In Kongsvinger, home city of the Norwegian Women’s Museum, the International Women’s Day is celebrated over several days, with events ranging from feminist themed pub quizzes and self defense classes to talks and debates about body issues. The Women’s Museum shows an exhibition of artworks made by the inmates of the women’s prison in Kongsvinger.
On the 8th of March, people of all genders and walks of life gathers in the city square at 18.00 and marches with banners and flags through the city and up to the museum, led by Kongsvinger’s all-women’s percussion orchestra Drum Ladies. This year, we march under the banner “FIGHT AGAINST ALL OPPRESSION OF WOMEN”, as well as banners saying “Hands off our abortion laws!”, “Religious freedom for the women of the world”, “Education for women is victory for the world”, “Minority women: – See us, hear us, employ us!”, “Protect women refugees!”, “Stop rape as a weapon of war and conflict!”, “We are not birthing machines! No to express maternity wards!”, “Defend the three-part parental leave”, “Trans women are women!” and “Wage equality leads to gender equality”.
When the parade reaches the museum, there are greetings and well-wishing, as well as a minute of silence. An inmate from the women’s prison presents the art exhibition, and there are appeals from representatives from Kongsvinger Youth Council, local minority women, the Labour Party, the Conservative Party and the Red Party. There is music by local hospital’s all-women’s choir and a member of the Women’s Day Committee, and a speech by the main speaker.
This year’s main speaker is Mansoureh Shojaee, IAWM-member and leading Iranian Women’s Rights activist, writer and journalist, and the founder of the Museum of Iranian Women’s Movement Initiative, among many other organizations and societies. She will talk about “Motherhood and Nostaliga”, about how women who break out of the confines set for them by a patriarchal society, are treated by that same society, and about how they then turn every arena, even prison, into a public space in which to continue their fight for a better society for their children.
More at: https://kvinnemuseet.no/