The International Socialist Feminists of ROSA express their solidarity with the rally on international womens’ day in Mirpur Khas and other places in Sindh, Pakistan. We support your efforts to hold protests, despite pressure not to do so. We support the efforts of all those participating, at a moment when the daily struggle to survive is not easy.
We support the demands of the rally in Mirpur Khas for a living wage for houseworkers and for the regular payment of the wages of healthcare workers. In a context of sharply increasing prices for basic goods like flour and sugar, and in a situation of a healthcare threat around the Coronavirus, it is all the more necessary to fight for higher wages and public investment in healthcare. That is necessary for women workers and it will strengthen all workers in their fight for a decent live.
The struggle on 8th of March is international. Worldwide there is a rise of women and men protesting for better working and living conditions, but also for equal rights and more rights in general. This is very necessary at a moment when the capitalist crisis is leading to rightwing reactionary regimes, like the one of Modi in India or Trump in the US. They stimulate division and hatred. In a situation of shortages division like communalism, sexism and other hatred can win a bigger influence.
To stop it, we need to fight for social demands like a living wage, proper contracts and to abolish wage discrimination. We need welfare for all with reliable social insurance. We need good health care, free education and childcare. We need good quality and affordable housing. Women need to have the right to choose, we have to fight sexism, trafficking of women and sexual exploitation in all its forms. The working class must organize to fight together for a complete transformation of society: take the key sectors of the economy in public hands to have a planned economy controlled by the workers and poor farmers! We stand for a socialist world.
The International Socialist Feminist campaign ROSA was launched by International Socialist Alternative to unite socialist campaigns for women’s rights. We are active in over 30 countries, including the US, Brazil, Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Greece, Russia, South Africa, China and many more. Capitalism is an international system, our fight against it is that too. Your fight in Sindh is part of our fight. Solidarity!