*{ http://www.ffq.qc.ca/marche2000/en/commun-2000-07-10.html 24 aout 2002 The World March of Women continues Montreal, July 7th 2000 – } In June several members of the World March team were in New York to attend the UN conference held to evaluate the Platform for Action adopted at the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. Although the final text enjoins States to adopt legislation condemning forced marriage, marital rape and crimes of honour, and it mentions the impact of globalization on women, the World March of Women’s demands remain extremely relevant.. During the conference, Françoise David, president of the Fédération des femmes du Québec and spokesperson for the World March of Women in the Year 2000, addressed the plenary that closed the UN special session. She insisted that governments must make "a unshakable commitment to put into place concrete measures to achieve equality for all women." She denounced growing poverty among women, unemployment that affects so many of them, prostitution networks that exploit and humiliate them. She denounced war and all forms of violence against women. She called for another conference to be held in 2005. *partie=titre Activities everywhere *partie=nil After the Quebec demonstrations on June 4, those in Switzerland on June 14 and the Paris march on June 17, the World March of Women continues firmly on its path! Haitian women continue to assemble to demonstrate, on the 17th of each month, despite the difficult political situation in their country. From July 19 to 23, Gabriela, one of the participating groups in the March, is organizing, in Manila, Philippines, an international conference against the sex trafficking of Philippine women and children. On July 31, on the occasion of Pan-African Women’s Day, participating groups in the World March of Women will join demonstrations planned in Mali, in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon. On August 10, in Brazilia (Brazil), thousands of rural women workers will march in the Marcha das Margaridas, organized as part of the World March of Women. *partie=titre 10 million signatures *partie=nil Organizing of the mass rallies for October is proceeding well as is the signature campaign in support of the March demands. Readers will recall that the campaign’s target is to collect at least 10 million signatures, which will be delivered to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on October 17, 2000, in New York. From October 9 to 17, 2000, in many countries of the world, women will demonstrate and march to show their determination to make our world one of equality, justice and peace. *{ Contact : Brigitte Verdière Communication World March of women in the year 2000 Tél. : (514) 395-1196 (poste 21) Fax : (514) 395-1224 @ : communication@ffq.qc.ca }