International Women's Strike slated for March 8 (or is it?)

International Women's Strike slated for March 8 (or is it?)
Jenny Brown
February 2000

Campus NOW forwarded to the Iguana the following succinct and exciting email in December:

"Women and girls do 2/3 of the world's work for 5% of the income. So when women stop everything stops. Stop the world and change it. Join the GLOBAL WOMEN'S STRIKE on International Women's Day, March 8, 2000 for a new millennium that values women's work and women's lives.

Called by the National Women's Council of Ireland--women, friends, family and organizations all over the world are joining the strike. Check out the website at: womensglobalstrike.homepage.com/ and add your reasons for joining the strike and actions you plan to take.

P.S. Did you know that in 1975 a general strike of women brought the entire country of Iceland to a halt for one day?"

Then we received the Winter 2000 National NOW Times, the newspaper of the National Organization for Women, the largest feminist group in the U.S.:

"Organizing for the World March of Women 2000--a worldwide series of coordinated women's rights demonstrations--is well underway," the NOW Times reported. "Women from around the globe are organizing national events in over 138 countries. All of the events share a common demand: an end to poverty and violence against women, two problems that plague women no matter where they live. ... The National Organization for Women is taking the lead in organizing the U.S. march which will be held on Sunday, Oct. 14 in Washington D.C." The NOW Times continues, but nowhere in the article is the word "STRIKE" mentioned. They say that "Worldwide events begin on International Women's Day (March 8, 2000) and will culminate on Oct. 17, the United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty."

How did a strike become a world march of women? How did an event scheduled for international women's day become a day dedicated to eradicating poverty in general in October? Watch this space for more details.