International Womens Day: Whats Happening Around The World

From Denny:  Women are in crisis around the globe this year - from the Middle East to Europe to America.  For the Middle East it is about torture, malicious prosecution, unjust imprisonment and the selling into prostitution and slavery of both women and their children.

For America it is about dealing with the Hate Merchants women are expected to shrug off and endure as it contributes to domestic abuse, unequal pay and hiring in the work place and vicious gang rape in our military.  In Europe women are dealing with a deep economic crisis that is rocking the foundations of society, robbing hope for the next generation's prosperity.

Hasina, a survivor of an acid attack, takes part in an awareness rally about the violence against women as they commemorate International Women's Day in Dhaka, Bangladesh on March 8.  Andrew Biraj / Reuters  

Today is meant to celebrate the achievements and progress of women on a global scale.  It began 100 years ago in 1911 and was first celebrated in four European countries, drawing thousands of supporters in rallies.

By the decade of the 1970's the IWD gained momentum in the United States, expanding after 1975 when the United Nations created March 8th as the official date.  Since then, IWD has been the marking point for creating awareness for various women's issues from voting rights to the world health crisis of AIDS.

Dennys Global Politics: Egypt: Revolution Loses Meaning As Women Denied Rights, Role in Society

photo by Fatma Naib

Dennys Global Politics: Egypt: Revolution Loses Meaning As Women Denied Rights, Role in Society: From Denny:  Egypt held so much hope for the world when the Arab Spring broke out last year, toppling the regime.

Then reality set in.  The very women that protected the men who marched, the very women who gave medical aid and money to help the revolution, were turned upon and denied their respect and freedom.

The protesters took it all and gave nothing in return by denying women a seat at the table while they restructured the national government.  The former male protesters and the Egyptian military council refused the concepts of generosity, kindness, partnership and equality.  To the women, the protesters and the military are no different than the regime:  all deny freedom and equal rights to women.

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Peoples Revolution: Wisconsin Update and Political Cartoons

Puppet for the oligarchy Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Image by DonkeyHotey via Flickr

From Denny:  The political debate goes on in the cities and the suburbs of Wisconsin. Republicans hate unions, not really understanding if they lose their current wage levels in the public sector the next to lose is everyone else in the private sector - especially those who are not unionized as they will be the first targets. They still believe the hype from the conservatives. Talk about brain washing.

The liberals in different areas of Wisconsin exhibit a strong contrast. They do understand what we all have to lose if America allows Big Business to dictate all terms all the time. Most are in agreement the Wisconsin Democrats only had one option open to them to stop from getting run over by the political puppets of Big Business - take off past the border of the state.

The longer this stalemate goes on the more sympathy the Democrats and the unions and teachers are coming their way.  Currently, support for the Wisconsin governor is quickly eroding from among Independents.  And now, there are at least up to four Republicans willing to cross the line and vote with the Democrats against the governor.  The Wisconsin Senate is 19 Republicans to the 14 Democrats.  A defection of at least two Republicans would be a huge victory.

And the shouting continues... Whew! Democracy is one messy business.

Visual Insights: Dennys Photo Gallery: Invisible Women Around The World

Visual Insights: Dennys Photo Gallery: Invisible Women Around The World Remember International Womens Day is 8 March 2011

Related articles

• Women in Peril: Ivory Coast Protesters (thesocialpoets.blogspot.com)

Women in Peril: Ivory Coast Protesters

From Denny: The defiant leader of the Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo, ordered his forces to fire upon thousands of unarmed female protesters. Six were killed. In this culture, when women march as protesters it is considered a last resort against an unrestrained Army.

Photo: A main square in the Abobo neighborhood of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, today now littered by piles of burning trash. Road blocks by supporters of Alassane Ouattara have prevented normal traffic in this once bustling area. Barricades were erected by locals in an effort to limit incursions by security forces and militias loyal to the Ivory Coast leader Laurent Gbagbo.

Photo by Rebecca Blackwell/AP

It was a horrible day of barbarism when Gbagbo ordered tanks to attack the protesters and then the soldiers opened fire upon the unarmed women yesterday. The women were demanding Gbagbo cede power and protesting his refusal to leave office. You see, another man won the presidential election on 28 November 2010, yet the former leader refuses to give up the office.

From Patrick Achi, spokesman for the internationally recognized new government of Alassane Ouattara, "Indeed, we anticipated everything short of imagining that one could shoot live rounds at unarmed women, all the more with tanks."

This three month long struggle for the new government to take office has resulted in almost 400 killed. Firing upon unarmed female protesters shocked the nation, shattering a cultural taboo, a belief system that assumed soldiers could never stoop so low as to fire upon a women's march.

The organizer of the women's march, Sirah Drane, age 41, said the protesters were gathered at a traffic circle in Abobo. She was about to address the crowd when the tanks rolled into the square.

She told of the horror: "That's when we saw the tanks. There were thousands of women. And we said to ourselves, 'They won't shoot at women.' ... I heard a boom. They started spraying us. ... I tried to run and fell down. The others trampled me. Opening fire on unarmed women? It's inconceivable."

For some time now the international community has been pressuring Gbagbo to step down, recognizing the newly elected leader as the legitimate government. Yesterday's killings elicited an immediate rebuke from the American government.

From U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley, "The moral bankruptcy of Laurent Gbagbo is evident as his security forces killed women protesters."

From the U.N. Security Council: "We are deeply concerned about the escalation of violence in the Ivory Coast and that it could lead to a resurgence of civil war there."

It was just last week when the Gbagbo security forces shelled the Abobo neighborhood. You can see why the locals put up barricades against them. It was shocking to see how Gbagbo's Army was willing to use war-grade weapons upon unarmed civilians.

Since this most recent level of aggression, the new government of Ouattara has been forced to arm for self-defense. What was once a peaceful resistance is now an armed one. Ouattara's camp is led by rebels from the north as well as soldiers who have been defecting from Gbagbo's Army.

A veritable parade of delegations from African leaders have visited Abidjan, Ivory Coast's commercial hub, to convince Gbagbo to leave office. Of course, Gbagbo is defiant, rejecting all suggestions and proposals, even offers of amnesty.

Gbagbo lost the election in November by 500,000 votes. He grew angry at the United Nations, ordering them of the country, accusing them of meddling in state affairs. Read that as Gbagbo was unable to spin the election results in his favor.

Please remember these women - and this country - in your prayers.

International Womens Day is 8 March 2011.

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