On its twenty years in existence, the World Trade Organization will hold its 10th WTO Ministerial Meeting slated this 15-18 December 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya led by the US, Japan and other industrialized countries in the European Union. These imperialist countries will again hail the international economic order and the neoliberal policies to maintain hegemonic control in the world’s economy.

This is the demand of the International Women’s Alliance (IWA) on International Human Rights Day 2015 to highlight the situation of women who dared to stand up for their political beliefs, who risked the full force of state repression and who are now paying a high price for their courage and defiance for women’s liberation, for the freedom of their people and their country.

Women, society, and nature are being left defenseless, not only physically, but socially, economically, and politically. Meanwhile, the omnipresent state security apparatuses that openly lead economies of arms trade and benefit from pitting communities against each other for their dirty wars give the illusion of protecting “us” against a mysterious “them.”

Conscientes de los graves efectos que la minería trae a sus vidas, mujeres en toda Latinoamérica se han levantado y se han sumado masivamente a los procesos de resistencia de los pueblos, registrándose en los conflictos mineros permanentes violaciones de derechos cometidas contra ellas, y un alarmante aumento de defensoras asesinadas, desaparecidas, torturadas, violentadas sexualmente, encarceladas, judicializadas, criminalizadas, estigmatizas y hostigadas.

The four years (2011 to 2015) of IWA were formative years.   IWA was organized as the global alliance of grassroots women that drew in the mass organizations of women from the marginalized sectors of women workers, peasants, indigenous, rural and urban poor, youth, migrants and immigrants and women of color and of different sexual orientation and expressions.

Amid wars and famine, land-grabbing and encroachment of borders, slave-like conditions in workplaces and increasing violence and commodification of women in different parts of the world, women have risen and will continue to rise.

Women joined this revolution.  They held arms, in spite of all the difficulties from the traditions of a society, that prevent women from taking decisions on their own without the permission of their father or brother or husband.  Yet, they challenged this and overcame these difficulties and joined the armed revolution.

Women are considered to be the backbone of not only household food security but also rural food production. However, the advent of mechanized farming under the aegis of Green Revolution has inflicted vast damage to women. Apart from the fact that green revolution has brought unlimited harm to the lives and livelihood of the small and landless farmers and the ecological balance of the Earth, it has also snatched away from women their central role in agriculture.

Our future will be determined by how strong we can build the women’s movement in our own countries, within our national borders, and how we can link arms with one another to develop the strength of an international women’s movement.

Women leaders met in the Philippines for the Second General Assembly of the International Women’s Alliance (IWA) held in Quezon City, Philippines on November 11, 2015 with the theme “Women building peace, resisting militarization, facism and economic plunder”.

On 20 October 2015, members of the organization of rural women defenders of Mother Earth and human rights (FMDP) were assaulted and arbitrarily arrested by police and security officers in the rural community of Molleturo, in Cuenca, Ecuador during the visit of President Raphael Correa to inaugurate and support “Oro Rio Blanco,” a mining project of the Chinese mining company Junefield.

In a display of supremacy and control in Asia Pacific, the US government has once again brandished its so-called enhanced cooperation in the region. IWA denounces the threat and harassment and the violation of the right to movement, liberty, and freedom of association against its Chairperson Liza Maza by the US Department of Homeland Security through the Korean Air officials.

An urgent action appeal to save the life of a woman migrant worker on death row in Indonesia issued by IWA member GABRIELA in the Philippines

The Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) call on the Indonesian President, Joko Widodo to halt the planned execution of Mary Jane Veloso and grant her a full re-trial.

On International Working Women’s Day, we first salute the brave women who have offered their lives fighting for their communities, for their rights. We commemorate the mothers who have lost their children and family due to increased militarization, occupation, war and police brutality. We recognize women and children who are victims of trafficking, displacement, sex tourism, rape and other gendered crimes of war.

On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Filipino women fighting for genuine peace and justice, GABRIELA National Alliance of Filipino Women condemns in the strongest term, the recent attacks and bombings by the Zionist government of Israel against the Palestinian people. We strongly condemn the imperialist governments lead by the United States for their continued support and provocation of these atrocious attacks and genocide of Palestinian people.

From Bhopal to West Virginia, ordinary people around the world have been suffering the human health, environmental safety, and livelihood impacts of unchecked corporate misconduct. It is time we hold transnational corporations such as Monsanto, Syngenta, and Dow Chemical accountable for human rights violations

The International Women’s Alliance pays its highest tribute to Irene Fernandez, our sister in anti-imperialist struggle as we mourn her passing. We honor the full life of service to the oppressed and exploited peoples of the world that she has led. We hope that her life and work inspires women of the world to struggle against injustice, discrimination, exploitation, and oppression.

International Women’s Alliance Chairperson Liza L. Maza expressed concern over the arrest of nine month pregnant Andrea Rosal last March 27.