Today (1st March) is the first day of Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the vital contributions that women have made to the world, as well as looking forward to how we can create a more equal society.
In an exclusive essay for GLAMOUR UK, Annie Lennox, world-renowned singer, activist, and co-founder of The Circle, shares her vision of how Global Feminism can unite and empower women around the world.
Courtesy of Annie Lennox
As we draw closer to International Women’s Day, it’s hard not to feel despondent about the reversal and erosion of rights for women and girls across the globe.
With USAID having been recently frozen, programmes that once provided life-saving healthcare for millions of women and girls worldwide are now closing their doors.
In conflict zones such as Palestine, Sudan and the DRC, women are bearing the direct brunt of unimaginable horrors and atrocities.
While in Afghanistan, women have literally been banned from working, studying, travelling and even singing.
Since 2015 the situation for women has got progressively worse in 18 countries in total.
Bearing in mind that no country has ever achieved gender equality, we still have a very long way to go.
Surrounded by so many appalling headlines and deeply disturbing stories, it might feel easier to simply switch off and ignore everything that’s taking place.
Yet, as Global Feminists, we realise that we can find strength and inspiration from each other in order to channel our energy towards positivity and resilience.
Despite all the heartbreaking news, there are some hard-won achievements to celebrate.
Child marriage has actually been criminalised in Sierra Leone and Columbia.
While Mexico and Namibia elected their first female leaders last year.
Progress CAN be made and there are ways in which we can all contribute and support.
I’m proud to call myself a Global Feminist and have been privileged to utilise my musical platform for many years in order to raise awareness about the issues and challenges faced by our global sisterhood.
17 years ago, I co-founded ‘The Circle’ with a group of like-minded women.
The Circle is a Global Feminist organisation, standing in solidarity and working in partnership with women facing violence and inequality around the world.
Today, we’ve grown into an unstoppable network of women and allies from all walks of life.
We come from many different parts of the globe, and are striving for fairness, safety and equality for women everywhere.
Some of us are exceptional grassroots activists, such as Alice Atieno, Zahra Joya and Nozuko Conjwa.
Others are former world leaders such as Julia Gillard and Mary Robinson, as well as leaders from the music and creative industries, such as Brandi Carlile, Skin from Skunk Anansie, Livia Giuggioli Firth, V (Eve Ensler), Misan Harriman and Barbara Broccoli.
Many more of our associates are women and allies who want to make a difference.
‘Global Feminism’ is a term first coined by American author and social critic, bell hooks who said: “The goal of Global Feminism is to reach out and join global struggles to end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression.”