Get out your diaries, Londoners. It’s time to block off the afternoon of 8 March, or as it’s better known, International Women’s Day, for the Million Women Rise march to protest male violence against women.

The march starts at 12pm, near Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park, and culminates in a rally at Trafalgar Square. You can download the flyers from the website, and pass them on to everyone you know.

You can also sign their list of demands:

1. To acknowledge the continued discrimination faced by all women, the additional discrimination faced by Black women and women from other minority groups, and reflect this in all public policy in the UK and internationally.

2. For the adoption of a broad definition of violence against women, which makes the links between domestic abuse, rape and commercial sexual exploitation.

3. To pledge support and resources to the women’s not-for-profit sector which is at the forefront of supporting survivors of discrimination, abuse and violence. Women’s services are essential to a woman’s healing and empowerment.

4. To support the demands of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVWC) and End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes International Forum (ECPAT) for the protection of children and to adopt a cross government strategy addressing all forms of violence against women.

5. To abolish the ‘no recourse’ requirement for abused women who have insecure immigration status.

6. For all trafficked women and children to have a guaranteed minimum reflection period, specialist support and medical assistance, specialist safe houses for child and adult victims of trafficking and the right to a temporary residence permit if deemed at risk.Protesters

7. To commit to changing public attitudes and behavior towards women and girls through education initiatives and public awareness campaigns as set out by school programs such as Womankind Worldwide initiatives.

8. To hold the media accountable for the continued misrepresentation, misappropriation and abuse of the female body throughout all forms of media.

9. To recognise that global war and conflict perpetuates violence against women and to stop all wars now. Three out of four fatalities of war are women and children.

10. For International Women’s Day to become a National Bank Holiday in the UK and Ireland in recognition of and to celebrate women’s achievements.

Posted by Jess McCabe on 21 January 2008, at 12:56 PM