‘Empty Words And Political Promises’: Women’s Day March Through Valletta Set For This Friday
Moviment Graffitti, Young Progressive Beings (YPB), and MGRM Malta have organised a protest in honour of International Women’s Day this Friday, to remind the island of the many hurdles it must still surpass to reach gender equality.
The theme of this year’s march is ‘United for Collective Liberation’ which was chosen to state that the feminist struggle must be shared by all.
“Our rights cannot be taken for granted and can be stripped away at any moment, especially with the rise of the far-right across the world,” the organisations said.
“Women’s Day serves as a reminder of the battles feminists have fought to achieve the rights we enjoy today. It is a manifestation of the political and cultural struggle that women go through daily.”
Activists and allies will gather near Triton Fountain at 6pm.
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Coming together for this annual march is crucial to confront the empty promises women hear every day, the organisations emphasised.
“In just the first fortnight of the year, a femicide had already been committed while last November marked a year since Bernice Cilia’s tragic femicide. Despite the empty words and political promises, no reform has been seen. All of Malta’s domestic violence cases are still being adjudicated by just two magistrates, leading to extensive backlogs.”
“Even though we were promised an abortion reform last summer, the government has turned its back on women in Malta. The situation today in Malta is that abortion is allowed only when a pregnant woman is at risk of dying and even then, it first requires the consensus of three different specialists. A woman who has an abortion in Malta could face up to three years in prison; just last year, a woman was prosecuted for having an abortion after being reported to the police by her abusive partner.”
“How many more women need to be killed before meaningful action is finally taken? How many more women and girls must suffer at the hands of our unjust society?”
The organisations went on to maintain that women want the eradication of gender stereotypes and inequity; an end to gender-based violence in all its forms, the freedom to walk alone in the streets and to feel safe, both outside and inside their homes; and an end to the occupations ravaging different parts of the world.
“The organisations urge all those who want to see an end to sexism to march in defiance of the patriarchy.”
Will you be attending this march?
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