December 22, 2004
World March of Women adopts Women's Global Charter
KIGALI, December 10, 2004&emdash;Today, delegates of the World March of Women gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, adopted the Women's Global Charter for Humanity.
The Women's Global Charter for Humanity is a proposal to build a world where exploitation, oppression, intolerance and exclusion no longer exist and where integrity, diversity and the rights and freedoms of all are respected. This world is founded on equality, freedom, solidarity, justice and peace.
The Charter contains 31 affirmations describing the principles essential to the construction of such a world. It will be accompanied by two other texts designed to facilitate its comprehension and use. These documents explain the origin of the Charter, its distinctive nature and the March's analysis and demands for the elimination of poverty and violence against women. They also include a series of conditions that must be met so the world described in the Charter can come into being.
The Women's Global Charter for Humanity is the fruit of a long process of consultation, discussion and debate with women's groups in 60 countries.
In 2005, women of the World March will organize a Relay to send the Charter around the world. During the relay, they will hold public education and information activities about the Charter and question their elected representatives and public opinion. They will also transmit the Charter's message in a patchwork quilt that will be gradually pieced together as the Charter is passed from country to country throughout the world.
The global launch of the Relay is taking place on March 8, 2005, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Relay will proceed from March 8 to October 17, 2005, with stops in 53 countries. During the Relay, women will create a Global Patchwork Solidarity Quilt. The Relay will conclude on October 17, 2005, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
The World March of Women is an international feminist action network connecting grass-roots groups working to eliminate poverty and violence against women. The March is composed of 5500 participating groups in 163 countries and territories.