was waking up and that tac tsarist prisons and gallows were powerless to kill the workers' spirit of struggle and protest.
In 1919, both tae workers news papers concerned themselves with The vonci bration. Our comrades put in a lot of effort but because of police intervention, they didn't manage to or. ganise a demonstration. Those involved in the planning found themselves in tsarist prisons, and to the cold many were later sent North. The slogan of "struggle for the working woman's vote had become in Russia an open call for the overthrow of the tsarist autocracy Women's Day during the Imperialist war The first World War broke out. In 1915 and 1916 "Working Women's Day" abroad was a feeble affair - left wing socialist women who shared the views of tacussian Boisacvik party tried to turn March 8th into a demonstration of working women against the war.
In 1915 only Norway managed to organise an International demonstration on women's day; representatives from Russia and neutral countries attended. There could be no thought of organising a Women's Day in Russia, for there the power of the tsarism and the military machine was unbridled.
But then came the great year of 1917. Hunger, cold and the trials of war broke the patcace of the womeh workers and peasants of Russia. ing Women's Day, they came boldly out into the streets of Petrograd. The women - some were workers, some lie wives soldier manded "Bread for our children" and "The return of our husbands from the trenches".
The protest of the working women posed such a threat that even the tsarist security forces did not dare take the usual measures against the "rebels", but looked on in confusion at the stormy sea of the people's anger. our own benefit. and for the good of the workers' republic. In the two not been absolutely changed. We are only in the process of struggling for communism and we are surited from the dark and repressive past.
The shackles of the family, of housework, of prostitution, still weigh heavy upon the working woman. Working women and peasant women can only rid themselves of this situation and achieve equality in life itself, and not just in law, if they put all their energies into making Soviet Russia a truly communist society.
The new tasks of Working Women's Day The October revolution gave women equality with men as far as civil rights are concerned. The situation is very ditterent in the capitalist countries where women privileged. In these countries the voice of working wore is weak and lifeless.
sue to ous counse - in Norway, Australia, Finland and in some of the states of North Amerhad won civil rights even before the war. In Germany, thiry-six women entered parlia ment - but not a single communist! In 1919, in England a woman was; for the first time elected a Member of Parliament. But who was she? A "lady". That means a landowner, an tion has been coming up lately of ex. tending the franchise to women.
But what use are these rights to working women in the framework of bourgeois parliaments? While the power is in the hands of the capital. ists and property owners, no political rights will save the working women from the traditional position of slavery in the home and in society.
Only the overthrow of capitalism and the establishment of Soviet Power will save them from the world of suffering, humiliations and ineAS ANOTHER International Women's Day approaches and the general election oom, socialists and feminists should pause for reflection.... just what DO women in the nineties want, and what do the traditional and new her own personal manifesto for women. The next issue of Socialist Outlook will look at the manifestos of various measure up... THE RIGHT of women to organise collectively around demands they have democratically decided on.
We need the right to organise autonomously within the trade unions and at work to discuss together what our problems are and ow to resolve them.
Inis is nampered by taws which restrict trade union rights and by the Criminal Justice Act - they must be abolished.
We need free high quality child. care available round the clock to enable women who so wish to particinate in meetines and other activities, including full time work.
Paid maternity and paternity leave with no loss of job security are also crucial.
A minimum wage would give working women can achieve some dignity in their lives and allow working men to work fewer nour and play more of a role in house. work, relationships and childcare. We want full time rights for part. time workers. fare state to improve the pay and conditions of those who work in it and the lve a to whe depend on it. For a change in the way the welfare state works so that communities who use it are more involved in running it eg for to collectively discuss and be in. rolved in controlling the kind of services they need.
All contraceptive, abortion and available on demand on the NHS.
An educational system which is anti-discriminatory in form and content. For a positive anti-sexist a full programme of sex education for boys and girls.
A massive programme of house building would allow women choice about how and with whom they live.
We need reliable, frequent public transport systems which will allow women to travel safely and without damage to the emivice must be easily accessible to people with disabilities and those with young children.
Job creation
tion to give the right to work for those that want it. End the rotten humiliate all forced to rely on it. at a level that allows people to five in dignity and the abolition of all means tested benefits especially the JSA. The end to co-habitation The right to retire at 55 for all. Restore the index linking of pensions and end discrimination against women.
Abolish all immigration control which separate families against their will and lead to the forced famils. End state racism and the harassmene of the Black commu. nity by the police. Justice for black people who are victims of crimes and an end to judicial frame-ups Discrimination against lesbians and gay men must be ended. Poolish Clause 4o, reouce the g of consent for gay men and end discrimination against lesbians for example in the provision of fertil ity treatment and in custody cases education of children should be seen as the responsibility of soci. ety rather than the burden of their people for social problems which are not of their making. All laws which give parents property rights over their children should be abo Most child abuse happens in the family - this should be recognised. There should be strict laws against abuse of children. All sex offend. ers should be treated to reduce the danger they pose to women and children.
Done volence ne treated by the police and courts in of violence.
We need centres, independent of the police, to counsel and support women and children who are victims of abuse
parties standing in the gen- eral election to see how they