Adelia Syahfitri – Scores of women activists from a joint committee greeted International Women’s Day (IWD) by holding a peaceful action at the Simpang Lima traffic circle in the Acehnese provincial capital of Banda Aceh on Friday March 8.

Aceh Women for Peace Foundation chairperson Irma said the peaceful action was held to hand out flowers. “Yes, today we will hold an action to hand out flowers and on the stalks are poems about women”, she said.

Irma also said the action is part of a series of events reflecting on the women’s movement that have been held since March 5.

“This event is a joint activity we are holding to greet International Women’s Day. Where, today women’s rights can be fulfilled, [where] there is no longer violence against women and other things”, she said.

Irma also hopes that today’s IWD in Aceh can be more progressive than in previous years. “At least women can become leaders in government, the [demand] for an end to violence and rights for all women [should] be fulfilled”, she said. (mrd)

[Puluhan aktivis perempuan gelar aksi damai di Simpang Lima – Atjehpost.com. Jumat, 08 Maret 2013. Translated by James Balowski.]