Activism
Celebrate International Womens Day by following these women, still pushing for gender equality.
Much (arguably too much) has been written about sisterhood andfemale empowermentin recent years.
The aim of the campaigning work we do is to embed examples of Black history in the national curriculum.
It was a great feeling to have had so many downloads we finally felt like the world was listening.
The government declined to meet with us.
We were disappointed but not shocked, as others have been campaigning for this cause for years without change.
Its now been viewed well over one million times.
Ouronline petitionnow has over a quarter of a million signatures.
The child marriage campaign has achieved historic success so far.
TheMarriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Billis currently going through its final stages in Parliament.
In January, Boots announced it would start selling emergency contraception for the reduced price of 10.
BPAS started a campaign on the price of the pill in 2016 and I hopped on board later on.
Theyre the real heroes of this story.
Those who need emergency contraceptives should be able to access them as easily and as cheaply as possible.
I hope people will take from our story that campaigning can work.
Today, AfC has launchedLucht Cabhrach - Abortion Doulato coincide with International Womens Day.
Abortion in Northern Ireland was criminalised and hugely stigmatised at that time eight years ago.
AfC was the port in the storm for me and many women like me.
I started my activism by telling my abortion story anonymously.
I didnt want people to find out because of the stigma associated with it.
Eventually, after being inspired by other women, I began to tell my story without anonymity.
But since then, the anti-choice Health Minister, Robin Swann, has refused to commission abortion services.
Some trusts have tried to provide services without central government funding or framework in the meantime.
Until abortion healthcare services are commissioned, AfC cant go anywhere.
There remains a fervent, well funded anti-choice lobby across the globe, and Northern Ireland is no exception.
Our aim is abortion justice everyone should have access to stigma free abortion care.
This pushed me to ask how many people was this happening to?
When I searched for answers online there was next to nothing, which was such an isolating experience.
I wanted to check that no one else felt the way I did.
I started the campaign by sharing my story.
I believe social media is one of the strongest tools we have to make change.
But it all started from sharing my story and listening to other people’s.
We’ve created a large community and a safe space for victims.
Well continue to work with the nightlife industry to ensure going out is safe for all.
I felt a responsibility to raise awareness and hold brands accountable.
The first step was planning and launching campaign action on brands, calling on them to change their products.
In the first year, decision makers either wouldnt engage with me or would send excuses.
Five Welsh councils have committed to using 100% of theirs in this way, too.
Itll be out later this year.
In 2021,Black history lessons became mandatory in Welsh schools.
As a student, I recognised the lack of diversity in my environment but also in my studies.
Thanks to the collective effort of many educators, campaigners, and politicians, we achieved history.
I believe this campaign will have an immensely positive effect on tackling racism and discrimination in Wales long term.
Lots of exciting things are happening going forward.
Its a life goal of mine to make this mandatory teaching UK-wide and then to take it internationally.
