Reflecting on International Women's Day, united in our voices
As we look towards International Women’s Day, we reflect on the ongoing struggles for gender justice, health equity, and non-discrimination in the face of deepening global crises. Growing geopolitical tensions have fuelled political polarisation, while social degradation and economic insecurity have allowed far-right authoritarian regimes to rise to power.
We are witnessing the nexus between capitalism, patriarchy and coloniality. We are witnessing the corporate takeovers of healthcare that violate impact patients' rights and access to care; the growing climate crisis that exacerbating injustices and inequities and impacts health, mental health and well-being; continued challenges surrounding sexual and reproductive health-, including maternal health, access to contraceptives and abortion; and increasing gender-based violence.
We are witnessing the worsening health crises particularly in conflict and war zones, particularly in the occupied territories of in Palestine, as well as in Sudan, Yemen, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and in many countries. Cuts to humanitarian aid and attacks on health workers and clinics threaten to collapse health systems, exacerbating malnutrition and infectious diseases. The dehumanizing colonial occupation, horrific and inhumane conditions in Gaza leave us heartbroken and outraged.
With the growing anti-gender and anti-feminist discourse that is prevailing and precipitating across the globe, we, at PHM, are deepening our understanding of the deeper ramifications of this in the form of the discrimination of LGBTQI+ persons; the stigmatisation of disability; and the persistence of discriminatory practices primarily targeting marginalised and racialised women’s bodies. The attacks on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights and Justice coincide with drastic cuts to development assistance for health foreign aid, worsening humanitarian crises with catastrophic long-term consequences.
We strongly condemn the US government's sudden and callous actions domestically and internationally, which pose a direct threat to the fundamental right to health of millions of people in the USA itself and globally, particularly from marginalised and vulnerable communities and countries that depend on donor-supported healthcare initiatives for survival. Mass displacements and deportations under stricter immigration policies will strain health infrastructure in transit and host countries. These policies and actions serve the 0.1% Billionaire Class, but not people in any country, including the USA.
As the statement from Gabriela states, “We celebrate and salute the migrant workers and the refugees who were forced out of their countries because of poverty and environmental destruction brought about by the imposition of neoliberal economic policies, and the wars that are being instigated and lead by imperialist powers…. .. We march with the Filipino migrant workers all over the world as they build unities with other migrants to fight together for the rightful recognition of their contribution to local economies and to end racism and build an inclusive society.”
On this International Women’s Day we stand united against the global backlash on women’s rights, workers’ rights, migrant rights, trans rights, disability rights and the rights of occupied people and the rights of women from conflict and war zones.
On this International Women’s Day, we celebrate and salute women workers; frontline Health and Care workers, sanitation workers who continue to toil in all workplaces—enduring the most unsafe working conditions, taking on the hardest of work while being , and paid the lowest salaries or wages. We stand in support with ASHA (Community Health Workers) workers struggles in India, who were paid the lowest salaries or wages.
We are the need a collective resistance and we take action against as the far-right, anti-people wave coming from many parts of the world.
Our collective voices are as critical today as ever before on this International Women’s Day for,
- A world that is equitable, inclusive and diverse
- A world that respects autonomy and bodily integrity
- A world free of violence and discrimination
- A world that fulfills our vision of peace and harmony
People’s Health Movement (PHM)
Website: https://phmovement.org/;
Twitter @PHMglobal;
Instagram: @globalPHM
- Martinique
- Honduras
It reflects the diversity of women for the vindication of our rights as indigenous, peasant and Garifuna women, that we must unite in the defence of our rights, in the face of violence and femicides, we promote agroecology and food sovereignty as a right in the face of hunger in Honduras and in the people of the world. They will hold a march on Friday 8th March in Tegucigalpa Honduras with the various women's groups and organisations and send their statement.
- Australia
We march together on International Women’s Day, for safety, equality and respect, celebrating the achievements of women unionists. We march to support each other, to reflect on the lessons from the past and the rights we strive for today and we celebrate this together. We will be promoting gender equity in the home and workplaces, and reproductive rights.
The March will take place on 8th of March on the lands of the Kaurna people and was never ceded. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
- Dominican Republic: Persist, Resist, transform for Human Dignity.
There will be a rally on Saturday 8 March in the Independence Park, starting at 9:00am in Santo Domingo Capital of the Dominican Republic.
II. This will be a broad convocation that will bring together the demands of large groups and social movements such as migrants, environmentalists and community groups, from urban and rural areas. The idea is that from the multiple interests and needs of women, a mobilising confluence of diverse sectors can be generated.
III. To highlight the date of the 8th March, placing in the foreground the defence of women's rights, the rejection of the setbacks that may be being attempted in times like the present of threats to social gains and the taking of spaces by fascist ideas and hate speeches that reinforce the colonial model, while reinforcing the right to a life free of violence, to the full exercise of autonomy over our bodies and our lives, including the demand for the 3 causes of death.
II. To highlight the date of the 8th March, placing in the foreground the defence of women's rights, the rejection of the setbacks that may be being attempted in times like the present of threats to social conquests and the taking of spaces by fascist ideas, and hate speeches that reinforce the colonial model, while reinforcing the right to a life free of violence, to the full exercise of autonomy over our bodies and our lives, including the demand for the 3 causes of death.
III. Agree to strengthen collective struggle, uniting slogans and demands with all the social struggles of the moment, among them: a) environmental movement, in defence of water, our rivers and forests, in rejection of pollution and poisoning of aquifers; b) movement for the defence and protection of migratory processes, rejecting mistreatment, violation of rights and mass deportations, and demanding respect for enshrined rights, and against all expressions of racism; c) local and territorial and labour struggles.
- GABRIELA Philippines-
Received an appeal from GABRIELA Philippines and the women’s commission (Commission 7) of the International League of Peoples’ Struggles to support the striking workers of Nexperia Philippines, a transnational company with predominantly women workers. According to the email from Gabriela, the management began massively laying off workers affecting over 600 last year. This, along with substantial wage hikes, was among the key issues being raised by the union in the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations with the management, when its top four officials were terminated over dubious bases. It led to the union’s filing of a notice of strike last December, which the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) prohibited in a decision released on February 5, 2025. Exactly a month later and following several unsuccessful conciliation meetings, the union finally mounted the strike on March 5, 2025, three days from the International Working Women’s Day. Our comrades are requesting to extend solidarity with the Nexperia Workers.
Gabriela IWWD 2025 statement attached_1.png)
- United States: Hesperian Foundation from USA: Sharing the information received from Hesperian Foundation from USA to share the information with the thematic group. They are releasing reproductive health apps to coincide with International Women's Day. These apps empower women to make informed decisions about their reproductive health, and are regularly updated through collaboration and feedback from partner groups around the world who ensure that the information is accessible, relevant, and useful:
Updates to the Safe Abortion App include more links to local resources and expanded answers to frequently asked questions with a new section, "Giving abortion support," to provide educational information, advice, mental health resources, and self-care tips that can be useful for health workers, counselors, caretakers, and others assisting people seeking abortions.
Our Safe Pregnancy and Birth App now includes a read-aloud feature in Spanish and English for increased accessibility.
The Family Planning App was recently updated to improve navigation across all 9 languages.
All 3 apps can be used without data after download, or accessed via secure web browser for maximum privacy. Our apps never collect or store personal data.
The latest versions can be downloaded here..png)
- Argentina : posters were shared from comrades from these countries and their mobilization
- El Salvador: posters were shared from comrades from these countries and their mobilization
- Paraguay: posters were shared from comrades from these countries and their mobilization
- Mexico: posters were shared from comrades from these countries and their mobilization
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- Colombia: posters were shared from comrades from these countries and their mobilization
- Comrades from France shared their plans for tomorrow and shared the links. The map of united initiatives on 8 March:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=19WHlgUUxo4hOt3V8n-GTlTTMsveQbcMo&femb=1&ll=47.018292288831454%2C2.3750141717393136&z=7
France Here is the text of the joint appeal for 8 March, with the first signatories, including People's Health Movement France:
https://www.grevefeministe.fr/8mars2025/
- Solidaires website: https://solidaires.org/sinformer-et-agir/actualites-et-mobilisations/nationales/appel-unitaire-national-elabore-dans-le-cadre-greve-feministe-pour-la-greve-feministe-du-8-mars-2025/
- CGT website: https://www.cgt.fr/actualites/france/droits-des-femmes/le-8-mars-manifestons-et-chantons-pour-nos-droits
- FSU website: https://fsu.fr/ : 8-mars-2025-des-droits-pour-toutes-en-activiteite ou-retraitees/
