Rio de Janeiro (18 June 2012): Women activists representing Asia Pacific joined thousands of women and other activists at the Women’s March of the People’s Summit at Rio+20.

Chanting, “Women say No to land grabbing”, “Women say No to Green Economy”, and “Women say Yes to women’s liberation!”, the women activists helped bring Asia Pacific women’s voices to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development as part of the seven-member delegation representing Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD). APWLD is the region’s leading feminist, membership driven network and an official member of the Women’s Major Group to Rio+20. The delegation is advocating four key areas for future development: access to resources, decent work and economic rights, peace, and voice.

Said delegate Aliza Yuliana, from Solidaritus Perempuan, an Indonesian women’s rights organisation, “It was powerful and moving to see women from around the world asserting their rights, taking centre stage at the march. And we were proud to represent Asia, as we saw few women from the region here. Among others, we successfully made women from Asia visible!”

Naung Latt, of Kachin Women’s Organisation in Thailand, Burma, described the unique opportunity to participate as a woman from Burma. “The Women’s March was an amazing event for me and I cannot get this chance in my own country. Women from around the world joined together to express their fundamental rights. All the governments and every individual must stop violations against women- it is time to promote women’s rights now.”

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Contacts:  Sarah Matsushita, Information and Communications Officer, sarah@apwld.org

APWLD Rio+20 Campaign: http://www.apwld.org/our-work/rio20-campaign-assert-womens-rights-to-resources-development/

Twitter: @apwldrio20