Thousands of NZEI members across the country will support the fight against poverty and violence by joining the World
March of Women this Wednesday, March 8, International Women’s Day.
Teachers and education workers will join the march by collecting signatures on cards. March organisers hope that 10
million signatures will be presented to the United Nations at the end of the march on Oct. 17—International Day for the
Eradication of Poverty.
The cards, addressed to Prime Minister Helen Clark and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, urge support for the goals of
the world march and call on the NZ government to “help alleviate poverty and violence by:
Improving the income of women,
Addressing the negative impacts of economic restructuring,
Improving the lives of Maori women,
Ensuring that NZ schools and early childhood centres have clean drinking water.
In addition to collecting signatures, NZEI members will make a tangible and positive contribution to the march through a
fundraising campaign called “Water to Learn”, which will to provide water to a South Pacific school or early childhood
centre.
Women teachers and education workers are often deprived of their livelihoods, and girls of their education, due to a
shortage of clean water. “Water to Learn” is the slogan for the campaign, the proceeds of which will help a school or
centre to stay open during dry periods when the lack of water often forces them to close.
The Water to Learn project also includes an education kit on the importance of water for use in schools and centres
throughout New Zealand.
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