International Women’s Day: Significant Activity of the KKE and the class oriented movement
The 8th March, the International Women’s Day was celebrated with a series of events and interventions of the KKE.The KKE organized two central political events on this issue with the GS of the CC of the KKE, comrade Aleka Papariga. The subject was: “the consequences of the capitalist crisis on the life of the working woman and the proposal of the party for the way-out”. At the events the GS of the CC discussed with working women in industry and students at the University of Social Studies, in Panteion University. Aleka Papariga mentioned in her speeches amongst other things:
“the question for the vanguard is that struggle for the problems of equality, for the emancipation of women becomes an integral part of the struggle of the labour movement, an integral part of the struggle of all the organizations of the workers, the self employed, the poor farmers because we do not reproduce the discrimination between men and women -which we had never supported and continue not to support- and because the question of the women’s emancipation is a clear class and gender issue which in the final analysis concerns the workers family in its entirety, 100% (…)We will not be able to understand this and above all we will not be able to repel this assault with a mass labour movement, if we do not understand the women’s question as a class and gender issue. Our propaganda will be incomplete. Of course, when we say class and gender we clarify that this is opposed to the view that holds the position that the women’s question, the inequality of women, is caused by men’s dominance, by the patriarchal views, by the male dominated society and that the issue will be solved through the conflict of the two genders. This must be clear”.
“According to the development of the class struggle capitalism made certain concessions reluctantly. This period is over. And you know that because today they take everything back. And this will not last for the next couple of years, until the PSI is concluded; they officially admit that our life has been mortgaged for 30 years, note it officially. So objectively, since the attack is unified and does not concern a single sector or a single aspect of life, the political choice on the agenda is the struggle for the overthrow of the political system, the struggle for the overthrow of the dictatorship of the monopolies, the struggle for the workers’ and people’s power.
At the same time, the forces of PAME along with the association of the Greek Federation of Women (OGE) organized placard protests, events, discussions, meetings and many other militant events throughout the country, in workplaces and workers’ neighbourhoods highlighting the need for the strengthening of the coordination between the labour and the women’s movement aiming at the uprising of the working women.
In Athens, PAME and OGE, were outside the “Alexandra” hospital. This was a deliberate choice. In a period when the assault of capital is focused on maternity rights and healthcare is being transformed into an expensive commodity, OGE chose to visit on Women’s Day this public hospital and maternity clinic. With the central slogan “Exclusively Public and Free Healthcare, Maternity is a social value.” OGE and PAME called on the women to fight for their contemporary needs and for their maternity rights (It should be noted that recently the pregnancy allowance was abolished). Similar events as well as a demonstration in the centre of Athens were carried out by the Committee of the Steelworkers Wives. The striking steelworkers who continue their struggle for 131 days militantly demonstrated together with their wives sending a clear message that they continue without any thought of retreat and with the strength of solidarity continue their uncompromising struggle.
e-mail:cpg@int.kke.gr