The conference of Women Resisting Crisis and War
From July 19to 21, Mr.Zhao Daxing participated in a conference of "Women Resisting Crisis and War:A conference on the impacts and women's responses to the economic and climate crisis and war" in the Philippines. 110 women and men from 16 countries and regions met together and expressed their voices on relevant issues.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONFERENCE DECLARATION
We, 110 women and men from 16 countries and regions from Australia, Bangladesh, China and Hongkong SAR, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam, and The Netherlands, and representing peasant, agricultural workers, church groups, Dalit women, fisherfolk, indigenous women, migrants, minorities, workers, urban poor, girls, youth, academe and support NGOs and networks met for the Women Resisting Crisis and War: A conference on the impacts and women's responses to the economic and climate crisis and war from July 19-21, 2010 in Baguio City, Philippines.
In this conference, we have reached unity in the analysis that imperialist globalization spawned the multi-faceted, yet interconnected crises encompassing the economic, political and ecological spheres and is causing unparalleled suffering all over the world. Worst afflicted of these crises are people from poor countries, most especially women and children.
Measures formulated and utilized by the imperialists regarding the global financial meltdown compounded by the insatiable greed for profit only aim to save itself from the inherent crisis of capitalism and therefore only passes the burden on to the poor and further aggravates hunger and poverty.
This imperialist crisis further propels profit-driven and unsustainable industrial development that cause irreversible damage to the world's environment leading to longer periods of drought, flash floods, crop failures, and clean and safe water scarcity, among others. This crisis results in the global climate meltdown, the depletion of natural resources and the destruction of lives and livelihoods, especially of ecologically-sensitive indigenous and traditional livelihood systems.
Avaricious intents to gain more access and control over sources of raw materials and cheap labour propel imperialist countries led by the United States of America to intensify wars of aggression and sponsor autocratic and military leadership in many states. These imperialist-led and instigated wars and militarization have led to various forms of human rights violations with impunity particularly targeting activists and other human rights defenders. Ethnic, religious, and sectarian conflicts and civil wars are causing harassment, detention, forced displacement including internally displaced peoples, killings and enforced disappearances. Caste and communal atrocities and aggression are resulting in massive violence against Dalits and minority women. Rape and other forms of sexual abuse of women and girls are being used as a tool of war and suppression of communities.
Imperialism historically has sustained patriarchy. These global crises which are the result of imperialism further perpetuate patriarchy, making women more vulnerable to exploitation, oppression and multiple forms of discrimination and violence.
Women s rights as human rights are continually violated. Women face the greatest burden of displacement, dislocation, trafficking, hunger and gender violence as the world economic, ecological and political crisis deepens.
Yet, women through time have shown extreme resilience with the spiralling multiple crises. Women have utilized various mechanisms for taking control over their lives, from simple and individual acts of survival to collective organized actions to assert their economic, social, cultural and political rights. Women have shown that the most effective form of survival and resistance are through organized and militant struggles, employing different tactics and strategies ranging from organizing, forming of alliances, parliamentary struggles and direct actions including armed resistance.
We now reaffirm the need for women and peoples movements from different countries and regions to unite, intensify and strengthen our defense and resistance against imperialism and its worsening attacks.
We are gathered to strengthen and consolidate our movements to achieve genuine peace, social justice, democracy and sovereignty. Towards this, we commit ourselves:
a. To resist corporate monopoly, development aggression and to assert food sovereignty. We affirm our commitment to reclaiming our fundamental rights to land, water and other productive resources.
b. To stop the profit-driven exploitation and destruction of natural resources and put an end to the imperialist destruction of global climate! We will confront climate crisis by building community resistance and resilience. Climate Justice Now!
c. To resist wars of aggression that cause unending violence to women, children, and their communities. We will act to condemn religious fundamentalism, acts of terrorism and sectarianism that are unleashing violence on societies and in intensifying the oppression of women.
d. To end all forms of exploitation, discrimination and violence against women and children.
e. To call on national governments and international parties to find political and negotiated solutions to address the root causes of crises and wars.
And as we commemorate the centenary of the International Working Women's Day, we will work for the strengthening of international solidarity and build on the gains of women s and peoples movements throughout history to remove all impediments to realize a better world for humankind.
