International Women’s Day – a moment for solidarity

Continuing our series of guest blogers, Lee Webster writes about why International Women’s Day matters.

I love International Women’s Day, it’s my favourite day of the year.

It’s the combination of celebrating women’s achievements, recognising that we still have many struggles ahead of us, and then organising ourselves to do something about them, which makes the day so special.

Across the world today, women are taking action, raising awareness and demanding change on the issues that affect them.

I work for CARE International and run the Voices Against Violence campaign, which calls for an end to violence against women who live in conflict. Through our partners in countries such as Uganda, Nepal, Afghanistan and Democratic Republic of Congo, we build links with women’s rights activists, support their campaigns, and call on the international community to live up to their commitments to protect women.

Women disproportionately suffer the consequences of war. Rape is used as a weapon, to terrorise women and destabilise whole communities. Unfortunately, even when war ends, violence against women doesn’t, and women continue to suffer under heightened levels of domestic violence.

I heard about this in detail last year when I travelled to Uganda and met women survivors of violence who were demanding that their government took action to protect them and support their recovery. One inspiring activist, Christina Lanyero, said in a speech to hundreds of women:

“Violence against women is spoiling the little peace that we have had in northern Uganda. Did our mothers and sisters not suffer enough during the conflict?”

Christina’s words summed things up for me. Women suffered more than enough during the conflict in northern Uganda. They lived in constant fear of rape by armed men, they experienced violence at the hands of partners in overcrowded camps for displaced people, they were kidnapped and tortured. Enough is enough.

These horrific examples may seem a million miles away from where you are sitting. But as women, we must be united around the world in the struggle for equality. What hurts a woman in Uganda, also hurts me.

The UK government plays a key role on the international stage in ensuring women are protected from violence, and that survivors of rape in conflict are supported. CARE is calling on each of the political parties, ahead of the upcoming general election, to put women’s rights at the centre of their foreign policy commitments. You can take action today and add your voice against violence.

But let’s not forget that International Women’s Day is also a day for celebration, let’s remember that women’s activism does bring about change. Last year the women in Uganda convinced their parliament to pass legislation protecting women from violence in the home. This is one victory in a whole shared history of victories – from the suffragettes to education for girls, to grassroots campaigns the world over for equality and justice.

It’s a long struggle, but we’re in it together. And that is why I love this day.