women in london

Information added in March 2012

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:39:07 +0000

Information added to website 21st and 23rd March 2012

Events: Pro-Choice Protest! – Abortion Rights ~ 30th March 2012; Cycling to Suffrage: The Bicycle and Women’s Rights, 1890-1914 – Women’s Library – Until 8th September 2012; Talks at the Women’s Library – April to July 2012
Notices: The Women’s Library is seeking a new home; Fawcett’s budget response: policies unveiled today continue to turn back time on women’s equality; New Report Warns Austerity Is ‘Reversing’ Equality – Fawcett
Training: Invitation to Young Women Activists – International Media Training – CAWN – 30th March 2012
Vacancies: Irish Refuge Worker – Solace – 23rd March 2012; Volunteer Female Counsellor – Woman’s Trust – 14th April 2012
IWD 2012 blog: All IWD Events – updated 27th March 2012; IWD Events England – updated 27th March 2012; IWD Events Ireland Scotland and Wales – updated 27th March 2012; IWD Events London – updated 27th March 2012
WiL Calendars: Events Calendar – updated 27th March 2012; Training Calendar – updated 27th March 2012

Information added to website 13th and 16th March 2012

Events: Are you a survivor of sexual violence or abuse? Need A Little Help To Move On? Eaves Amina Project Events 19th, 22nd, 24th, 31st March 2012; The Leveson Inquiry: What next? The portrayal of women in the media – Eaves – 26th March 2012; Addressing Violence against Women with Disabilities: Challenges and Opportunities – Eaves – 29th March 2012
Notices: Fawcett warns of ‘tipping point for women’s rights’; 8 out of 10 job losses in last quarter came from women – Fawcett
Training: Influencing locally – Policy training workshop – WRC ~ 28th March 2012; Land-Based Studies Level 1 Award – Hillcroft – 16th April 2012; Start Your Own Business – Hillcroft – 20th April 2012
Vacancies: Advice and Support Caseworker – Solace – 16th March 2012; Helpline Worker x 3 – Refuge – 19th March 2012; Domestic and Sexual Abuse Counsellor – NAWP – 19th March 2012; Campaigns Volunteer – Maternity Action – 19th March 2012; Events Fundraising Officer – Eaves – 23rd March 2012; Trusts and Foundations Fundraising Officer – Eaves – 23rd March 2012; Education and Advice Worker – Ashiana – 30th March 2012; Advocacy and Support Worker – Ashiana – 30th March 2012; Resettlement Worker – Ashiana – 30th March 2012; Senior Operations Manager – Refuge – 4th April 2012; Rights of Women Recruiting a Treasurer for the Management Committee – 6th April 2012
IWD 2012 blog: All IWD Events – updated 19th March 2012; IWD Events England – updated 19th March 2012; IWD Events Ireland Scotland and Wales – updated 19th March 2012; IWD Events London – updated 19th March 2012
WiL Calendars: Events Calendar – updated 19th March 2012; Training Calendar – updated 19th March 2012

8th March 2012 is International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day has been celebrated for over 100 years: Born at a time of great social turbulence and crisis, IWD inherited a tradition of protest and political activism. In the years before 1910, from the turn of the 20th century, women in industrially developing countries were entering paid work in some numbers. Their jobs were sex segregated, mainly in textiles, manufacturing and domestic services where conditions were wretched and wages worse than depressed. Trade unions were developing and industrial disputes broke out, including among sections of non-unionised women workers. In Europe, the flames of revolution were being kindled. …; Bread and Roses poem and song associated with 1912 textile strike; “Empower Rural Women — End Hunger and Poverty” – The United Nations observes International Women’s Day on 8 March 2012 with this theme; “Too often marginalised, women living in rural settings face steep challenges to the exercise of their human rights, their personal development and the pursuit of their aspirations.” – Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova on Women’s Day 2012
IWD 2012 blog: All IWD Events – updated 8th March 2012; IWD Events England – updated 8th March 2012; IWD Events Ireland Scotland and Wales – updated 8th March 2012; IWD Events London – updated 8th March 2012

Information added to website 2nd and 6th March 2012

Events: Harrow Women’s Centre International Women’s Day Celebrations ~ 3rd March 2012; Short talk and opportunity to relax and chat with other lesbians – Kenric ~ 8th March 2012; Hillcroft College are remembering the Suffragette Movement for International Women’s Day ~ 8th March 2012; International Women’s Day Lecture – Addressing the Autobiography: The Life of Lady Rhondda (1883-1958) – Women’s Library ~ 8th March 2012; IWD Fundraiser for the Feminist Library – 8th March 2012; Women’s Day Special Benefit for Women’s Trust ~ 8th March 2012; Tunaweza (We Can in Swahili) Festival! (for IWD) – Forward ~ 17th March 2012
Training: Land-Based Studies Level 1 Award – Hillcroft – 16th April 2012; Start Your Own Business – Hillcroft – 20th April 2012
Vacancies: Communications and Campaigns Volunteer – Eaves ~ 6th March 2012; Team Leader – Fixed term to end July 2012 – Eaves ~ 9th March 2012; Female Volunteer Support Assistant – Eaves Poppy Project ~ 15th March 2012; Employment Advisor – Roj Women ~ 19th March 2012

Information added in February 2012

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:35:27 +0000

Information added to website 27th February 2012

Events: ‘The Parliament, The City & Civil Society: Women as Change Leaders’ – WAFE ~ 21st March 2012
Notices: Nursery Costs rising by nearly 6% – Daycare Trust; 40 Days for Choice launches! Abortion Rights; WWAFE 2012 Seminar Series – Women & The Politics Of Power – A Seminar Series On Women’s Role, Rights, Empowerment, Leadership & Liberties; New campaign for children’s centres – Save Our Sure Start! – Daycare Trust
Vacancies: Women aged Over 55 Project Worker (Female) – Solace; Family and Children Support Manager – Islington – Solace ~ 9th March 2012; 5 vacancies – DVIP – 13th and 14th March 2012; Advice & Support Caseworker – Solace ~ 16th March 2012
IWD 2012 blog: All IWD Events – updated 29th February 2012; IWD Events England – updated 29th February 2012; IWD Events Ireland Scotland and Wales – updated 29th February 2012; IWD Events London – updated 29th February 2012
WiL Calendars: Events Calendar – updated 29th February 2012; Training Calendar – updated 29th February 2012

Information added to website 20th and 21st February 2012

Events: Invitation to the launch of WiseWords – Alternative Arts – 1st March 2012; WISEWORDS – Alternative Arts – 1st to 31st March 2012; International Women’s Day Gala – Birds Eye View – 8th March 2012; Sound & Silents: Mary Pickford Revived I – Birds Eye View – 9th March 2012; Women in Film and Television Feminar – LFN ~17th March 2012
Notices: Your tongue was not cut … Your voice is more than just lip service! Forward Survey; We Are In A Time Of Crisis: Cuts Are Turning Back Time On Women’s Equality – Fawcett
Vacancies: 3 vacancies – Women in Prison – 22nd February 2012; Rights of Women Recruiting a Treasurer for the Management Committee – 9th March 2012; Helpline Volunteers – Women and Girls Network – 12th March 2012
IWD 2012 blog: All IWD Events – updated 22nd February 2012; IWD Events England – created; IWD Events Ireland Scotland and Wales – created; IWD Events London – created
WiL Calendars: Events Calendar – updated 22nd February 2012; Training Calendar – updated 22nd February 2012

Information added to website 13th February 2012

Events: ‘The Secret Pain’ – Zero Tolerance to FGM day Film Screening – Forward – 15th February 2012; International Women’s Day 2012: celebrating women’s success with a champagne breakfast – Refuge ~ 9th March 2012; How do you progress your career in tough times? – Women in Publishing ~ 14th March 2012
Notices: FGM Zero Tolerance Day – UK must get serious – FORWARD
Training: Sexual Violence Training for Professionals – Launch of Open Training – RASASC
Vacancies: Student Support Worker – Clean Break – 21st February 2012; Centre Co-ordinator – Solace Womens Aid ~ 21st February 2012; Caseworker – Solace Womens Aid ~ 23rd February 2012
IWD 2012 blog: IWD Calendar – updated 15th February 2012
WiL Calendars: Events Calendar – updated 15th February 2012; Training Calendar – updated 15th February 2012

Information added to website 4th February 2012

Events: Organise This! – a day of workshops on workplace organising as part of the struggle against austerity – Feminist Fightback ~ 11th February 2012; Setting up an indpendent publishing house – Women in Publishing ~ 8th February 2012
Training: Domestic Violence Awareness Workshop – Enfield Women’s Centre ~ 9th February 2012
Vacancies: ICT Coordinator – Solace ~ 8th February 2012; Interim Chief Executive – WAMT – 12th February 2012 (new deadline); Communications and Research Internship – CAWN ~ 13th February 2012; Team Leader – Solace – 21st February 2012; Festival Director and Development Manager – BEV ~ 20th February and 12th March 2012
IWD 2012 blog: IWD Calendar – updated
WiL Calendars: Events Calendar – updated; Training Calendar – updated

Information added in January 2012

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:33:19 +0000

Information added to website 26th and 29th January 2012

Events: Quiz Night – Womans Trust – 27th January 2012
Notices: Journey Towards Safety – Ashiana; Support for women who have experienced sexual violence – Amina Scheme – Eaves; OBJECT present evidence at the Leveson Inquiry to end Page 3
Training: Women Involved with the Criminal Justice System: One Day Training – Women in Prison – 29 March 2012
Vacancies: 4 vacancies – Refuge – 3rd and 6th February 2012; Advocacy & Support Advisor – Complex Needs (Female*) – Solace – 9th February 2012; Family and Children Support Manager – Solace; Volunteer Female Counsellor – Woman’s Trust – 24th February 2012
WiL Calendars: Events Calendar – updated; Training Calendar – updated

Information added to website 18th and 20th January 2012

Events: Action Alert: Just Say NO to Dorries – Abortion Rights ~ 20th January 2012
Notices: New Report – Silenced Voices Speak: Strategies for protecting migrant women from violence and abuse – ROW; Hidden Value: Demonstrating the extraordinary impact of women’s voluntary and community organisations – WRC
Training: English For Speakers Of Other Languages (ESOL) Workshop – Hillcroft ~ 9th February 2012; FREE sustainable funding seminar for projects offering services to women in Brent – WRC ~ 9th February 2012; The Central American Women’s Network presents Advocacy Training – 11th February 2012
Vacancies: 3 vacancies – Refuge ~ 23rd & 30th Janaury & 2nd February 2012; 3 vacancies – WRC ~ 1st February 2012; Interim Chief Executive – WAMT ~ 5th February 2012; Development Manager – Clean Break ~ 6th February 2012; Volunteer Bookkeeper – RASASC ~ 16th February 2012

Information added to website 10th and 13th January 2012

Events: Stop Stoning, Stop Execution – Conference – Roj Women – 14th January 2012
Notices: OBJECT and Turn Your Back on Page 3 submit joint written evidence to the Leveson Inquiry; Book a Stand or Stall for International Women’s Fair 2012 – Alternative Arts – book by 24th February 2012
Training: Spice It Up! Free organic food growing training for women in Tower Hamlets – WEN – 23rd January 2012
Vacancies: 3 vacancies – Refuge – 13th and 16th January 2012; Head of Operations (Safe Choices) – nia project – 30th January 2012; Helpline Volunteers – RASASC – 2nd February 2012

Pro-Choice Public Meeting – Abortion Rights ~16th May 2012

Thu, 10 May 2012 18:03:31 +0000

Outraged by anti-choice abortion clinic protests?
Concerned about the counselling plans?
Ready to stand up to SPUC?

Then come to our Pro-Choice Public Meeting and have your say!
Wednesday 16th May, 7.00pm, Parliament

We are seeing an alarming change of climate at the moment, as activists and politicians opposed to a woman’s right to choose turn their attention to abortion providers and individual women seeking abortion.

Already this year we have seen women harassed and filmed outside abortion clinics, the website of abortion provider BPAS hacked by an anti-choice fanatic, hundreds of clinics hit by spot checks in search of bad practice – and we’re still awaiting the launch of the government’s consultation on abortion counselling, which could see anti-choice groups handed NHS contracts to advise women on their pregnancy options.

Fortunately pro-choice supporters have been responding brilliantly: groups have sprung up to oppose clinic ‘vigils’ and harassment, counter-protests have drawn huge crowds, and just last Saturday loads of you held demos around the country to tell anti-choicers to ‘SPUC Off!’

Now we need to build on this upsurge in support and talk about what comes next. So we’ve scheduled a Pro-Choice Public Meeting in Parliament on Wednesday 16th May.

We’ll be hearing from some great speakers, who will be sharing their views on the political and activist issues facing the pro-choice movement.

Speakers confirmed so far include:

Diane Abbott MP, Shadow Minister for Public Health
Zoe Williams, Guardian columnist and journalist
Kay Carberry, TUC Assistant General Secretary
Natalie Bennett, Chair, Green Party Women
Clare Murphy, Director of Press and Public Policy, BPAS
Kat Banyard, founder of UK Feminista and author of The Equality Illusion
Richy Thompson, British Humanist Association, Education & Faith Schools officer

It’s a great line-up, but we really want to hear your views too, so there will be plenty of time for questions and discussion.

The meeting is free and open to all, but if you would like to attend please email choice@abortionrights.org.uk and let us know you’re coming.

7.00pm, Wednesday 16th May, Committee Room 10 in Parliament.

See you there!

Fawcett on Queen’s speech: flexible parental leave / red tape challenge

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:50:50 +0000

The Fawcett Society has responded to the Queen’s Speech, which has laid out the government’s legislative plans for the next session of parliament.

Ceri Goddard, Fawcett’s Chief Executive said:

On flexible parental leave:

“We welcome the government’s commitment to levelling the playing field when it comes to parental leave entitlements for women and men. The spirit of proposed reforms recognises that current working practices are holding back progress in tackling the gender pay gap and delivering greater workplace equality for women.

“Current working practices rely on outdated ideas about the way families care for children. Dramatically different leave entitlements for mothers and fathers when a child is born mean many families – who thus far might have had fairly equitable arrangements in the home – find themselves forced to conform to old fashioned ideas about breadwinner and carer roles.

“The government’s Modern Workplaces consultation, due to report soon, contained some radical ideas about ensuring Britain’s workplaces are fit for the 21st century which we warmly welcomed. However, the plans include reducing the amount of ring fenced maternity leave to 18 weeks – a step with many unintended, dangerous consequences for women’s maternal health and access to continued secure, quality employment. If the Coalition are serious about delivering on their ‘family friendly agenda’, the Bill will ensure both mothers and fathers have access to reasonable, and well paid, leave entitlements to care for their families. As a minimum, women should be entitled to 26 weeks of ring fenced, paid maternity leave to avoid risks to their health and to protect family incomes.”

On ‘red tape’:

“Cutting red tape can all too easily mean scaling back on equality. Many of the regulations being revised – such as protections from unfair dismissal – have been vital in shoring up women’s security in the workplace.

“Considered against a 25 year high in women’s unemployment, watering down these kinds of regulations poses a very real threat to women’s ability to get and keep work. A healthy labour market cannot exist if women are not enabled to take their rightful part in it.”

Policy and Campaigns Internship – Power and Agency campaign – Fawcett ~ 22nd May 2012

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:10:39 +0000

Time Commitment:

2-3 days per week, 3 months maximum

Start Date:

Early June 2012

The Placement:

The Fawcett Society has led the campaign for women’s equality in the UK since 1866 and has a long history of working inside and outside of parliament to effect both legislative and cultural change. We are recruiting a Policy and Campaigns intern to support our work on women’s access to power, including our campaigns on increasing women’s political representation and; women’s workplace rights.

Main Tasks:

Skills and Knowledge:

Required:

Desirable:

Conditions:

Fawcett interns are volunteers, but we are able to offer you travel costs within London and up to £4.00 day for lunch.

For more information about Fawcett visit our website: www.fawcettsociety.org.uk

To apply:

Please submit your CV, and a short covering letter saying why you would like the post, by 22 May to volunteer@fawcettsociety.org.uk.

Successfully shortlisted candidates will be notified by 25 May, and interviews for this intern post will be held on 30 May.

Administration and Finance Worker – Women in Prison ~ 18th May 2012

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:04:40 +0000

Women in Prison (WIP) is a unique, women-centred national charity providing specialist support services and campaigning for better recognition of the rights of women affected by the criminal justice system both in prison and the community.

Do you have a commitment to working within a women-centred service and to making a difference to vulnerable women’s lives?

Administration and Finance Worker (Maternity Cover) (London)
£22,338 (35 hours per week)
6 month contract

You will provide essential administrative support to a team of front line workers and senior managers. You will be highly organised, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to produce detailed financial reports from a QuickBooks system. You will provide a professional and courteous first point of contact for all initial enquiries to the organisation, ensuring clients and external partners are directed efficiently to the right department. Your flexible approach to work will ensure you have the ability to take on a range of tasks as required.

A solid understanding of office based administrative systems is required, along with 2 years experience of maintaining office financial systems, excellent IT skills, including Microsoft Office, especially Excel, and outstanding verbal and written communication skills.

Download application Pack

Closing Date: Friday 18 May 2012, 5pm
Interviews: Week beginning 28 May 2012
Preferred Start Date: 18 June 2012

These posts are restricted to women as a GOQ under s7(2)(e) of the SDA.

WIP strongly encourages applications from women from minority ethnic groups and women with personal experience of the criminal justice system.

A Women’s Agenda for the Local Elections May 2012 – Survey Results

Fri, 04 May 2012 09:42:04 +0000

Overall the responses to this survey seem to indicate a lack of interest in not just the elections but participation in the political process with a drop in both those registered to vote and intending to vote.

And whilst there was continuing support for Labour this has also dropped off with comments that the party lacked women friendly policies.

Other responses showed that:

Support for women only services dropped from 73% last year to 64% this year
Agreement that expertise of women only service providers was sometimes transferable to services to men rose from 60% last year to 64% this year
We have included more comments about how the Cuts are effecting women as this was the issue that 44% said had had the most impact on them whereas the August riots and Murdoch / Leveson was hardly at all.
31% thought that “localism” could be an opportunity for women to have an influence so long as LAs made decision making more inclusive. And 30% thought that “localism” would give women the opportunity to have a greater influence. However, most of the comments were negative about how this would help women / women’s services and would lead to a post code lottery.
68% were aware of women’s groups / services that had lost their funding, much of this local, with the hardest hit appearing to be refuge and domestic violence services.
30% thought that women’s groups are too tied to local and central government, but comments reflected that these services are intrinsic to communities and funding from other sources would not only be difficult but possibly inappropriate.
Housing was the issue most thought was important for local authorities (and Mayor’s were applicable) followed by childcare and services to the vulnerable. In 2010 most had thought education was the most important issue followed by housing and care for the elderly.
One of the biggest changes was that only 68% said they were registered to vote, compare to 2010 when 95% said they were.
There was also a big drop in the number who said they would vote with 58% saying they would this year, compared to 86% in 2010.
Voting intentions showed a decrease in support for Labour down to 27% from 32% in 2010, Greens were also down to 11% compared to 17%, and the LibDems down to 5% from 14%.
In terms of national party policies influencing local voting decisions, most said all Tory policies would stop them ever voting Tory (equally BNP because of racism)
However nearly as many felt that Labour’s lack of non women friendly policies made them question voting for Labour, and equally the choice of Ken Livingstone as Labour’s candidate for Mayor in London.
Fewer younger women 18 through to 35 took part in this survey than last year, with a higher % in the age range 36 to 55 participating.
Although there was a higher number of completed surveys from a number of different BME communities so that this year 56% identified as white compared to last year when it was 71%.
Also this year response were less London based, 44% compared to 56% last year.

We would like to thank everybody who took the time to participate in this survey and hope you find the results interesting reading.

You can download the results as a word document from http://www.womeninlondon.org.uk/download/AWomensAgenda2012SurveyResultsSummary.doc

We would also like to apologise as apparently some experience difficulties with the online survey which didn’t display properly for them. We will try and insure that in future years this does not happen again.

Once again many thanks for your participation, and please feel free to make use of the results should they be useful to you. But a little acknowledgement of the source of any quotes would be appreciated!

Women in London
4th May 2012

Friends of the Women’s Library update on the future of the Library

Wed, 02 May 2012 14:36:07 +0000

Dear Colleagues,

We are writing to you to update you on recent developments with regard to the future of the Women’s Library, which is housed at London Metropolitan University.

The University has recently made the following announcement on the Women’s Library web site: http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/thewomenslibrary/

The Women’s Library is seeking a new home.

On Wednesday 14 March, London Metropolitan University’s Board of Governors announced that they will be seeking a new home, custodian or sponsor of The Women’s Library’s collections. If a new home is not found by the end of December 2012, the Library will move to opening hours of one day per week for a period of three years, with a further review at the end of that period. We will keep you informed of further developments, and we are in the process of contacting key stakeholders.

If you have any suggestions of potential custodians, or any queries, please email us at moreinfo@thewomenslibrary.ac.uk

This decision is, we understand, related to the difficult financial position of the University. The view of the Board of Governors is that the University is better able to ensure the long term future of the Library by seeking a new home, custodian or sponsor.

The Deputy Chief Executive of the University, Paul Bowler contacted Anne Summers-the Chairwoman of the Friends of the Women’s Library before Christmas to let us know that the University was establishing a small working group of Governors and Senior University Governors to review the arrangements for the housing and management of the Women’s Library and the separate special Trade Union Collection. The outcome of their deliberations was that they can no longer continue to maintain either of the collections in the way in which they have.

Paul Bowler has now established a small group to work on identifying potential custodians for the Women’s Library and Amy Gibson, the Women’s Library’s Development Manager has been transferred into the University’s Marketing, Communications and Alumni Department to work on this project. Anne Summers was invited to the initial meeting of that group and will be the key point of communication for the Friends on developments. Paul Bowler has also agreed to come the AGM of the Friends of the Women’s Library on the 28th June 2011 to bring us up to date with developments.

Following the announcement of the decision there have been a number of immediate responses including:

www.thepetitionsite.com/925/128/986/save-the-womens-library-at-london-metropolitan-university

http://savethewomenslibrary.blogspot.co.uk/

As Friends of the Women’s Library we are an independent and separate charity from London Metropolitan University, who support the continuation & independence of the Library as the outstanding museum & archive of Women’s History.

The position of the Library is very serious indeed so any help and/or support you can give is important , such as joining the Friends (only £15 p.a.& a Membership Form can be downloaded from the Library website), identifying possible future custodian/s of the Library, alerting your students to the situation would be appreciated.

The contact details of the Friends are:

Dr Anne Summers

Maureen E Castens

Diana Dollery

Letters can be sent to the Friends c/o The Women’s Library, 25 Old Castle Street, Aldgate, London, E1 7NT.

Women in Black, vigils and Facebook page

Wed, 02 May 2012 14:22:18 +0000

Women in Black London are now on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wiblondon

For anyone reading who’s not familiar with women in black, or wib for short, here’s a bit of background info:

“The international movement of Women in Black began in Jerusalem in January 1988, one month after the first Palestinian intifada broke out, with a small group of Israeli women who carried out a simple form of protest: Once a week at the same hour and in the same location – a major traffic intersection – they donned black clothing and raised a black sign in the shape of a hand with white lettering that read “Stop the Occupation”.

The idea spread quickly and spontaneously to other places in Israel. It was a simple form of protest that women could do easily. We didn’t have to get to the big city, we could bring our children, there was no chanting or marching, and the medium was the message. Within months, vigils sprang up throughout Israel.

Several months after the first Women in Black vigil in Israel, “solidarity vigils” began in other countries: Initial reports came from the United States and Canada, and these later spread to Europe and Australia. Some vigils were primarily Jewish, while in other cities, the groups were mixed Jewish and Palestinian.

Women in Black Groups Form Worldwide

Around 1990, Women in Black vigils took off with a life of their own. They formed in many countries, and many of these had nothing to do with the Israeli occupation. In Italy, Women in Black protest a range of issues, from the Israeli occupation to the violence of the Mafia and other organized crime. In Germany, Women in Black have protested neo-Nazism, racism against migrant workers, and nuclear arms. Women in Black in Belgrade and Zagreb set a profound example of interethnic cooperation that was an inspiration to their countrywomen and men. And, in India, Women in Black hold vigils that call for an end to the ill treatment of women by religious fundamentalists.

Women in Black has become a movement of women of conscience of all denominations and nationalities who hold vigils to protest violence in their part of the world: war, interethnic conflict, militarism, the arms industry, racism, neo-Nazism, violence against women, violence in the neighborhoods, etc. Each vigil is autonomous, setting its own policy and guidelines, though in all the vigils the women dress in black, symbolizing the tragedy of the victims of violence. What unites us all is our commitment to justice and a world free of violence.

In 1991, the movement of Women in Black in Israel won the Aachen Peace Prize and, in 1994, the peace award of the city of San Giovanni d’Asso in Italy. In 2001, the international movement of Women in Black was awarded the Millennium Peace Prize for Women, given by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).”

Women in Black London hold regular women only vigils, which are getting to be a bit thin on the ground these days, and could really do with some support.

Please do pay the new Facebook page a visit and “like” if you’re a Facebook user. It’ll keep you updated with all the latest vigil news. And, if possible, come along and support some of our vigils,