Dr Philomena McKenna (on Palestine) and Tawasul Mohammed (on Sudan) were speaking at our International Women’s Day event. On Saturday 14th March 2026 at the First Presbyterian Hall, Rosemary St, Belfast.
At our IWWD meeting on Saturday, 14 March, the Irish Communist Party (ICP) extended greetings of solidarity to progressive women’s organisations throughout the world. We express our support in particular for women and their families in Palestine, Sudan, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, Syria, Kenya, the wider Middle East, Ukraine, Russia, and many other regions currently experiencing war, instability, and conflict. We also extend our solidarity to women in Ireland who advocate for peace and neutrality, to women in Britain where the right to protest is increasingly under attack, and to women across the world who are engaged in struggles for social justice and a better life for all. The ICP recognises that the struggle for women’s rights, one we fully support cannot be advanced in conditions where bombs are falling and violence dominates daily life. As noted in the statement by Reclaim the Agenda below, International Women’s Day is intrinsically linked to the struggle for world peace. Imperialist wars and colonial domination continue to divide nations, foster racism, and remove progressive leaders and movements that challenge the power of wealth and privilege or seek democratic control over land, industry, and the means of production.
The ICP recognises that the concept of imperialism may not be part of everyday political understanding for millions of people. However, for millions of others it remains a lived reality. Developing a clear understanding of imperialism and winning the battle of ideas against it are necessary steps in building an effective movement for peace and social justice. Women continue to bear a disproportionate share of the consequences of war, including displacement, poverty, and sexual violence. War also contributes significantly to environmental destruction, while the enormous sums devoted to military expenditure serve primarily the interests of the military-industrial complex. At the same time, many governments remain passive while acts of genocide and widespread violence occur. While the governments of the United States and Israel carry primary responsibility, other states are also complicit.
This includes the United Kingdom, through the use of its airspace, the Cyprus base, and the supply of arms, and Ireland through the continued use of Shannon Airport by the United States military. The ICP therefore emphasises the urgent need to build a strong and united anti-war movement. Our objective must be to win broad public support for a society based on solidarity, peace, and equality, a society that serves the interests of the many rather than the few. Achieving this requires confronting the realities of class power and advancing the struggle for social transformation.
Reclaim the Agenda
Statement read at the IWD rally Belfast 07.03.2026
The ICP also commends the Irish Congress of Trade Unions who shared the statement with their affiliated trade unions.
No War in Our Feminism
“WE mark International Women’s Day 2026 in an era of escalating global violence. In- ternational Women’s Day is in- trinsically linked to the struggle for peace. Reclaim The Agenda (RTA) affirms our opposition to the intensifying militarism captivating many political leaders. Mobilising the military- industrial complex is not the solution to austerity, homeless- ness and a crumbling NHS. Militarism conversely offers ti- tanic military spending, further eroding our already compro- mised welfare provision.
War destroys lives, communities, in- frastructure and the environ- ment, when the need is to build, improve lives and the ecosys- tem. A booming capitalist, privat- ised war market guarantees power elites the obscenity of ever-accumulating wealth, con- demning the rest of us to ever- increasing inequality, poverty, death and destruction It is imperative that we redefine societal priorities and dismantle the inequalities that maintain, replicate and promote violent logics and behaviours. A recent Ministry of Defence paper ex- amining the UK contribution to European Security complained that British ‘readiness’ for war is ‘suffering’ owing to present budgetary constraints. The MOD and government recognise the need for public support that will necessitate public ‘sacrifice’ es- sential to ensure the exorbitant expenditure desired for the ‘defence posture’ to which Brit- ain aspires. RTA rejects the militarist val- ues deeply rooted in capitalist, nationalist, misogynistic and dis- criminatory ideologies.
We re- ject entrenched inequalities that decide who holds and wields power. We reject the dynamics of exclusion, the racism and ‘othering’ that separate us from each other at home and abroad. RTA salutes the proud tradition of Rosa Luxembourg, Clara Zetkin and Russia’s working- class women, who were the cata- lyst for International Women’s Day and stood against war then as we stand against war today.”
Right on comraded