Sisters - thank you once again for the opportunity to address your rally. Having just left the NUS Women’s Conference in Coventry where we have engaged in some pro-choice action, debated motions and elected a new National Women’s Officer, I am so pleased to come to another event where strong women can start to address the oppression and sexism we face throughout our lives:

• violence and abuse
• low and unequal pay and
• attacks on our control over our own bodies

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill is currently subject to anti-choice amendments. The NUS campaign has taken this as a priority by lobbying MP’s and Lords AND ensuring that WHENEVER and WHEREVER the disgrace ANN WIDDECOMBE appeared on her vile anti-choice road show - WE WERE THERE - shouting louder and representing the views of the pro-choice majority.

Internationally, 19 million women worldwide have unsafe abortions. We must stand with our sisters around the world for access to their reproductive rights.

The Government’s latest round of cuts to higher education - for equivalent or lower level qualifications funding - thereby taking away second, third or fourth chances at succeeding in education WILL HIT WOMEN THE HARDEST - NUS was proud to work with UCU to challenge this policy.

Because women are always amongst the hardest hit in education it means that it’s taking longer to pay off debts due to the pay gap - gender occupation segregation and caring responsibilities.

At our conference this week, we have been debating the issues of women at work nationally and internationally, deciding to take action on the Government to demand equal and unanimously voting to continue our campaign on apprenticeships and NMV equalisation.

Sisters - we cannot do this alone - our fight is your fight - we will be stronger together. That’s why on becoming NUS President I ensured a historic agreement was reached with the TUC - so my members become your members and we can unite around common campaign goals.

Over the last two years, TU’s and the student movement have been campaigning together, protesting together and winning together. I am proud of this work - I know it will continue - it has to. We share collectivist values, a commitment to social justice and a shared understanding of how vital international solidarity is to women students and workers around the world.

Internationally, our sisters are denied the most basic rights - beaten, tortured, killed, abused, raped, no access to health, no access to education, no right to vote, no control over their bodies and used as weapons of war.

It is our responsibility to speak up and take action - for the women in Columbia, living in constant fear; for the women in Iraq, living with violence, oppression and occupation; for the women in Darfur, living with genocide; for the women in Zimbabwe, living under economic crisis and an oppressive regime; for the women in Palestine, living in the worst conditions Gaza has faced since 1967.

International Women’s Day is a chance for us to collectively speak out for women nationally and internationally - I’m glad we have not wasted that chance.

But now we must up the pressure together to fundamentally change women’s’ lives.

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