Left makes headway at NUS Women’s Conference

Jade received just under a third of the vote for National Women’s Officer (32 votes to Estelle Hart’s 60, with 7 reopen nominations) and was elected to Women’s Committee. The left has also won policies including 100 percent support for UCU; free education for all, opposing a graduate tax, and affiliation to the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts; solidarity with the new independent unions in Egypt; solidarity with sex workers’ unions; and opposition to immigration controls. The struggle is now to make sure these policies are carried out. Meanwhile, the left has re-established itself as a force in the Women’s Campaign. A full report soon.

Below is Jade’s speech for the National Women’s Officer election.

Estelle Hart and the NUS leadership

The leadership of NUS Women’s Campaign (and their candidate for National Women’s Officer, Labour Students’ Estelle Hart) are tacking left under pressure.

On one level this shift, which takes place under the pressure of the student revolt and moves to rebuild a strong left-wing opposition in the Women’s Campaign, is welcome. On another level it is faking, and no one should be taken in by it.

Agenda for NCAFC Women’s Liberation Meeting, TONIGHT!

NCAFC Women’s Liberation Meeting, tonight!21 February, 18:30-21:00 @ UCL- South Wing Garwood lecture theatre (turn right as you enter UCL quad on Gower Street)

A meeting for women students, education workers and others who support the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts to come together, debate the issues and discuss our campaigning.
(Please note: this is a self-organised meeting open to all self-defining women.)

Agenda

18:30Welcome

18:40-19:10: Houzan Mahmoud, UK representative of the Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (and SOAS student) on the role of women in the revolutionary movements in the Middle East and North Africa.

19:10-20:00 - Laura Rogers, East London NUT and Women Against Cuts activist, leads Feminist Fightback workshop on women’s struggles in history and against the cuts today

20:00 – 21:00 Building a strong left-wing student women’s movement, including in NUS Women’s Campaign. Speakers: Elly Badcock (NUS Women’s Committee); Jade Baker (Westminster Uni SU VP Education and candidate for NUS Women’s Officer)

For more info or directions call 07883520852.

Hope to see you there!

Facebook event here

Amendments to motions for NUS Women’s Conference, 2011

Proposed amendments must be supported by signatures of 20 individual women or a resolution of a women’s group meeting. The deadline for amendments is 5pm Friday 18 February. If you want to discuss these amendments, or would like to support them, please contact jade4womensofficer@gmail.com or comment here.

Extended Manifesto: Women and the Cuts

We face devastating cuts to our welfare state, jobs and public services. But aren’t the cuts necessary – isn’t the national debt too high? No! The annual deficit is £70bn – last year the UK’s 1000 wealthiest people increased their wealth by £77bn!

Extended Manifesto: Internationalism

At a time when thousands of students are active in international solidarity campaigning, internationalism should be a top priority for the student movement.

Extended Manifesto: Domestic Violence and Harassment against Women

It’s estimated that around one in four women suffer from some form of Domestic Violence (DV) in their lifetime, and yet, for such a large proportion of the population, only one in four local authorities has any women’s specific services.