This Sunday 8th March is International Women's Day and to mark it celebrities, leading activists, politicians and twenty-first century suffragettes led by two generations of Pankhursts will be taking part in ‘Walk In Her Shoes’, a march through London in support of CARE International UK.
Come together in solidarity on International Women’s Day. The Scoop amphitheatre will host an outdoor Q&A with Radio 4’s Jane Garvey, in conversation with Helen Pankhurst, star of 'Made in Dagenham' Gemma Arterton, Radio One’s Gemma Cairney, Laura Bates, founder of #EverydaySexism Project, the Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening and equal rights activists from around the world.
The Q&A will be followed by a mass walk along the Thames in solidarity with women and girls worldwide who endure inequality and injustice as part of CARE International’s Walk In Her Shoes challenge beginning at 10am at The Scoop city hall. There will then be closing speeches outside the WOW Festival at the Southbank Centre. With London-based West African drumming ensemble Wantara.
Helen Pankhurst said: “We’re raising awareness and taking action against one of the unnecessary gendered shackles blighting the lives of women and girls around the world – the gruelling chore of water collection, which in 2015 simply should not be holding girls back from education, and women from paid work.
“With support from well-known celebrities and activists we will kick off Walk in Her Shoes in London on International Women’s Day. We are coming together in solidarity to celebrate progress made on women’s rights and to galvanize for the road ahead. We do so in the time honoured tradition of a march, walking shoulder to shoulder, as a visible manifestation of a global conscience. I’d urge everyone to come and join us.”
Joining the event at WOW will be Sandi Toksvig, best-selling children’s author Jacqueline Wilson, founder of No More Page 3 Lucy-Anne Holmes, BBC Radio 5 Lives’s Emma Barnett, comedian Bridget Christie, Melissa Benn, Director Sarah Gavron and Producer Faye Ward and Leslee Udwin, Director and Producer of 'India’s Daughter' (to be screened on BBC Four at 10pm on March).
We will also be at WOW on Sunday 8th March, Lynne Parker will be holding a Stand Up to Stand Out workshop at 1pm and we will have a stall open all day – do come say hi!