Women Disability March
In a global womens march that took place on January 21st 2017 organizers of a virtual disability march committed to promoting equality, diversity, and social inclusion of people with disabilities joined local marchers in a coalition building campaign around the world. As official co-sponsors of the Washington Womens March supported by Canadian Womens March organizers, over 3,000 disabled women, men, and youth joined in empowering a global network that will organize future campaigns and actions in support of progressive values including womens rights.-Womens March Global
As a way of acknowledging that diversity and disability is a social justice issue, Sonja Huber and colleagues from the United States assisted by Terry-Lee Marttinen in Ontario, Canada helped ensure the womens march (www.disabiltiymarch.com) was accessible to disabled communities on-line to foster inclusion in feminist activism. Many disabled people were excluded in local in person marches, which mobilized mass support for access to political engagement in several countries. Activists also amplified calls for accessible healthcare and disability supports which are being actively eroded and is a wide-spread issue among disabled people in the US.
The womens disability march is connecting to local organizations to carry forward regional concerns of disabled women.
An on-line disability march platform is a creative and effective way for women with disabilities to bring their voices forward as part of the larger feminist movement. One of the few examples of the kind of paradigm shift we need in the feminist movement equity first!says Bonnie Brayton, DAWN Canada National Executive Director.
Canadian Womens March organizers are committed to promoting disabled womens rights as human rights. An NGO aligning with principles of the US National Womens March Team and the Womens March Global Team is being created in Geneva, Switzerland with a branch in Canada. More information is available at www.canadianwomenmarch.ca.