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March in March

As we come marching, marching in the beauty of the day,
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts gray,
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses,
For the people hear us singing: "Bread and roses! Bread and roses!"

Up to 10 or even 20.000 attendants, was the amount the organizers estimated beforehand. Since this was a first, I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw that they were right. Never before I attended a women's rights march, and it was a wonderful experience. The march was attended not only by women, but loads of men joined, which felt so right. Many young people showed up. However, apart from the warm feeling of solidarity unfortunately there are many and far more urgent reasons why one would want to be part of it. I spoke shortly with the sparkling Ruby on why she was there.

Watch my 1 minute interview with Ruby here
For the international Women's Caucus, the reason to attend was an obvious one. The outcome of the declaration of the CSW59 is very disappointing to the NGO's who over the last year put in lots of effort to get 'our' voices heard and the final version of the declaration appears to be, as the Guardian writes today a 'major step backwards for women's rights'.

I admire all those women (organizations) world wide, defenders of our human rights, extensively. I attended the march, joining the LBTI Caucus in the parade, to express my solidarity with all of them.

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Irene Hemelaar - Women's Representative in the Netherlands delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in October 2015
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