To: All women in Australia attending International Women's Day Events
From: the Women's Vote Coordinating Committee
Date: 5 March 2002
Can this message reach 300,000 Australian women during IWD week?
The message is pasted below.
We are asking for the message to be read out WITH FORCE at all IWD
events in Australia.
To achieve this we need to get it into the hands of women who are
attending IWD events - and for these women to take the initiative. This
means contacting event organisers quickly - explaining that you have
received this notice and asking if it can be read out at the event. It
may also mean volunteering to be the one who reads it out.
Please speed this email and notice on through your networks - by email
and by fax. This is only going to be achieved with the help of thousands
of women. Please don't leave it to others!
If you are present at an IWD event when this read out - you might want
to lead a cheer for what we are going to achieve this year!
Women's organisations and services are also asked to post this notice on
your web sites from noon eastern time on Thursday 7 March.
Regards, Judy Harrison
for the Australian Women's Constitutional Network
Women's Vote Coordinating Committee
A CALL TO THE WOMEN OF AUSTRALIA
ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2002
Embargoed until noon EST Thursday 7 March
We are asking for this to be read out at IWD events
We are calling to the women of Australia, where ever you are today, to
think about how far we have come. But, our work can never stop because
each time we stop we lose ground and there is of course much more to be
achieved.
For all our daughters, our sons, our families, our communities and our
nation - we call on all women to mark this year's celebrations of
women's right to vote in federal elections.
On 12 June 1902, the federal parliament passed legislation that finally
gave most Australian women the right to vote in federal elections.
The work that led to this stretched over more than 20 years.
But there were Indigenous women who were left out and did . They did
not get the vote until 1962 - a mere 40 years ago.
2002 marks the centenary and the 40 year anniversary for Indigenous women.
We are calling on women to be active in communities across Australia, to
use 2002 as a year where women look back and, crucially, look forward.
To assert your visions, to take your share of the power and to move
forward in your communities, your regions, your states and federally to
help make the future what you want it to be.
The celebration of women right to vote federally is in your hands - it
will be what the women of Australia want it to be and make it to be.
National women's organisations are working on a landmark women's
convention that will take place in Canberra on 11,12 and 13 June.
We urge you to start planning now for your own celebrations and events
in your community. We also urge you to support and link in to your
national women's organisations that have information now about the
national - 'Trust the Women' -Convention.
Signed
Canberra host committee
Trust the women - Women's Convention 2002
On behalf of the Australian Women's Constitutional Network, Steering
Committee Representatives from Australian Women Lawyers; National
Women's Justice Coalition; Women's Electoral Lobby Australia; Women into
Politics; YWCA; Women for an Australian Republic in partnership with
women's organisations including: National Foundation for Australian
Women; National Council of Women; Soroptimist International, Australia;
Australian Federation of University Women
Contact pending late March establishment of the National Coordinating Office
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] fax: 02 62485062
--
--
Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/
Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop
Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink
Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
