It has been such an amazing day, spent with some wonderfully inspiring women.
For International Women's Day this year, we decided to dedicate our day to survivors of war and conflict; our sisters in Bosnia. The women of courage and resilience. Speaking on the radio aswell as another meeting there was a chance to retell the stories of survivors, share some poetry and personal reflections. We felt it was important to draw parallels with current conflicts; the suffering of the Palestinian people at the hands of an oppressive regime, media propaganda, hate crime, and the refugee crisis; highlighting the dire situation those fleeing conflict find themselves in.
In any war, it is always the women and children who suffer.
I cannot convey in words the harrowing histories. It's equally challenging when thinking about the systematic rape and sexual violence which was a tool of the war in Bosnia. However we must speak up against oppression wherever we find it. We must be a voice for those who have been muted. We must keep striving to bring about change in the hope that justice may be served.
We have sent out a card to our sisters in Bosnia which reads:
"To our sisters in Bosnia-Herzegovina, we stand in solidarity with you this International Women's Day. Your courage and strength inspires us."
"Naše sestre u Bosni i Hercegovini, izražavamo solidarnost s vama na Međunarodni dan žena. Vaša hrabrost i snaga naša su inspiracija."
In solidarity with survivors today and always. x
(Card designed by my dear friend Ayesha Ansari-Choudhury)
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