Mothers Call for end to Cuts, Poverty and Discrimination

Over two hundred women, men and children marched through London calling for an end to cuts, poverty and discrimination against women and others on the Saturday following International Womens Day. London, UK. 12/03/2011

The march gathered in front of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square and was notable for the wide range of banners and placards as well as for the many mothers with children who were taking part.

Among those on the march were women who had come to the UK to claim asylum following torture and rape in their own countries. Much of the unrest that had caused their oppression was caused by wars often funded and promoted by various Western governments to gain access to natural resources such as oil, gold, diamonds and minerals. Western nations too make many of the weapons and sell them to the countries involved - British arms sales to Africa are now more than £1million a year.

Asylum seekers hear are treated unfairly, and the stories of survivors of massacres and rapes are often called "liars, bogus asylum seekers, economic migrants who only come looking for benefits." Women who have had to flee for their lives leaving children behind are not allowed to have their children join them. and children who are here have been treated very badly, often kept with women for long periods in detention.

Others protested about the effect that the cuts will have on poorer families. Placards in various languages, reflecting those of the people carrying them, called for looking after children to be regarded as work;

One of the many chants on the march made this clear:
Caring for a child is a Full time job!
Fighting for benefits is a Full time job!
Living on a pension is a Full time job!
Cleaning up Parliament is a Full time job!
Surviving rape and injustice is a Full time job!
Seeking asylum is a Full time job!

and others included
Deportation No Way!
Destitution No Way!
Stuck in Yarls Wood No Way!
Mothers and children are Here to stay!

and

No ifs, no buts
The kids won't take your cuts
No ifs, no buts
The mums won't take your cuts
No ifs, no buts
The dads won't take your cuts

The groups organising this march have been organising marches to celebrate International Womens Day for some years - I first photographed one in 2002. I was sorry not to be able to stay to the rally at the end of the march at SOAS in the University of London, when distinguished campaigner and author Selma James was speaking on International Women's Day: how rapidly things change, and there was to be a report from a trade unionist about the movement against the cuts in Wisconsin, USA.

This march was one of a number around the globe organised as a part of the Global Womens Strike movement, with other events in Guyana, Haiti, India, Italy, Peru, Poland, Venezuela and four across the USA.