The women’s solidarity march mounted by human rights NGOs in Chisinau on March 8 involved dozens of people. By such an event, the organizers and the participants aimed to warn society to the problems the women face now in Moldova and to demand that the rights of women should be respected by the state institutions, IPN reports.
Walking along the main boulevard, the participants in the march chanted such slogans as: “We are solidary!”, “Rights for women, progress for everyone!”, “Solidarity for dignity!”, “We want not flowers, but equal rights!”
According to Anastasia Danilov, executive director of the Information Center “Genderdoc-M”, the march is designed to sensitize society to the problems experienced currently by women in Moldova and to demand that the state institutions should observe the rights of women. This refers to the offering of higher pays, respect for the rights of women of different nationalities, professions and religious denominations, observance of the rights of migrant women and female MPs, those who are discriminated on the ground of gender, etc.
“I have a message for all men – to be solidary with women because these need this. They should be solidary whenever the women need, when they are discriminated, harassed or abused. You should always be active in supporting women,” stated civic activist Ion Andronache.
Angela Frolov, programs coordinator at “Genderdoc-M”, said solidarity is probably not fully absent, but there is no full solidarity yet when there are women who criticize other women. “We still witness sexism and still face problems against which we should all unite. By this march, we want to express solidarity with all the women who suffer in maternity hospitals, in Parliament, who are pressed because they are not married or do not have children. We want a woman to be perceived first of all as a professional and then as a woman,” stated Angela Frolov.
Marchers said they came to take part in the event to make common cause with each woman in Moldova, regardless of the sexual orientation, ethnicity or social status.
The solidarity march has been staged since 2011.
