8 March 2013. International Women's Day: Freedom, Equality and Sisterhood

For years now, the Confederacin General del Trabajo (CGT), together with the feminist movements, has been continuing its efforts in this country for recognition of equal rights between women and men. Despite these efforts, which continue those undertaken by our grandmothers, mothers, friends - women's rights as citizens, workers and people continue to be violated to this day. [Castellano]

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8 March 2013. International Women's Day: Freedom, Equality and Sisterhood

For years now, the Confederacin General del Trabajo (CGT), together with the feminist movements, has been continuing its efforts in this country for recognition of equal rights between women and men. Despite these efforts, which continue those undertaken by our grandmothers, mothers, friends - women's rights as citizens, workers and people continue to be violated to this day.

• Women earn less than men in the business world. The wage gap is greater when measured by performance (41.3%) than average hourly earnings (19.3%).
  
  
• The female unemployment rate is higher than that of males and in these times of crisis is increasing at a higher rate, even though the rate of women who complete higher education in Spain is higher than that of men.
  
  
• Neither are the proportions of women and men in the Spanish population reflected in their representation in senior business positions, be they public or private - the positions of greater responsibility and remuneration are still predominantly occupied by men.

Moreover, legislative changes regarding legal expenses, cuts in social benefits and services, social inclusion policies, etc., all this only serves to exacerbate social inequalities, which in the case of women are added to the factor of sex discrimination.

Thus, we find that instead of moving towards a liberating society that respects individuals without any discrimination and which as a minimum abides by the standards it allegedly sets itself, we are moving towards a darker reality that subjects and enslaves, one that is highly discriminatory and imposes the most savage capitalist patriarchy.

Perhaps it's time for women to start working toward a new feminist culture, taking another step towards the union of goals to combat patriarchy not only with words but with actions that strengthen a movement of solidarity between women. To do this we have a concept: Sisterhood, an instrument that has a strong ethical, political and practical dimension in today's feminism, and one that serves to build political and existential alliances.

The alliance of committed women is as important as the fight against other acts of oppression such as patriarchy. It's about creating spaces where women can outline new possibilities for life.

The CGT works so that the world in which we live includes women by means of a gender-neutral language, recognizes them, is respectful, supportive, liberating and no longer cuts them out. The women and men of the CGT unite to continue fighting for their rights and those of any person who is discriminated against.

As we have been saying for a long time, the revolution will be feminist or it will not be.

Permanent Secretariat of the Confederal Committee of the CGT

Translation by FdCA - International Relations Office.