International Women’s Day

How does it begin?

International Women’s Day began with the labor movement, which once became an annual day recognized by the United Nations.

It all began in 1908 when over 15,000 women staged a protest in New York City, calling for the right to vote, better pay, and fewer working hours. A year later, the Socialist Party of America declared the first National Women’s Day.

Now the idea of celebrating this day internationally came to the mind of Clara Zetkin, a lawyer and socialist activist working on women’s rights. She presented her idea at an international conference of women workers in Copenhagen in 1910. There were 100 women from 17 countries in attendance, and they unanimously accepted her proposal.

Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland observed their inaugural International Women’s Day. In 2011, this day marked its centennial.

The day became official in 1975 when the United Nations began celebrating it. And for the first time, a theme of this day was decided in 1996. The theme of the UN Day is “Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future. “This day celebrates the social, economic, and political achievements of women.

Why March 8th:

When Clara Zetkin proposed this day, she did not mention a specific date.

Russian women launched a movement demanding “bread and peace” during the service war. It was a four-day-long movement. This ultimately led to the end of the tsarist regime and the interim government’s recognition of women’s right to vote. ”

According to the Julian calendar, the day the movement began in Russia was Sunday, February 23. International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 in the Gregorian calendar.

Why is it yellow?

According to the International Women’s Day website, the colors of the day are purple, green, and white.

Purple is the color of justice and dignity. Green signifies hope and white signifies purity, although this is disputed. These colors come from the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) of the United Kingdom in 1908, the website says.

What is the celebration of International Women’s Day?

While International Women’s Day is a public holiday in many countries around the world, in Russia it is also a public holiday, and flower sales double for three or four days around March 8.

In China, according to the State Council, many women get a half-day off on March 8. Each year, the president proclaims to honor the achievements of American women throughout the year.

What will be International Women’s Day’s (2024) theme?

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.  “Conflict and rising commodity prices could reduce state spending on people in 75 percent of the world’s countries by 2025,” it said. This can negatively affect women and their emergency services.

But there are other problems. While the theme of the Women’s Day website is “Promoting Inclusion,” the organizers aim to “Break Barriers, Challenge Misconceptions.” Creating an environment where all women are respected and honored. ”

Why do we need this day?

In the past year, women in countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Ukraine, and the United States have fought for their rights due to war, violence, or policy changes. Last but not least, the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian territories exposes women in the Middle East to horrendous brutality. UN experts say they have found evidence of serious human rights violations against women and children in Gaza, including rape by Israeli soldiers.

The BBC also discovered proof of sexual assault, rape, and female mutilation committed by Hamas during their October 7 attack on Israel. The humanitarian disaster resulting from this conflict is mostly affecting women. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that at least 5,500 Gazan women are anticipated to give birth in the next months without having access to healthcare. The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan has also had a serious impact on women there.

More than 1.2 million people have fled to neighboring countries, nine out of ten of them women and children. September marked one year since the death of 22-year-old Masha Amini. He was arrested by Iran’s moral police on charges of violating Iran’s strict hijab rules. Many women, including Nobel laureate Nargis Mohammadi, have protested the rule. He is serving a lengthy prison sentence. However, by the end of last year, the situation had improved.

“From Mourning to Milestones: A Global Journey for International Women’s Rights” :

The 22-year-old Masha Amini passed away in September of last year. Iran’s moral police arrested her on suspicion of breaking the country’s strict hijab laws. Many women have since protested the rule, including Nobel laureate Nargis Mohammadi, who is serving a lengthy prison sentence. However, by the end of last year, the situation had improved. Women’s rights activists welcomed Mexico’s decriminalization of abortion in September.

France’s upper house of parliament recently voted to enshrine women’s right to abortion in the constitution. Nearly two million people watched the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in July-August. This is at least 6,00,000 more than the previous record. A new study by the Women’s Sports Trust shows that an estimated 46.7 m viewers in the UK will be watching women’s athletics on TV in 2023.

Rubiales stepped down from his post but denied allegations that he had done anything wrong. The incident sparked discussion of the culture of sexism on and off the football field around the world.

If you learn more about International Women’s Day visit the website