Mujeres de Negro Madrid

On the November 25th, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women Because this crisis is also violence against women This crisis is a permanent economic war against the major part of civil society. Women are the ones who suffer the most in the precarious work situation and they habitually carry the largely invisible workload of care for others. In many cases they have a double workday (domestic and public), which is becoming every day more difficult to carry out because of the loss of workers' rights and benefits. In addition, women take responsibility for other members of the family to the detriment of their own needs. Care of dependents and the struggle against social exclusion receive less and less public assistance, and it is the women who must confront these situations. More than two million minors live below the poverty threshold and cuts continue in social services, which have been reduced by 65% in the last two years. At the same time, banks are...

On the use of force by the Government It might be legal but is it just? While the socio-economic situation of the citizens becomes daily more disastrous, with reductions in rights and liberties, and other extremely violent measures that are being used, the privileges of those who make the decisions: politicians, financial entities… remain, the social movements of the country are gaining in force. While the gap grows between the interests of the government and the needs of the people, the citizens’ reply gives life and hope in the streets. One perceives a very strong collective sentiment, a sentiment saying “We are not afraid.” Facing the growing and continuous mobilization since 15M (a Spanish protest movement), the government response has been excessive repression, which is not a show of its strength, rather of its fear of the people. The government’s lack of will for dialogue is the response to the shout of the people “We are not the enemy”. As feminists and anti-militaris...

Regarding the possible location of locating of Eurovegas in Madrid Mr. President Mariano Rajoy, Mr. President of the Community of Madrid Ignacio Gonzalez: Women in Black of Madrid against war wish to declare our position and opinion as feminists and pacifists regarding the possible locating of Eurovegas* in Madrid. You present Eurovegas as a macro-project for gaming and entertainment that is going to generate a considerable number of jobs in the zone where it is installed. However, we see only a project in which the majority of men and women, directly or indirectly associated with it, are going to work in highly vulnerable conditions. The exception will be that a minority of people will see their economic interests multiply, such as the businessman Mr. Sheldon Adelson, known worldwide for amoral businesses and for his facile and rapid enrichment. Land speculators and related industries will also see an increase in their income. We are outraged before the ease and availabilit...

40th Anniversary for Global Day of Environment For a long time, the environment has been a silent victim of war, suffering before, during and after combat . ( Mark Engler ) The Global Day of the Environment was celebrated on 5 June. While Ecologistas en Acción (Ecologists in Action) called for something as obvious as that “environmental laws be enforced” , we discover that on the other hand the usual European treatment of waste materials does not include legislation regarding materials destined for military uses. We can imagine the source for this favorable treatment. Calculations accomplished by the Institute of Investigation for Peace Policy of Starnberg (Germany) concluded that between 10 and 30% of environmental degradation worldwide is owing to activities related to the military . “The armed forces are the major contaminators in our planet – and the least regulated.” The effects of war are so shocking that little attention has been devoted to its effects on the environmen...

The last Sunday of the month 27 MAY 2012 in the Plaza Mayor (next to the horse statue) at 12:00 noon Women in Black invite you to a vigil in black and in silence. Commemorating 24th May International Women's Day for Peace and Disarmament Confronting “peace” based on the interests of the powerful classes and not on the interests of the civil population. WOMEN IN BLACK OF MADRID AGAINST WAR Denounce: ♀ The regression in human rights and the rights of women. ♀ The fear policies that criminalize social movements. ♀ The existence of the big businesses that are not in crisis, among which are those involved with commerce in weapons. Our admiration, solidarity and support for the women who: ♀ Defend the idea that feminine resistance in the face of war and destruction is a struggle for life and survival. ♀ In war situations, transform indignation into nonviolent resistance; despair, into public acts of civil disobedience. Let us expel war and violence from...

REDUCTIONS? YES, IN THE MILITARY NOT INSERT COIN (NOT ONE PENNY MORE) Women in Black against war denounce the misguided policies relative to the crisis we are experiencing. While the majority of the population is suffering a worsening of their conditions of life, various States are taking advantage to cut rights and advances achieved for labor and to reduce appropriations for the social good. At the same time, they maintain or covertly increase the military apparatus. This crisis has not produced a reduction in militarism and social control, seeing that 2012 has begun with budgetary items inherited from the previous year. Therefore, although the budget for the Ministry of Defense is nominally lowered by 7%, the real reduction for military expenditures and social control is roundly false. Example: The Ministry of Industry helps to make up the Defense budget with the so-called Special Armament Programs, which has generated a debt of 30,000 million Euros, about 3% of the GDP o...

The last Sunday of the month in the Plaza Mayor (next to the horse statue) at 12:00 noon Women in Black invite you to a vigil in black and in silence. 25th March 2012 Confronting the direction in which the “defense” policy of the Government in our country is headed WOMEN IN BLACK OF MADRID AGAINST WAR Are alarmed that the person who has been put at the head of the Ministry of Defense is Mr. Pedro Morenes, one of the Spaniards with the most personal interests in the weapons industry. We have reasons to not trust that that this gentleman will concern himself with the real defense of the people of this country, but will, instead, seek to defend his personal interests in the defense industry. We request: ♀ That Mr. Pedro Morenes be removed from his position as Minister of Defense. ♀ An increase in the budget for Education and Health, moving the budgetary reductions to the Ministry of Defense. Let us expel war and violence from History and from our lives. C/ San Cos...

Women in Black against the war - Madrid Commemorating Wold Day of Social Justice World Day of Social Justice has been commemorated on 20 February ever since it was proclaimed by the United Nations in 2007 with the intention of eradicating poverty and promoting full employment and decent work. Social Justice must create the conditions to produce gender equity and access to well-being and social justice for all. That is to say, dignity, stability and opportunities for everyone without restrictions because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or handicap. The Social Justice protected by the UN has a marked economic focus and is oriented towards compensating inequalities through the distribution of income, employment, social protection and rights of workers and labor unions. This declaration doesn’t come out of the blue, rather from the persevering revindication of thousands of civil organizations all over the world that work for the eradication of poverty and the end...

The last Sunday of the month in the Plaza Mayor (next to the horse statue) at 12:00 noon Women in Black of Madrid invite you to a vigil in black and in silence 29 January 2012 commemorating The School Day of Nonviolence Women in Black against the war WE DENOUNCE: ♀ The impunity afforded the local and global financiers responsible for the current economic situation. ♀ Cutting of budgetary appropriations for public education and the increasing support for private schooling. ♀ Legislators’ utilization of the crisis as psychological war against the people. WE REQUEST: ♀ That the crisis be paid for by those who have produced it, principally the financial institutions. ♀ That legislators and governors view education as the best economic investment in the present and the future. Let us expel war and violence from History and from our lives C/ San Cosme y San Damián, Nº 24, 2º 28012 – Madrid ......................................................................