World with Women movement calls for 24-hour pause

On Tuesday, October 13, an international movement known as World with Women is encouraging women to pause their professional and domestic activities for 24 hours to highlight gender inequality and the essential role women play in society. The movement, inspired by a similar action in Iceland in 1975, where 90 percent of women stopped their activities, aims to draw attention to the importance of women in various sectors and demand concrete measures for gender equality.

Event takes place in Lyon with student support

In Lyon, a gathering is organized at Place Bellecour from 12:00 to 14:00, in parallel with a student demonstration in the 3rd arrondissement. The event is led by a collective of women from different backgrounds, with support from the association Femmes solidaires and the Alliance for gender balance in the workplace (AME). The movement invites women to interrupt their professional and domestic activities and defer purchases for one day.

Movement described as non-partisan but not apolitical

According to Marie Eloy, one of the founders of the World with Women movement, the event is not a strike but a citizen movement. She explains that the idea of an "off" day was inspired by the actions in Iceland, which contributed to making the invisible tasks of women visible and helped Iceland become one of the most equal countries in the world. The movement is described as non-partisan and non-confessional but not apolitical, with demands including the adoption of a comprehensive law against sexual violence, parity in public and private decision-making bodies, and better pay for jobs in education, care, and services, which are predominantly carried out by women.

Movement spreads across France and beyond

The movement, which originated in France in the spring, was inspired by participants of the Change Now congress held in Paris. It aims to give an appointment to all women on the planet for a big pause. The movement has built a vast network and woven a web of local committees spread across thirty French cities, with actions even starting to have some effect abroad, affecting about twenty countries.

Participants emphasize women's role in shaping the future

The movement's slogan is "If women stop, the world stops. If women unite, the world transforms." The association will support high school students mobilized in the streets, for a convergence of struggles. Isabelle Ganon, a young retiree and member of the Rennes committee, expresses concerns about the rise in masculinism, deepening inequalities, and the destruction of the planet without considering the future and that of children. She emphasizes the importance of women's participation in decision-making bodies, noting that their presence rarely exceeds 10 or 15 percent.