Workers Party Women joined several hundred people for the 2024 Reclaim the Night Rally
In its recent submission to Stormont’s latest programme for government the Workers Party responded on the crucial issue of violence against women and girls. The Party noted that “whilst it is vital to raise awareness provide support and demand an effective strategy to create a safer environment for women, it is also essential to locate the sources of oppression and exploitation of women within society and the capitalist system which not only fails to address the root causes of these issues, but directly contributes to the continuing oppression and exploitation of women. This system and the society we live in undervalues women in the workplace, the home and in every other important aspect of their lives”. Workers Party Women were among hundreds who attended the Reclaim the Night March and Rally in Belfast on 30th November.
Fee Chambers from Workers Party Women reports
Workers’ Party Women were amongst a crowd of several hundred people who gathered in Writers Square, Belfast, for the annual Reclaim the Night Rally and March calling for an end to violence against women and girls. Against a societal background of escalating violence (including FIVE women killed in recent months), domestic abuse, continuing harassment, sexism, ridicule, discrimination, ingrained and pervasive misogyny an impressive range of mostly young women speakers from a variety of organisations called for legislative change to criminalise hate speech and strengthen legal protections for all women, including sex workers and transgender women.
Lauren Bond, secondary school Student Union President called for radical improvements in health and sexual education including relationship, consent and online safety issues. Alexa Moore from the Rainbow Project spoke powerfully on the divisive influence that hate speech has had on protecting ALL women from gender based violence and Naomi Green, a female Muslim activist spoke of the hate speech and discrimination members of that community face in all aspects of daily life.
A common theme throughout the truly excellent speeches was the fact that respect for and protection of women’s rights makes society safer and more respectful for ALL citizens, irrespective of gender. Refugees, ethnic minorities, migrant workers, people with disabilities, sex workers, LGBTQ+ people all frequently experience the sorts misogyny, harassment, online abuse, discrimination, hate speech and violence experienced by women and perpetrated overwhelmingly by men.
Workers Party Women’s Committee have adopted Violence against Women and Girls as the focus of their International Women’s Day conference for 2025.