I tend to keep political, or most things unrelated to yarn off this blog, but once a year, I feel the need to raise my voice and say something. March 8, International Women’s Day. That would be today.





I don’t have a lot to fight for. Since you are reading this I guess you don’t either. Like me you can read and write, you have access to computers and internet and all the information that brings. I am a single woman closer to thirty than twenty, I live alone, no kids, have a University degree, my own job that generates money I can spend on what I want (yarn and wine), I can move around freely and be too big-mouthed for my own good sometimes. But I can do it, and in the place I live, in the time I live, none of this is a crime, or unheard of, or even remotely special or frowned upon. No one lifts an eyebrow (except maybe for the yarn and wine part).
Some say in this country where women’s rights are maybe more developed than anywhere else, there is nothing left to fight for. There is the occasional case of domestic violence, sexual harassment, or the fact that pregnant, or “women in their fertile period of life” are overlooked on the job market. The fact that nurses with three years of higher education make less money for harder work than engineers with three years of higher education. That Norwegian women have approx. 80% of the income of Norwegian men. That mothers more often than fathers stay at home with the children for the same reason, causing women to drop even more in income and career possibilities.
I’m not going to discuss any of that, or if hijab is restraining piece of fabric between women and their freedom, or an opportunity to take part in public life. Papers and news are filled with these discussions. They are important discussions, and seeing the debates weekly reminds us that yes, there are still big issues, important to women, their men and their children, that needs if not fighting then at least dialogue and negotiation.
Then why do I feel the need to raise my voice? Can’t we put all the feminist rant behind us and go on? Aren’t we done shouting now?
A lot of women fought for my rights and I owe them big thanks because life as I know it would not have been possible if they hadn’t. Most of all I would like to thank them for their battle to make education available to women. By educating girls, you educate the whole society. Without education, women largely depend on financial support through marriage. (Think about it. This was probably the case a few generations back in your family as well).
Everywhere, all shortcomings in humans and societies cause more damage to women than men, and through women, also their children. The wonderful ability to give birth also makes us so vulnerable, and causes too many fatalities worldwide. For many, knitting needles are associated with dangerous illegal abortions, the only option available to many women.

Women are last in the line so many places, if in line at all. The UN millennium development goals will matter more to women than men, everywhere. Almost all the challenges listed below affect women the most. That also means women hold the key to solve them. Achieving the millennium goals cannot be done without fighting for women’s right to education, jobs, healthcare and control over their own lives.
GOAL 1:
ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTY & HUNGER
Target 1:
Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1 a day.
Target 2:
Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people
Target 3:
Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.
GOAL 2:
ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION
Target 1:
Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.
GOAL 3:
PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY AND EMPOWER WOMEN
Target 1:
Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015
GOAL 4:
REDUCE CHILD MORTALITY
Target 1:
Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate
GOAL 5:
IMPROVE MATERNAL HEALTH
Target 1:
Reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio
Target 2:
Achieve universal access to reproductive health
GOAL 6:
COMBAT HIV/AIDS, MALARIA AND OTHER DISEASES
Target 1:
Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS
Target 2:
Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it
Target 3:
Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases
GOAL 7:
ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Target 1:
Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources
Target 2:
Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss
Target 3:
Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation
Target 4:
By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers
GOAL 8:
DEVELOP A GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENT
Target 1:
Address the special needs of least developed countries, landlocked countries and small island developing states
Target 2:
Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system
Target 3:
Deal comprehensively with developing countries’ debt
Target 4:
In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries
Target 5:
In cooperation with the private sector, make available benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications
Ambitious? Yes. That can’t keep us from not trying. United Nations, that is all of us.
I’ll ask you to please Pay It Forward to those who fought for our rights by making a donation to make sure the battle goes on until there really isn’t more to fight for. The tough economic times the world is in now will be harder on women than men, and with women, also their children. Remember, a little goes a long way, as knitters we know that every stitch counts. There are lots of worthy organizations out there but here are a few to make sure you don’t hesitate and forget about it.
Amnesty is working for women’s rights worldwide.
Doctors Without Borders give aid in many conflicts around the world, also training local staff to increase healthcare, especially around mother and children issues. Make sure your donation is registered with Knitters without Borders as well, show the world we are a crowd to count on, we will get to that million and beyond!

SOS Children’s villages gives new homes, education, healthcare and social development to many children and communities worldwide.
Come on, sisters, we are the key. Keep turning it, unlocking doors. And tell me, what do you want to fight for? Use your voice, I’d love to hear it.