On the move

Washington, D.C. – Formerly incarcerated women from across the United States, together with their families and allies, marched on Wednesday, April 24 in the nation’s capital a few weeks ahead of Mother’s Day in the US, with an urgent message for President Joe Biden: bring moms home for Mother’s Day, and stop building new federal prisons for women and girls. Invest the money in communities instead, so they can thrive and heal.

These women are demonstrating against patriarchy, going on feminist strikes, meeting, debating, expressing themselves through the arts, paying tribute to Palestinian women… In many Mediterranean countries, women are mobilizing for International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, 2024. Below is an overview of the activities, marches, and mobilizations planned for this day. Go ahead and join them where you are! Above all, be many to join this profound movement that is women’s struggle for more rights and freedoms.

This year, French women are living through a historic moment: the freedom to resort to abortion is engraved in stone in the Constitution.

For the first time in France, an international conference bringing together defenders of laïcité took place on December 8 and 9, 2023 in the auditorium of Paris City Hall. A look back at these two intense days, which were attended by a hundred diligent participants, exiles from all over the world.

On Saturday October 28 in Rome, civil society mobilized to demand an immediate ceasefire and an end to the bombing of Gaza.

The women of Syria would like to address this message of solidarity to the women of Gaza and Palestine. We are exhausted by the repeated deception of major powers. The words we utter convey this exhaustion and are laced with decisions to remain and try again, despite everything. This heartfelt message emerges from a single, shared wound, from continuous pain that has been passed on over many, many years of suffering, from the wound inflicted on victims the world over.

The Women’s Rights Center (WRC) is one of the most significant organizations in Montenegro devoted to the fight for a just society that respects human rights and the principles of gender equality. This year marked its 10-year jubilee. Through programs of support services, public advocacy, and culture, the WRC strives to empower women in Montenegro by filling the gap of specialized services for victims of gender-based violence and discrimination. An interview with Tanja Markuš, artist and Women's Rights Center cultural program coordinator

While it is universally recognized that abusing and physically harming a woman are hideous crimes, the same cannot be said for many forms of “invisible” violence that leave no bruises and are rarely called by their proper name. It is therefore essential to identify and denounce these 'practices of everyday or ordinary sexism' because they constitute the socio-cultural and psychological fertile ground for more serious and sometimes irreversible acts of violence. We discussed this and more with Lorenzo Gasparrini, feminist philosopher and anti-sexism activist, author of the blog Questo uomo no and numerous books, and expert in gender education.

Many abuses do not make it to the headlines because they leave no visible bruises, and yet, they affect the lives of thousands of women every day. Misogynous and abusive behaviors are widespread in our societies but continue to be belittled or even denied instead of being called by their proper name. All this and more are topics we discussed with Lorenzo Gasparrini, feminist philosopher, anti-sexism activist, author of the blog “Questo uomo no” and numerous books, and expert in gender education. Here is the first part of a long interview Gasparrini gave to Medfeminiswiya on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 2022.

As feminists, we should never tire of repeating that all people have the right to bread, but also to roses. One must add that those with the privilege of enjoying both have a duty to share them. So go ahead, start reading "Medfeminiswiya". There, you will find knowledge, beauty and long-awaited promises of a better future.