Join Me on the Bridge

100th Anniversary of International Women's Day

Women are set to make history on the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day by joining together on bridges across the world, and calling for urgent action in Afghanistan; described as ‘one of the worst countries in the world to be a woman’. This follows the success of the first Join me on the Bridge campaign, launched by Women for Women International on 8th March 2010.

This year, Women for Women is joining forces with a coalition including Amnesty International, the Fawcett Society, Oxfam and Women’s Aid, CARE, Global Changemakers at the British Council, U8, Save the Children and the White Ribbon Alliance, to mark the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day (IWD) and call for urgent action to make a big difference to lives of women and girls of Afghanistan. Singer and activist, Annie Lennox and actresses Cherie Lunghi and Michelle Ryan will lead the march across London’s Millennium Bridge, as supporters gather on bridges in more than 30 countries around the globe as well as at more than 30 UK events.

“As the world is about to celebrate the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, peace negotiations are happening that will determine the future of Afghanistan. Women are excluded from taking a full part in these negotiations. We demand that women have an equal seat at the negotiating table, and an equal voice in determining their future, and the future of their country." Says Kate Nustedt, Executive Director, Women for Women International and Global Organiser of the Join Me on the Bridge Campaign.

International Women’s Day started in 1911, when over a million women and men attended rallies to call for the right for women to vote, hold public office and be able to work. One hundred years on, in many areas of conflict, we see these rights, as well as the struggle for equality, justice, peace and development, are still not a reality for millions of women today.

The idea for Join Me on the Bridge came from the Country Directors of Women for Women’s programmes in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (two countries which have seen some of the most devastating impacts of war in recent years and where atrocities such as rape, torture and violence against women are commonplace). Women from different communities decided to come together on a bridge which borders their two countries, in the heart of the conflict; to stand up for peace and an end to violence against women.

Their idea became the impetus for a global campaign in 2010, led by Women for Women, in which over 20,000 people took part with 119 events in 19 countries.

This year’s highlights include:

  • Kabul, Afghanistan: a WFWI group will take part in a Human Rights Commission march scheduled for 7 March in Kabul.
  • Gisenyi-Goma border, Rwanda/DRC: women from both countries will at the Gisenyi-Goma border. Their aim is to connect Congolese and Rwandan women.
  • Sarajevo, Bosnia: women will gather on the Ars Aevi Bridge to let off balloons and hear speeches.
  • Sydney, Australia: a celebrity bridge climb of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
  • New York, USA: a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, to City Hall Park in Manhattan where there will be a festival.
  • London, UK: march led by Annie Lennox, Cherie Lunghi, Michelle Ryan and Sally Hawkins from Borough Market over Millennium Bridge along to Embankment and back across the river to the Royal Festival Hall.
  • A ‘virtual bridge’ on the web comprised of ‘authors for peace’ from around the world and hosted by Berlin
  • China where a group of fundraisers from the Victoria Medical Foundation will also represent Join Me on the Bridge while marching across the Great Wall.
  • Sudan where a group of 50 women who will hold out their open palms — the ubiquitous sign of separation from the north — a feat which has now been achieved as a result of the recent referendum and in the aftermath of the bloody civil war that divided the country for more than 20 years.
  • Saudi Arabia where the Dhahran Women’s Group (representing 60 nationalities) will be mounting an international display
  • France where one group is planning a boat trip on the Seine that will link up with Paris Human Rights Festival and another group is planning a ‘hands across the bridge’ event on the Pont Alexandre III.

The Join Me on the Bridge campaign believes stronger women can build the bridges of peace. Through our campaigning work and one year programmes in Afghanistan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Rwanda, and Sudan, Women for Women supports women in areas of conflict move from victim to survivor to active citizen. Their demands for security, economic opportunity and an equal voice at the peace negotiation tables are the way forward for the women of Afghanistan, the Congo and other war-torn countries to help build stronger nations.

The concept for Join Me on the Bridge 2011 is simple. Women, children and men (whether it’s 2, 200 or 2000, or more), join together on the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day; 8th March 2011, on bridges throughout the world, holding up banners, making a public statement that ‘Stronger Women Build Bridges of Peace’. People gather to show their support for women in war-torn areas, to call for women to have a greater say at the peace negotiating tables and for countries to honour the UN goals they have signed up to, to bring an end to violence against women in areas of conflict.

“100 years ago brave women stood up and changed the world for so many of us. Today, there are equally brave women standing up for equality in Afghanistan. Now is our chance to get behind them and help bring peace and greater security to these women.

“Women in Afghanistan must be fully included in the peace negotiations. Peace without women doesn't stand a chance, and the time to build peace is now - before the troops start withdrawing in June 2011.

“We're not asking for any new policies or laws. They already exist. We have UN Resolution 1325, and we have the Millennium Development Goals. It's time to act, and we’re calling for everyone who wants to make a stand against the brutalities inflicted on women in Afghanistan (and in areas of conflict around the world) to join us on a bridge on the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, 8th March 2011.”

Says Kate Nustedt, Executive Director of Women for Women UK, and organiser of the global Join me on the Bridge campaign.

Annie Lennox added:

“I’m so inspired to see women build the bridges of peace across the world, and I’m proud to be standing alongside them to help make sure that women’s voices are heard. Come and join us. Women will be equal when we stand together so join us on a bridge near you on 8th March, the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day.”

Press contacts: Helen Ashley, Alan Ali, and Emma Lewis on 0207 922 7946.

Mobiles: Helen Ashley - 07976 804 314; Alan Ali - 07403 147 311; Emma Lewis - 07527 337 506.

Notes to Editors

For more information on Women for Women International visit www.womenforwomen.org.

Want to cover the campaign? We can help with:

  • 2010 Broadcast quality video footage available from our campaigns in the Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, Bosnia and London.
  • 2010 campaign footage narrated by Meryl Streep, tells the story of the 2010 campaign and features Annie Lennox, who joined the campaign in London.
  • Global campaign with Cheri Lunghi, Annie Lennox and Sarah Brown.
  • UK campaign with Annie Lennox, Sarah Brown and Cheri Lunghi
  • Securing on the day broadcast quality footage and photography from our 2011 events around the world.
  • 2010 Images of bridge events throughout the world – to see what’s available visit our photo gallery or Fickr. We can also forward you high resolution images.
  • Campaign artwork you can download here.
  • Spokeswomen in countries of conflict who can talk first-hand about their experience of living in areas of conflict and what needs to be done in their countries
  • WfWI spokeswomen in London
  • Photography and video footage of life for women in areas of conflict and of our programmes
  • Life stories – of women who have been on our programme
  • Opportunities for you to travel to our country programmes to talk to marginalised women, cover preparations in the run up to the Day and the events on the Day
  • Celebrity backers who can talk about why they are supporting the campaign
  • Regional spokespeople who are organising events in the UK
  • An events database identifying events around the world