On the occasion of the International Woman’s Day, particularly in this 100th anniversary, the World Federation of Democratic Youth salutes all women of the globe, especially those who bravely fight against imperialism.
It was 100 years ago that the women of several different countries of the world came together and declared this day to mark their struggle for better working conditions and the end of all sorts of discriminations, for full recognition of their rights as youngsters, workers and human beings.
In a world in which the wars, occupations, environmental destruction, unemployment, precariousness, exploitation, barriers in access to education, culture and sports is a reality for more and more people, women face an even stronger attack of imperialism that, together with everything else, still elects women as target for chauvinistic and discriminative values making life even worse for them, particularly for the working women, whose rights are even further denied.
WFDY calls upon all its member and friend organizations to spread the historical content of this day, as well as the contribution of important of women as Clara Zetkin, Luxembourg Rosa, Dolores Gomez, Winnie Mandela (among many others), to enhance even further the common struggle - of men and women - against the source of all inequalities and injustices in the world: imperialism!

Over the last weeks thousands of news in newspapers, websites, television channels and other media have circulated raising the Conference of Partners (COP15) taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark, as a decisive and crucial moment for a deep change in the environmental policies. Many statements and declarations from political leaders and so called experts on the matter have raised this COP15 as a source of hope for saving Earth from the environmental destruction the last one and half century has brought to our common natural patrimony.

Despite the intense propaganda surrounding the COP15 of Copenhagen, WFDY believes that the main issues are still to discuss and will remain untouched by the main characters of the conference in Denmark, for the following reasons:

a) The COP15 rejects to acknowledge that it was the capitalism model of production and limitless consumerism (to achieve limitless profits) that brought mankind and Earth to this situation. Without a clear and deep change of paradigm (not rhetorical, but revolutionary) the attack to the sustainability of the environment will never be truly stopped.

b) It is hypocrite and deceiving the campaign to bring the responsibilities of protecting the environment to the individual level, as if it was a matter of “good will” or “environmental consciousness” of the people. It is in the hands of the governments of each country to prevent the major economic groups from continuing destroying Earth’s resources and sustainability. In a world where energetic costs and production costs are rapidly decreasing, all steps to hand over the responsibility to be “environmental friendly” are maneuvers to keep hiding the real causes of the environmental crisis lived by mankind and increasing the profits of the economic groups with business in the energetic areas (statistics are clear on this).

c) Whilst all attentions are drawn to Copenhagen, the deforestation of earth continues with the support and the silence of the imperialist agenda. Our world has lost half of its original forested area, and it is losing 130,000 square km per year. Among others, it is particularly serious the situation of Amazonia, where the major economic groups keep destroying the natural patrimony and polluting and poisoning native populations and the natural resources.

d) Water, a vital resource for mankind, keeps being polluted and privatized, as a commodity. The growing imperialist interference of water sources, if not stopped, will lead to a situation of deprivation of the masses of access to fresh water.

e) The COP15 of Copenhagen introduces no real news when compared to Kyoto or Bali similar conferences. In fact, it represents a step forward in the implementation of the market regulation of the emission of greenhouse gases. Such strategy will only lead to the transfer of the gases and not its reduction or control, as recent history has proved. The big dispute on this matter is not on the reduction of the gases, but actually in a market which value is estimated to be worth around 700 billion USD in a short period. The current regime of Clean Development Mechanism and carbon trading must be changed, as this trading mechanism has given the room to shift the polluting industries in least developing countries.

f) The US, EU and the major capitalist countries have the first and foremost obligation to reduce carbon emission and they cannot be reluctant to environmental Protocols. The transformation of eco friendly technologies from developed world should be unrestricted in the developing world. The richer countries and people are just re-tracking these resources in name of different project while the poorer and most suffered of climatic change are left neglected. So, this is the right time to evaluate about this mechanism in order to make it more pro-poor and progressive.

g) The World Federation of Democratic Youth bears great concern for the most suffering people and nation like Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, and Sub- Sahara Africa etc due to this man made environmental catastrophe.

For all the above mentioned aspects, WFDY firmly defends that only a policy of respect to Earth and that really puts the natural resources in favor of mankind and its development (and not in favor of profits) can save earth.

WFDY calls all its member and friend organizations to denounce the imperialist maneuvers to increase the attack against the rights of the people and youth, putting at stake the survival of mankind and earth itself, and to reinforce their struggle for a world free of imperialism in all its expressions, as only by defeating imperialism mankind can be sure to save itself from destruction and barbarism.

The last week witnessed a new decision by the U.S. administration to send 30.000 more troops to boost the war in Afghanistan. At the same time, other allies in NATO agreed to send 7000 additional troops mainly from European countries.

It is important to mention that the same president who leads the wars in two countries, Iraq and Afghanistan, won a Nobel Prize for Peace few weeks ago, in a glowing sign that the interests of imperialism are the only criteria used by the world’s main leaders, away from the advertising slogans of democracy and human rights. Democratic rights of the people of Iraq and Afghanistan start from their right to live in independence and sovereignty without the death squads and the occupation armies used by imperialism.

WFDY strongly condemns those moves by USA and its allies in NATO and EU governments because they will only bring more death and misery to the people of Afghanistan and also to all the people of the world.

WFDY demands that USA, EU and NATO to immediately halt their military actions in Afghanistan and withdraw their troops out so that the people of Afghanistan can choose their own path of governance. WFDY also supports the democratic and secular forces of Afghanistan which are fighting against the occupation armies and against Taliban and religious extremists at the same time.

WFDY expresses its deep solidarity with the innocent youth and people of Afghanistan being victims of imperialism and extremism, and call them to escalate their struggle for their free independent future.

No army has been able to defeat the will of the people when the people are united in their struggles, and the future of the youth and the people in the world shall only be prosperous and safe in a world with no occupation and war, in a world where imperialism is defeated.