Earlier today, women, non-binary, trans people and allies marched in the streets of Valletta to mark International Women’s Day. This day is not just an opportunity for corporate well-wishes and superficial politics, but a manifestation of the ongoing struggles for gender equality, while acknowledging that there are still so many battles left to fight for us to live in a society that is free from patriarchal oppression.

This year’s theme, ‘United for Collective Liberation’, emphasises the need to join forces for change – a change that will liberate women from oppression and injustice. The women said that while incremental reforms towards justice are essential, they aim to see a much more radical, global change in relationships and institutions. They also pointed out that the rights we enjoy today are thanks to the countless brave women who were not afraid to put their lives on the line for us, and that they will carry on that legacy.

Amongst many placards in the march, there were several that remembered women like Bernice Cilia and Sion Grech. The marchers stood in solidarity with those who were unable to join today and reminded the courts that justice delayed is indeed justice denied, as in the cases of Bernice and Sion.

The fact that by mid-January, we were already shocked by the year’s first femicide was a testament to why women still need to protest. A man murdered his ex-partner, Sandra Ramírez – an illustration of how pervasive patriarchal violence remains in our society. Domestic violence cases continue to be heard by just two magistrates with backlogs of up to a year, while action to tackle domestic violence remains insufficient at best.

Femicides, however, are just the most vile and public manifestation of a broader problem of deep-rooted cultural violence. Women continue to face harassment, catcalling, unequal distribution of care responsibilities, unequal pay, belittlement and pervasive sexism and misogyny, domestic violence and rape daily.

The women also pointed out that Malta’s abortion ban continues to dehumanise women and to deny them their rights. They called on politicians to do their duty and to legislate in favour of the right for women and other pregnant persons to decide for themselves whether they want to continue with a pregnancy or to terminate it. The women said that they felt betrayed by politicians and by the Church, which prioritise the preservation of embryos over women’s rights. They said that last year, politicians betrayed women even more by amending the law and making it even more difficult for women and other persons to terminate a pregnancy, even if their life is at risk.

On International Women’s Day, the protesters said that they do not want empty promises, but action. They are telling the world, “Keep your flowers – we want change. We want to feel safe inside and outside our homes; to be paid the same as men; to have equal opportunities; to end the occupational powers ravaging other countries under the guise of our rights; and to be finally liberated from our collective shackles. Only then can we redesign our society away from our systems of oppression to a system of care and respect. If our liberation is not a collective one, then it is neither fair nor just.”

This year’s Women’s Day march is endorsed by the following organisations:
aditus foundation
Antide Malta
Doctors for Choice
Humanists MaltaIVY Malta – Interrupting Violence towards Youth
Malta Dance Beyond Borders
Malta LGBT Rights Movement, MGRM
Men Against Violence
Migrant Women Association
Moviment Graffitti
The Gender and Sexualities Department, University of Malta
The Malta Women’s Lobby
Women for Women
Women’s Rights Foundation
YMCA Malta
Young Progressive Beings

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Flimkien għal-Liberazzjoni Kollettiva

Aktar kmieni llum, nisa, persuni li ma jidentifikaw mal-ebda ġeneru, persuni trans u alleati mxew fit-toroq tal-Belt Valletta biex ifakkru l-Jum Internazzjonali tal-Mara. Dan il-jum mhuwiex biss opportunità għal xewqat tajba korporattivi u politika superfiċjali, iżda huwa manifestazzjoni tal-ġlidiet kontinwi għall-ugwaljanza bejn is-sessi, filwaqt li nagħrfu li għad fadal ħafna battalji x’niġġieldu biex inkunu nistgħu ngħixu f’soċjetà li hija ħielsa mill-oppressjoni patrijarkali.

It-tema ta’ din is-sena, ‘Flimkien għal-Liberazzjoni Kollettiva’, tenfasizza l-ħtieġa li ningħaqdubħala l-forzi għall-bidla – bidla li teħles lin-nisa mill-oppressjoni u l-inġustizzja. In-nisa qalu li filwaqt li emendi żgħar u titjib lejn il-ġustizzja huma essenzjali, l-għan tagħhom hu li jaraw bidla globali u ħafna aktar radikali fir-relazzjonijiet u fl-istituzzjonijiet. Irrimarkaw ukoll li d-drittijiet li ngawdu llum huma grazzi għall-għadd kbir ta’ nisa kuraġġużi li ma beżgħux jirriskjaw ħajjithom għalina, u li huma se jkomplu jagħmlu l-istess.

Fost il-ħafna kartelluni, diversi taw ġieħ lil nisa bħal Bernice Cilia u Sion Grech. Id-dimostranti esprimew solidarjetà ma’ dawk li ma setgħux jingħaqdu magħhom illum u fakkru lill-qrati li l-ġustizzja mdewma hija tabilħaqq ġustizzja miċħuda, bħal fil-każi ta’ Bernice u Sion.

Il-fatt li sa nofs Jannar konna diġà xxukkjati bl-ewwel femiċidju tas-sena huwa xhieda li n-nisa għad għandhom raġunijiet biex jipprotestaw. Raġel qatel lill-eks sieħba tiegħu, Sandra Ramírez – eżempju ta’ kif il-vjolenza patrijarkali għadha mifruxa fis-soċjetà tagħna. Każijiet ta’ vjolenza domestika għadhom qed jinstemgħu minn żewġ maġistrati biss, b’każijiet pendent sa sena, filwaqt li azzjoni biex tiġi indirizzata l-vjolenza domestika għadha insuffiċjenti għall-aħħar.

Il-femiċidji, madankollu, huma biss l-aktar manifestazzjoni vili u pubblika ta’ problema usa’ ta’ vjolenza kulturali li għandha għeruq fondi. Ta’ kuljum, in-nisa qed ikomplu jaffaċċjaw fastidju, qtil, distribuzzjoni mhux ugwali tar-responsabbiltajiet tal-ħarsien tat-tfal, disparita’ fil-pagi, dispreġġjament, sessiżmu u miżoġinija mifruxa, vjolenza domestika u stupru.

In-nisa rrimarkaw ukoll li l-projbizzjoni tal-abort f’Malta tkompli tneżża’ lin-nisa mill-umanita’ tagħhom u tiċħadhom mid-drittijiet tagħhom. Huma appellaw lill-politiċi biex jagħmlu dmirhom u biex jilleġiżlaw favur id-dritt tan-nisa u persuni oħra tqal biex jiddeċiedu huma stess jekk iridux ikomplu bi tqala jew li jtemmuha. In-nisa qalu li ħassewhom ittraduti mill-politiċi u mill-Knisja, li dejjem taw prijorità lill-preservazzjoni tal-embrijuni fuq id-drittijiet tan-nisa. Qalu li s-sena l-oħra, il-politiċi komplew jittradixxu aktar lin-nisa billi emendaw il-liġi u għamluha aktar diffiċli għan-nisa u persuni oħra li jtemmu tqala, anke jekk ħajjithom tkun fil-periklu.

Fil-Jum Internazzjonali tal-Mara, id-dimostranti qalu li ma jridux wegħdiet fiergħa, iżda azzjoni. In-nisa qed jgħidu lid-dinja, “M’għandniex bżonn il-fjuri – irridu l-bidla. Irridu nħossuna sikuri ġewwa u barra djarna; li nitħallsu l-istess bħall-irġiel; li jkollna opportunitajiet indaqs; li ntemmu s-setgħat tal-okkupazzjoni li qed jeqirdu pajjiżi oħra bl-iskuża tad-drittijiet tagħna; u li fl-aħħar ninħelsu mill-katini kollettivi tagħna. Hekk biss nistgħu nfasslu mill-ġdid is-soċjetà tagħna ’l bogħod mis-sistemi ta’ oppressjoni għal sistema ta’ solidarjetà u rispett. Jekk il-liberazzjoni tagħna ma tkunx waħda kollettiva, allura ma tkunx liberazzjoni ġusta.”

Il-marċ ta’ Jum il-Mara ta’ din is-sena huwa appoġġjat minn dawn l-organizazzjonijiet:
aditus foundation
Antide Malta
Doctors for Choice
Humanists Malta
IVY Malta – Interrupting Violence towards Youth
Malta Dance Beyond Borders
Malta LGBT Rights Movement, MGRM
Men Against Violence
Migrant Women Association
Moviment Graffitti
The Gender and Sexualities Department, University of Malta
The Malta Women’s Lobby
Women for Women
Women’s Rights Foundation
YMCA Malta
Young Progressive Beings