Women have been urged to wear red, take the day off and buy local today to celebrate International Women’s Day.
The One Day Without a Woman mobilisation is a global strike urging women to take the day off “from paid and unpaid labour” to highlight gender rights and abuses.
Today women are wearing red in solidarity with the global women’s movement. The movement has adopted the symbol of a broom, with the meaning that ‘bristles are strong together’.
A protest is due to take place on International Women’s Day outside the family court in Holborn at 9.45am, followed by a “speak out” outside parliament.
Women are also being urged to make a loud noise 6pm in coordination with other women around the world.
Nina Lopez, a coordinator for the Global Women’s Strike, has been reported as saying: “We have been working towards a global women’s strike since 2000, so it is so exciting that this is happening.”
“International Women’s Day feels very different this year. Women are spearheading a global movement for change – this is feminism of the 99 per cent.
“It’s not just about breaking through the glass ceiling or getting in the boardroom, it’s about recognising the value of caring and unpaid work. Women throughout the world are doing double the work [of men] because the majority do the work of the home, yet they are still being paid less. That has to end.”
A women’s march also took place last Sunday, which was attended by London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan.
Under the #BeBoldForChange banner the London #March4Women event closed Tower Bridge for the march.
Discussing the march he said it is “unacceptable that in 2017 in London, the most progressive city in the world, your gender can still determine how much you get paid”.
“There is now a recognition that women’s issues can be supported, advocated for and taken on regardless of political party. I think MPs understand what they can achieve on these issues if they work together.”
