Queries?: Contact the organisers of individual events for detailed info. Or yiww19@gmail.com
Welcome to York International Women’s Week 2019 .
Building on the success of York International Women’s Week 2018, preparations are now under way for the 2019 festival, so watch this space for updates and the publication of the programme.
The idea of an annual ‘Women’s Day’ came out of an international conference of working women in 1910. Clara Zetkin proposed that there should be a day that combined celebration of women with action to improve their working conditions, bring about equal pay and ensure their voting rights. On 6th February 1918, the first women in the UK were finally awarded the vote, albeit only women aged 30+ with property (see Vote 100 for more info). Today the struggle continues to achieve gender equality both here in York – recent evidence of a growing local gender pay gap is testament to that – and around the world as well as to tackle the enduring challenges of gender-based violence. We welcome North Yorkshire Police’s 2017 decision to make misogyny a ‘hate crime’ but much remains to be done.
The broad aim of the festival is to raise ALL women’s voices whatever their background or identity, race, religion etc, however as events have been put forward by organisers and the festival pulled together by volunteers in a short space of time we acknowledge that there will be under representation and we would welcome support in addressing this at future festivals with a longer lead in time. We expect all events to be welcoming and inclusive and for everyone to join the festival in the spirit of making women’s voices heard. We must all also acknowledge our responsibility to listen to each other and not seek to silence women even if we don’t share the same views. Our voices as women have been silenced for too long. We welcome all women and everyone in support of them to join us.
York International Women’s Week 2018 operates with an inclusive definition of “woman” and “female”. Some events are for female-identified people only and some are open to all.
We hope you enjoy the programme and get involved, celebrate women’s worth and stand up for women’s rights!
The York International Women’s Week Organising Group
Supported by
York Human Rights City
In April 2017, York was declared the UK’s first Human Rights City. Its Declaration commits to promote human rights in decision making, to ensure all residents’ human rights are respected, and to encourage awareness and debate about human rights. To read more about what is happening in the city and to sign up for regular notices, visit www.yorkhumanrights.org; Fb:@YorkHumanRightsCity; Twitter:@YorkHumanRights.
University of York Centre for Women’s Studies (CWS)
The Centre for Women’s Studies (CWS) was established at the University of York in 1984. It has grown to become a world-leading centre for the study of women and gender, offering innovative teaching across the humanities and social sciences, linking theory in imaginative ways to current affairs and politics. CWS offers postgraduate Diplomas, MAs, and PhDs and welcomes students from many countries, as well as from York and the rest of Europe. Students normally have a 2:1 in their first degree, and we also take relevant experience into account. For details, see www.york.ac.uk/womens-studies and contact ann.kaloski-naylor@york.ac.uk if you’d like to discuss studying with us.
