements of infection experience pay freezes, which is a pay staff, the Treasury would
control measures and PPE, changes to cut when inflation persists in increasing
shift patterns, changing roles, additional living costs. In 2018, the ‘Agenda for recover 81% of the cost
hours, additional responsibilities and Change’ pay deal was negotiated for through taxes and staff would
more. We have survived this pandemic NHS staff, a three year path out of wage boost the economy because
and its lockdowns with responsibilities stagnation. We edge closer to a new they spend more in local
outside of our working lives too, with fam- financial year and a new NHS pay review businesses. www.londoneconomics.co.uk
ilies, children and our own loved ones to is being kicked down the road by this
4
MEGAN DOBNEY REVIEWS ANNE AND work; Anne is divorced from Arthur.
BETTY – UNITED BY THE STRUGGLE
So, we have life, death, and everything
T HIS is not a history of the miners’
strike, nor of the Women Against Pit
Closures. Instead, it is the autobiogra-
in between…
If you remember the miners’ strike of
1984, you’ll also remember the living and
phies of two women who were central to social conditions of the 1950s and 60s so
both. you’ll gallop down memory lane with
We start at school, then college and Anne and Betty. If you’re younger you’ll
work, then marriage and pregnancy (not absorb it as you read. As Ian Clayton, lis-
necessarily in that order). tener and putter-together of the tales
It’s quite funny at times – vegetarians says “they are working class heroines of
at Greenham Common wolfing bacon the finest order. These are their stories in
sandwiches (well who can resist?). their voices.”
Outdoor toilets in Yorkshire (same as in
Lincolnshire of course). Imperfect hus- thoughts to end with:
bands – one the President of the Betty “I’m still available for picket lines,
Yorkshire National Union of Mineworkers, demonstrations and direct action – that
ANNE AND BETTY: UNITED BY THE
one a working miner but a “good for noth- will never stop”. STRUGGLE BY ANNE SCARGILL AND BETTY
ing lazy miner who hardly did a hand’s Anne “I am a woman who stood up and COOK, WITH IAN CLAYTON
stir at home”. I’m still standing up”. ROUTE PUBLISHING, HARDBACK, 256PP, £20
This government might have paid tens
of thousands to develop the three word
Covid-19 slogan as the ultimate propa-
ganda tool Face Hands Space but it was
the 1984 to 85 miners’ strike
alive and well in the 1980s – Coal Not
Dole.
And then we get to Woman Against Pit
T HE strike started in March 1984 fol-
lowing the announcement by the
National Coal Board that 20 collieries
sequence of events in their broadcast film
of the event.
The Orgreave Truth & Justice
Closures – a movement much wider than would close with 20,000 jobs to go. At the Campaign https://otjc.org.uk/ continues to
opposing the job cuts. Engaging “ordinary time there were 174 working pits with campaign for an independent public
working-class women” in the soup kit- 231,000 employees (in 1922 one million enquiry into South Yorkshire Police
chens and feeding the miners and their people were employed in around 1,000 actions. Note that this is the same police
families. Picketing – changing shifts to collieries). force that demonised football fans and
attend (Betty at Empire Stores, Anne at Arthur Scargill was President of the lied about its actions during and after the
the Co-op) and getting arrested. There National Union of Mineworkers having Hillsborough football disaster…
were challenges and tensions in the previously been President of the union’s Women Against Pit Closures brought
organisation and the Barnsley Miners’ Yorkshire region. He claimed the govern- thousands of women into political activity.
Wives Action Group was formed, but ment intent was to close down the indus- Rapidly moving from feeding strikers and
remained within the national organisation. try pit by pit as they became uneconomic their families to projecting women’s voic-
And the picketing and fundraising contin- (not exhausted) – this was denied by es into what had been an overwhelmingly
government and the NCB but we can male dominated industry it inspired hun-
ued.
note that the last deep pit closed five dreds of thousands to support the dis-
The strike ends. One of the lads came years ago following privatisation of the pute.
up to Anne and almost whispered “Anne, remaining pits in 1994. And there are During the miners’ strike over 11,000
I want my wife back now”. She recalls “I clear indications that this was the case in people were arrested – including Anne
knew that wasn’t going to happen. She government papers released in 2014 after and Betty. Hundreds were imprisoned
had changed like a lot of us women had.” the expiry of the 30 year embargo. and thousands were sacked after picket-
They realised that they no longer had to The geographic nature of the mining ing, even when no charges were brought.
be just a mother or a wife, they had a industry meant that whole communities The strike divided communities, trade
political education and a wider view. were devastated when pits closed – there unions (the pit deputies’ union NACODS
Betty says “women like me have become were seldom other employment opportu- did not strike, Nottinghamshire miners set
involved in things far beyond the normal nities nearby. The strike was almost uni- up the scab Union of Democratic
life we had before. I have become inter- versally observed in South Wales, Mineworkers, and the Guardian newspa-
ested in issues around social justice, the Yorkshire, Scotland, North East England per reported that papers released in 2005
peace movement, the health service, cuts and Kent, but there was less support in showed the NCB had an informant in
in social provisions, strikes for better the Midlands and in North Wales. trade union umbrella organisation the
wages and conditions”. This is the legacy The mass media demonised the pick- TUC), and even families.
of activism and leadership. eting, the police acted as agents of gov- Having said that solidarity was forth-
Betty goes to Northern College to do a ernment policy and beatings and violence coming from across the trade union
diploma in social and community studies characterised their approach. The South movement with food, children’s toys and
Yorkshire Police were in the vanguard of money flooding in to the NUM.
and Anne struggles with the public
this – in June 1991 they paid out The strike ended in March 1985. The
acceptance of many of the lies told in the £425,000 in compensation to 39 miners trade union movement would be stronger
media about Arthur. Betty breaks with her for assault, wrongful arrest unlawful had the miners been successful. The res-
husband – “the best £800 I ever spent” detention and malicious prosecution fol- onance with the printers’ Wapping dis-
(for the divorce). lowing their actions at “The Battle of pute against Rupert Murdoch are clear to
In 1992 the pit closure programme con- Orgreave” – a police riot at the Orgreave see. The movement reaps what it sows –
tinues, and Anne and Betty continue their coking plant in South Yorkshire. The BBC if the support is insufficient the crop is
involvement in camps, demos, occupa- joined in the political game switching the inadequate.
tions and sit ins. They both retire from
5
the campaign for claudia
THE CAMPAIGN FOR A MURAL OF CLAUDIA
JONES IN CAMDEN BY SHEZAN RENNY
W E are working to commission a
mural of Claudia Jones on the wall
of our end-of-terrace home in Camden,
round the corner from where she is
buried in Highgate Cemetery. The wall
faces a small children’s park, the 3-Point-
Park, locally known as Snake Park on
account of its colourful snake benches, a
place that parents and toddlers bring to
life every afternoon.
The site is also on a walking tour route
that includes visiting Claudia Jones’
grave in the Cemetery.
A mural in our area celebrating this
TOP LEFT SHEZAN RENNY IN
wonderful socialist fighter for civil rights FRONT OF THE DESIGNATED WALL
would be a fitting tribute to a Camden PIC DAN CARRIER DCARRIER@
hero who lived and died in the borough. CAMDENNEWJOURNAL.CO.UK
We will involve the local community in
TOP CLAUDIA JONES
this project with the planning, implemen- WATERCOLOUR
tation, and celebration of the completion
of the project. Ideally, the mural will be BELOW CLAUDIA JONES PIC BCA
designed by young artists from Camden
BOTTOM LEFT POSTAGE STAMP
and the surrounding area and we intend ISSUED IN 2008 IN ROYAL MAIL’S
to run a competition to this end. The local WOMEN OF DISTINCTION SERIES
community will be involved in choosing
the winning design and we envisage an
unveiling ceremony with local press cov-
erage.
We believe that a mural of this impor-
tant cultural figure, who is almost entirely
overlooked, would not only be appropri-
ate, but would also be an enhancement
of the cultural history of our amazing part
of Camden. She is a person we should all
be very proud of – she did so much. Party’s Caribbean committee,
Having a mural of her here would not Winston had been part of
only reflect that, but will prompt people to Claudia’s official wel-
find out more about her life. It would raise come party when she
spirits and inspire – a new vibrant and arrived in the UK in 1955
colourful landmark for everyone to enjoy. and would go on to sell
This project is supported by the 1980s the West Indian Gazette
Camden Council youth worker, Winston outside Kentish Town We also have the
Pinder, who launched a campaign to tube station after collect- support of a local jour-
raise money for a stone to be erected at ing copies from her nalist, Angela
Claudia Jones’ grave in Highgate Cem- home in Lisburne Road, Cobbinah, who took
etery. As a member of the Communist Gospel Oak. part in the campaign
that raised the money
through dances and
claudia jones Yet following her
untimely death in 1964 at
the age of 49 – her
letter-writing appeals
for the memorial
health ruined by her year stone. Angela was
Born in Trinidad. Jailed in the US and
in a US jail – Jones swift- one of the young peo-
then deported in the 1950s for being a
ly sank into obscurity. At her request ple who carved the stone out of polished
Communist.
she’d been buried next to Karl Marx in Cornish granite bearing the inscription
As racist violence erupted on the
Highgate Cemetery but the woman once ‘Valiant fighter against racism and imperi-
streets of Notting Hill, the monthly news-
described by Paul Robeson as “one of alism’. The stone was erected in 1984 in
paper she founded (West Indian
America’s finest daughters” lay in an a ceremony attended by the Cuban and
Gazette) became the voice of the
unmarked grave. Chinese ambassadors. Only the Camden
unheard, selling more than 30,000
In 2008, Jones reached the political New Journal recorded the event – in a
copies with its news and analysis that
mainstream when she appeared on a report written by Angela.
linked the plight of early black migrants
to the international campaign for social UK postage stamp (see above). In the
SEE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE HERE:
justice. same year, a plaque to her was unveiled HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/656
As a visionary leader she brought in Notting Hill as one of the “first ladies” 475478392971 AND CONTACT US BY EMAIL
Carnival to London, starting off with a of carnival with the support of Nubian AT CLAUDIAJONESMURAL@GMAIL.COM
dance at St Pancras Town Hall in 1959 Jak, an African Caribbean charity. WE ARE CURRENTLY COLLECTING
MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT,
to “wash away the bad taste of Notting See Angela Cobbinah’s full article ESPECIALLY FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS, AS
Hill from our mouths”, she said, adding, here: http://camdennewjournal.com/arti- THIS IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE COUNCIL.
“a people’s art is the genesis of their cle/if-anyone-deserves-a-statue-it-is- HERE IS THE LINK TO THE GOOGLE
freedom”. claudia DOCUMENT FOR THIS
HTTPS://FORMS.GLE/LKKU2RDA6MF1BAA46
6
abortion: the fight continues
T HE World Health Organisation
(WHO) reports regularly on the num-
ber of abortions that are performed in
result of pressure from healthcare profes-
sionals and campaigners, but this is only
a temporary measure.
each country, regardless if abortions are Abortion continues to be controversial
legal or illegal. They estimated that because of deeply rooted social, political
between 2015 and 2019 there were 73.3 and economic attitudes towards women.
million induced abortions world-wide, However, the WHO has shown that
45% of which were performed in unsafe restricting access to abortion does not
or dangerous conditions. reduce the number of abortions. So, what
We know from our own history in the is it about? It’s clearly a mechanism for
UK that abortions were happening well control and power over women, even
before it became legal, but we also know though it conflicts with the United Nations
that many women paid the price with their Committee on the Elimination of
lives. Around seven million women are Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
admitted to hospitals every year in devel- Article 16 which makes it clear that
oping countries as a result of unsafe women have the right to decide “freely
abortions and up to 13% of maternal and responsibly on the number and spac-
deaths are attributed to unsafe abortions. ing of their children and to have access to
Despite this, access to free, legal and the information, education and means to
safe abortion is withheld from millions of enable them to exercise these rights”.
women and it’s not just an issue for So, the campaign for free, legal and
developing countries. safe abortions will continue here and
Malta, an EU country has a total ban across the world because the right to
on abortions even in the case of rape or choose is a fundamental cornerstone of
incest and even where abortion rights the women’s movement. Our bodies, our
have been achieved, attempts to roll lives.
them back continues. ANITA WRIGHT IS A MEMBER OF ABORTION
Emboldened by the election of Donald RIGHTS AND THE NAW EC
Trump, the American right-wing in WWW.ABORTIONRIGHTS.ORG.UK
Georgia, Kentucky Ohio and Mississippi
banned abortion at six weeks and
Alabama banned abortion outright.
Although none of these laws are enacted
because they directly contravene the
outstanding women
Supreme Court case of Roe v Wade, it
chillingly shows the fragility of the right to
choose. Poland, which already has some
of the strictest abortion laws in Europe is
A S the Women’s International Demo-
cratic Federation moves past its 75th
anniversary into the final quarter of its
the two WIDF vice-presidents for the
Middle East. Throughout her life she
fought for an end to the oppression of the
moving towards an almost total ban on first century, the NAW renews its commit- Palestinian people and the occupation of
abortions and in Honduras, where abor- ment to the international struggle for the their lands by the Israeli regime and for
tion has been banned since 1982, they rights of women and remembers some of the inalienable right of the Palestinian
have created a ‘constitutional lock’ to the outstanding women who have led the people to self-determination and a sover-
make it virtually impossible to legalise organisation. eign state. A skilled diplomat, she count-
abortion. And now the DUP are trying to The WIDF was founded at a congress ed Palestinian ambassador to Peru
amend abortion rights legislation in in Paris attended by women from organi- among the many offices she held. As a
Northern Ireland that was only brought in sations in 41 countries, and has dedicat- WIDF vice-president, she promoted and
line with the rest of Britain two years ago. ed itself to the struggle for women’s eco- defended women’s rights everywhere,
But there has been some good news. nomic, political and social rights, for the but she will best be remembered for
In December last year, Argentina wellbeing and healthy development of bringing the voice of Palestinian women
legalised abortion in the first 14 weeks of children everywhere and for peace as the into the heart of the WIDF.
pregnancy. This was a huge success for vital precondition for the achievement of Our dear sister, Elizabeta Tortosa,
campaigners and step forward for wom- equality. who passed away in February this year
en’s rights in a region that is powerfully The success of the WIDF has depend- has been described as an “audacious,
influenced by the Catholic church. South ed not only on the strength of its member insightful woman of immense tenderness”
Korea, Thailand and Jamaica are also organisations but the remarkable calibre and an indefatigable campaigner.
reviewing their legislation. of women who have been elected to Elizabeta was a WIDF vice-president for
The Covid-19 pandemic has made life leadership. The first president was the Americas and Caribbean and director
even more challenging for women, and Eugenie Cotton, leader of the Union des of the Bolivarian Association of Women in
exacerbated inequality, particularly for Femmes Francaises (UFF), also a mem- Venezuela. She joined the United
women seeking an abortion. In Britain, ber of the presidential committee of the Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV),
face-to-face consultation and surgical World Peace Council, its highest govern- founded by Hugo Chavez in 2007, from
procedures have been restricted, travel ing body. Monica Felton from Britain its inception and has been a tireless fight-
bans imposed and with money worries became a WIDF vice-president and in er for Venezuelan women and we will
rising it’s not surprising that in December May 1952 went to war-torn Korea on its miss her immensely.
2020, the Pregnancy Advisory Service behalf to campaign against germ warfare. Mayada and Elizabeta are two exam-
reported that 62% of women who had an Dolores Ibarruri, known as La ples of the recent giants on whom our
abortion in the UK during the pandemic Pasionaria during the civil war in Spain, movement depends. Future issues of
stated financial factors as one of the rea- became an inspirational honorary vice- Sisters will profile some of the amazing
sons for making this choice. The govern- president of the WIDF in 1963. women who lead the WIDF. We rarely
ment’s decision to allow women to take Two outstanding WIDF leaders have give them sufficient coverage and we
the two early medical abortion pills at recently died. Mayada Abbassi passed know they will be inspirational.
home without a trip to a clinic came as a away in December 2020. She was one of LIZ PAYNE IS AN NAW EC MEMBER
7
National sriyani arif
Assembly of ROZ CARTER, SECRETARY OF THE NAW’S
WEST LONDON BRANCH, REMEMBERS
FORMER EC MEMBER SRIYANI ARIF
Women S RIYANI was a founder member of
our Branch and a dedicated and
weekend active campaigner for women’s rights and
equality. Over many years, she reported
back on a wide range of international top-
conference ics such as China and Korea as well as
the South Asia countries about which she
was deeply knowledgeable.
Saturday 12 & Sunday Sriyani was committed to supporting
13 June 2021 at many women’s campaigns and issues of
race and diversity. She led discussions
Hillscourt Education on domestic violence, forced marriage
Centre, Birmingham and honour killings and was influential in
(National Headquarters our support for ASTI (Acid Survivors
Trust International). We are most appre-
of the NASUWT) ciative of the help Sriyani gave to our
NAW branch as well as to the NAW
Executive. She always assisted gener-
All our fingers are ously with the Branch fund-raising which
supports a wide range of international
crossed... keep an campaigns.
Sriyani was totally committed to her
eye on our website family who have our sympathy at this
sisters.org.uk time. We join the family in mourning her.
She made a difference to many people
and we will all miss her.
CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL 8th MARCH
INTERNATIONAL
WOMEN’S DAY WOMEN’S DAY
Online meeting. No advance registration needed
THE NATIONAL
https://tinyurl.com/5kywd5b8
ASSEMBLY OF WOMEN
SENDS GREETINGS TO
Saturday 6 March 2021, 6.30 to 9.00 pm SISTERS WORLDWIDE
International Rally & Cultural Evening Fighting for
International speakers, music, poetry equality, peace
All women and men welcome
Organised by The Coordinating Committee of Communist Parties in Britain and progress
what’s on... join the NAW now!
I would like to join the NAW. Here is £20 for the annual subscription (£10 unwaged)
which includes my subscription to sisters, the journal of the NAW.
NAW Executive Committee
Our organisation would like to affiliate to the NAW. Enclosed is:
meetings are open to all
£20 (local organisation/NAW branch), £45 (regional organisation), £60 (national)
members. The next will be a
Name
“virtual” meeting on
Address
Saturday 17 April.
If you would like to attend
please contact the Secretary postcode
on naw@sisters.org.uk or at Organisation
NAW, 72 Beaconsfield Road phone email
Coventry CV2 4AR Send to: NAW, c/o C Simpson, Unite, 33-37 Moreland Street, London EC1V 8BB
8
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