Council for a Community of Democracies

International Women’s Day: a Chance for Progress in the DRC
March 10, 2010
By: Benjamin Russell

International Women for Women’s “Join me on the bridge” campaign, held on March 8 in conjunction with International Women’s Day, saw groups gather on bridges across the globe in a call for solidarity with women in war-torn countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Afghanistan.

The event was held in dozens of cities in 18 countries, and both men and women carried banners and messages of peace and cooperation with them on bridges to symbolize that women can ‘build the bridges to peace and development,” according to allAfrica.com.

With International Women’s Day providing the impetus for the event, demonstrators noted the many difficulties facing women and the need for urgent action to help them. "Because they are very vulnerable because the governments cannot protect the women and their rights," said Zarghona Rassa from the British Afghan Women’s Association. "They cannot even protect their own selves or their daughters from rape or beatings or they are not given the same opportunities as are men…"

Among those countries in need of support is the Congo, where torture, mutilation and sexual violence have reached staggering levels as the country continues to suffer from ongoing conflicts. Women for Women International is actively involved in the country, where its program has served over 24,000 women in efforts to improve their standing and enhance their role in society, according to its website.

International Women’s Day (IWD) was first celebrated in 1911 and was recognized by the United Nations in 1975. It is a national holiday in more than a dozen countries including Russia, China and Vietnam. While IWD has occasionally incorporated a global theme, countries and groups usually tailor it to their particular circumstances. This year’s United Nations theme for the holiday is “Equal rights, equal opportunities: progress for all.”

Sources:

AllAfrica.com – Join Raise Hope for Congo ‘On the Bridge’ for International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day 2010 – About International Women’s Day

VOA News – Global Bridge Gatherings Rally Support for Women in War Zones

Women for Women International – Crisis in the Congo