Conditions for women are getting worse not only in Afghanistan but here in New Brunswick as well. The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan is out to make you aware of that.
RAWA, an international women’s right organization, held their fifth annual variety show benefit Saturday night at the Gallery Connexion.
Their message is simple: women are not yet equal, here at home or across the globe.
The event hosted several showcases including an opening by Fredericton’s Raging Grannies and was headlined by Saint John’s jazz musician Debbie Adshade. There were also performances by poets as well as a silent auction to raise funds for RAWA.
Glynn cited the rise of domestic violence and murder rates against women here at home as well as the harsh conditions for women abroad as a reason for such events.
“Here at home it is a more passive inequality, abuses that you may not readily see and it is a big problem. Places far away such as Afghanistan we are seeing much more violent acts and the protests are getting extreme.
RAWA, which began in 1977, was founded by a young student activist Meena Keswar who was assassinated for her stance regarding woman’s rights. Since then RAWA has grown to include several chapters spanning the globe including the organizers here in Fredericton.
“When we started five years ago this was a much smaller event, taking place on campus, says Glynn. “Now we get support for hundreds of people, some as far away as British Columbia.
Many groups have come together to support the RAWA event. The UNB student union, sexuality union, political science department are all supporters as well as several labour unions such as the Canadian Postal Workers.
Health care for women as well as protection against aggressive prostitution recruitment are only two of RAWA’s many tasks that Glynn mentions.
“This is something that needs to keep growing until, hopefully, we are no longer needed.