Women from different walks of life, working women from the slums and resettlement colonies, students, teachers, lawyers, professionals and political activists, all came together under the banners of various organizations, in a joint protest march and rally on March 8, 2008 to mark International Women’s Day.

At the starting point of the program at Mandi House, members of the Rangabhoomi Natya Samooh depicted through a short play, how the oppression of women in our society is an integral part of the oppression of the working class and people and that the road to liberation lies in fighting to put an end to this system of exploitation and oppression.

Carrying placards bearing slogans such as “Jo satta kare julm-atyachar, woh kaise kare nari ka uddhar?” (How can a political power that oppresses people bring about the liberation of women?) and holding aloft colourful banners of their respective organizations, hundreds of women and girls marched in a procession from Mandi House to Parliament in Central Delhi, culminating in a public rally. All along the route of the procession, the women raised slogans hailing the unity and spirit of struggle of women, against the increasing violence on women, against the police who regularly harass and attack women and against the state for failing in its duty to protect the rights and dignity of women.

The participating organizations included AIDWA, NFIW, JWP, Purogami Mahila Sangathan, YWCA, CWDS, NFDW, VSO, Guild of Service, Nirman Mazdoor Panchayat Sangam, Savitri Bai Phule Mahila Sangam and Jagori.

Representatives of the participating organizations addressed the women at the rally in front of Parliament. Several women’s groups sang songs and recited poems, highlighting the day to day struggles of the working and poor women.

The representative of Purogami Mahila Sangathan pointed out that March 8 had been declared as International Women’s Day nearly a hundred years ago, by the international communist and workers' movement, to mark the heroic struggle of women against capitalist exploitation, against imperialism and war. Women in India have continued to fight many heroic battles, but our rulers have reduced International Women’s Day to a charade, and are trying to fool our women by promoting various kinds of government schemes as ways to end the oppression of women. How can we ever expect a state that defends the interests of the biggest capitalist exploiters to liberate women from exploitation and oppression, she asked. She called upon the women to unite with all the exploited and oppressed to put an end to the capitalist system, in order to create the conditions for our liberation.

The program ended with a rousing song by activists of Purogami Mahila Sangathan – “Usha ki lalima phaili hai . . . ” – the dawn is breaking; that day is not far off when the sun will shine for us!