World March of Women 2000

[nin@xxxxxx]

WORLD MARCH OF WOMEN 2000

Montreal, Quebec (Canada)
October 1999

To women's groups, women's caucuses within unions and women in
non-governmental organizations,

We are delighted to be writing to your group about the World March of
Women in the Year 2000. You have perhaps already heard of this huge
education and action project involving women's movements around the
world that is planned for the year 2000. Over 2505 women's groups in
139 countries are already participating in the project and we hope that
your group will join them.

In a world where--no matter where we live--violence against women is a
daily reality and poverty is making women increasing vulnerable, global
action and solidarity-building are important. Women everywhere are
struggling for equality, development and peace. The World March of Women
is a stimulating global action that will mark the new millennium by
demonstrating women's continuing determination to change the world!

Enclosed is a brief document explaining the World March of Women and a
Sign-up Coupon. If your organization decides to participate in the March
all you need to do is get in touch with us so that we can send you more
information and a sign-up coupon. If you wish to learn more about this
project you can visit our web site www.ffq.qc.ca/marche2000/.

Do not hesitate to inform other women's groups in your country or
elsewhere about the March.

We hope that this information concerning the World March of Women has
sparked your interest and made you want to participate!

In solidarity,

JC Chayer
Outreach and Mobilisation
World March of Women in the Year 2000

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

World March of Women in the Year 2000

As of October 1st 1999, 2505 groups from 139 countries have joined the March!

Where Does the Idea for a World March in the Year 2000* Come From?

The idea to hold a world march of women in the year 2000 was born out of
the experience of the Women's "Bread and Roses" March Against Poverty,
which took place in Quebec in 1995. This march, initiated by the
Federation des femmes du Quebec (FFQ), was hugely successful. Fifteen
thousand people greeted the 850 women who marched for ten days to win
nine demands related to economic justice. The entire women's movement
mobilized for the march as did many other segments of the population.

Founded in 1966, the FFQ is a non-partisan pressure group whose aim is
to promote and protect the interests and rights of women. The FFQ
defines itself as a pluralistic, feminist organization.

*Year 1421 by the Muslim calendar and year 5760 by the Jewish calendar.

What We Want

- To stimulate a vast movement of grassroots women's groups so that the
  march becomes a gesture of affirmation by the women of the world.
- To promote equality between men and women.
- To highlight the common demands and initiatives issuing from the
  global women's movement relating to the issues of poverty and 
  violence against women.
- To force governments, decision-makers and individuals the world over
  to institute the changes necessary for improving the status of women
  and women's quality of life.
- To enter the new millennium by demonstrating women's ongoing
  determination to change the world.

Values underlying the action

- the leadership of the organization is in the hands of women;
- all regions in the world share leadership in the action;
- participating groups must subscribe to the objectives and overall 
  plan of action for the March but - remain independent as regards 
  organizing the action in their respective countries;
- we recognize, respect and value the diversity of the women's movement;
- the World March of Women in the year 2000 is a pacifist action.

End Poverty and Violence Against Women

The World March of women in the Year 2000 is an action to improve
women's living conditions. More precisely, the specific demands centre
on the issues of poverty and violence against women.

Three levels of action have been proposed for the March. First, there
will be an action demonstrating women's mass support of the overall
demands, signified by signing support cards. Secondly, women's
movements in each country will organize national actions that will
present demands reflecting their realities and priorities. Finally, a
world demonstration or rally will be held. The entire project will be
developed and supported by a process of popular education. The actions
will begin March 8, 2000, and end October 17, 2000, with the world
rally.

An International Preparatory Meeting for the March was held in Montreal
on October 16-18 1998. 140 delegates from 65 countries discussed the
international demands and the action scenarios. An international liaison
committee was also created. The names of the members of this committee
are available on our web site: www.ffq.qc.ca/marche2000/

On the Subject of Joining

The World March of Women in the Year 2000 is not an organization or an
agency (with a legal status or a charter) with members. It is a project
for collective action in which women participate actively, which is why
we have been asking groups interested in joining in the action to send
us a sign-up coupon. Then they become participating groups in the
project.

Joining the World March in the Year 2000 Means:

- making a commitment and adopting the project as your own;
- encouraging other groups in your country to join the project and
  working in tandem with them;
- wanting to help organize actions being planned nationally and
  internationally;
- wanting to participate in the popular education campaign where you
  live;
- passing on information about the March to members of your group,
  inviting them to have discussions and mobilizing them to act.

Who can join?

- non-governmental women's organizations;
- women's committees of mixed groups (women and men);
- mixed organizations that do not have a women's committee but 
  where women are taking the leadership for the March.

Please note that, for the time being, we are only letting groups join,
which means that women cannot do so individually. We urge those who want
to keep abreast of how the project is unfolding to contact a
participating group in their country or to visit our Web site regularly.
Please note that the complete list of the participating groups is also
available on our web site: www.ffq.qc.ca/marche2000/

If your group is interested in joining the project please send us a
sign-up coupon. Please contact us for a copy or if you need further
information.

World March of Women
Federation des femmes du Quebec
110 rue Ste-Therese, #307
Montreal, Quebec
CANADA H2Y 1E6
Tel: (1) 514-395-1196
Fax: (1) 514-395-1224
marche2000@xxxxxxxxx
www.ffq.qc.ca/marche2000/


WORLD MARCH OF WOMEN

Sign-up Coupon

We want to be part of this massive project for the year 2000. Here is
where we can be reached:

please print

Name of Organization:

Contact Person:

Address:

City:

Country:

Postal Code:

Continent/Region:

Africa Asia Europe Latin America/Caribbean
Middle East North America Oceania

Telephone:
Fax:
E-mail address:

We wish to receive correspondence in: English

Nous desirons recevoir notre correspondance en: Francais

Deseamos recibir toda correspondencia en: Espanol


Please return this coupon to the following address:

World March of Women
Federation des femmes du Quebec
110 rue Ste-Therese, #307
Montreal, Quebec
CANADA H2Y 1E6
Telephone: (1) 514-395-1196
Fax: (1) 514-395-1224
E-mail: marche2000@xxxxxxxxx
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