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National Women's Liberation Movement Conference held in Manchester fight against women's oppression.
Well over a thousand women attenaed the Manchester National Women's Liberation Conference, while about 600 children were entertained for the week-end with outings and parties by the men who ran the creche.
The wide-ranging discussion at the conference-with workshops including women and health, music, psychiatry, the media, as well as the Charter, and the demands of the Women's liberation movement gave a fair representa tion of the many sides of the movement. But the different political ideas contained within it and its attempts to bring 'culture', politics, and "personal' life together. Not least, the unanimous agreement of the confer: ence to take up the role of women in the struggles in Spain, Chile and Indochina, gave a clear indication of the internationalism of the women's moThe International Women's Day Meeting held by the IMG. Speakers from other sections of the Fourth International including Switzerland, France, Belgium, Holland, Luxemburg, Ireland, and a Chilean woman exiled in Britain addressed the meeting. A conference was later held with these women to discuss further co-ordination in the Fourth International in the vement.
The discussion in the workshops gave a picture of women's groups more systematically involving themselves in campaigns than ever before.
In addition, it is clear that attempts are being made in every campaign to invoive women who do not identify with the women's movement. was particularly true of the workshops on the Working Women's Charter and the Abortion Campaign. Specific recog nition and prioritsation was given to the Abortion Campaign and a resolution calling for women's groups to affiliate to the National Abortion Campaign and to take up the fight against restrictive legislation on abortion was unanimously passed.
In the discussion on organisation it was generally agreed that the wo man's movement is a social movethe unions. Dr. Berry Beaumont addressing the TUC Women's Congress. The Conference voted in favour of free abortion and contraception on demand. Now we must organise to ensure the Trades Union Congress also adopts this resolution.
ment which can not be contained by a rigid structure based on some kind of programmatic unity. The proposals which were accepted, for better communication via a national centre, and a national newsletter, were based on the understanding that the wom en's movement will develop in particular through its campaigns and the setting up of groups in institutions colleges, schools, factories, and in All in all, the two days of discussion and recreation-not the least, the music of the two women's rock bands, and the social itself-gave most of us attending the conference a confidence in the ability of the women's liberation movement to take real steps forward in the struggle for women's liberation.
- Ann Foreman
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•• NEWS.• NEWS••• NEWS.•• SUPPORT ASUNTION ITALIAN ITALIAN Photo: WOMENT SISTERS ANALETED Davis British sectio Internation H On 14 March, the London Student Women's Action Group (SWAG) called a demonstration demanding nursery schools. The march went to the Department of Education. This kind of action must be seen in contrast to the failure of the NUS Executive to take the Women's Campaign seriously. On 15 February, a picket was held outside the Italian Embassy in solidarity with Italian women who are fighting against fascists' moves to close down abortion centres, established by the Radical Party. This attack has been launched at a time when the first cracks in the Italian abortion laws have appeared since the time of Mussolini.
International Women's Day (March 8) was celebrated with a march through the East End this year. The internationalism of the march was reflected in such slogans as 'Free the Price Sisters', 'Free Eva Forest and Lyd ia Falcon'(two Spanish political prisoners), and 'Against the military junta in Chile'.
On May 3, in Boston, USA, hundreds of demonstrators marched to the Statehouse to protest the conviction of Dr. Kenneth Edelin. Dr. Edelin is a black physician accused of manslaughter for performing a legal abortion on a young black woman. The demonstration and rally culminated a week of abortionrights activity organised by the Coalition to Defend Abortion Rights (CAR).
The raily was addressed by well-known feminist and civil rights leaders. Marcia Codling, a coordinator of the National Student Coalition Against Racism, pointed to the connection between the anti-abortion forces and the racists who are trying to prevent desegregation of the Boston schools.
RACISTS "The vengeance with which the jury shouted its verdict, said Pearl Shelton, speaking for Thomas Atkins, president of the Boston NAACP, 'shows this was no less than legislative lynching. I detect a strange coincidence between those who cry out for Dr. Edelin's blood on the one hand and those who have been defying the federal court on desegregation on the other."
Florence Luscomb, an outspoken fighter for women's rights since 1892, hit the same theme when she told the crowd: "The most violent opponents of our cause call themselves ROAR.(Restore our Alienated Rights). You know what ROAR means? R-reactionaries, O-opposing, A-all, R-reforms."
ROAR, the racist, anti-bussing org anisation in Boston, broke up a rally for the Equal Rights Amendment at Faneiul Hall on 19 April and threatened the same for any future women's rights gatherings.
BOSTON Other activities in Boston during abortion-action week included a meeting of black and other minority women to discuss their fight for abortion rights. This meeting was addressed by Dr. Edelin, who told those present, 'You are not defending me. You are defending a woman's right to chooseand don't forget that.
A morning seminar on 30 April to discuss the special problems faced hy high school women was attended by 125 people, (The Militant)
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Photo: Angela Phillips (IFL] MUMS COlLEgES KIOS NURSERIES Angela Phillips (Report)
COLLEGE KIDS HAY
CUP DEFEND DR. EDELIN !