International Womens Day

The International Women's Day - marked annually on March 8 - is a global
event to celebrate and support women's rights while calling for gender

equality.
The first observance of women's day on a national level took place in New
York on February 28, 1909. It was marked on March 8 in several European
countries in 1914 in support of women's suffrage.
Over the last 100 years, women in many countries secured labour rights and
protection from violence, access to sexual and reproductive health and rights
as well as reach the highest positions of leadership.
BUT
Women in many countries are still victims of female genital mutilation (FGM),
have no right to pass on their citizenship to their children and are paid much
less than men. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), the gender
gap will take at least 108 years to close, and 202 years for economic gender
parity at the current pace of change.
One in three women is likely to face violence in her lifetime, yet public

services, urban planning and transport systems are rarely planned with
women's safety and mobility in mind, the UN says.
In 1945,the charter of the united nations became the first international agreement to

affirm the principle of equality between women and men. The UN celebrated its first
official International Women's Day on 8 March during International Women’s Year in
1975.
We celebrate all women, in all their diversities. We embrace their facets and
intersections of faith, race, ethnicity, gender or sexual identity, or disability. We
celebrate those who came before us, those who stand beside us now, and those who
will come after.
In 1908, against a backdrop of terrible working conditions and exploitation, 15,000
women took to the streets in New York protesting for shorter hours, better pay and
voting rights.
The next year the Socialist Party of America announced a National Women’s Day to
honour the strikers, and in 1910 it went global – the Socialist International voted for the
creation of a Women’s Day to advocate for suffrage. The first International Women’s
Day was held in 1911, and more than a million people turned out to rallies in Europe.
Why does International Women’s Day matter?

IWD is a day to recognise how far we’ve come towards gender equality, and also how far we
have left to go. Back in 1911, only eight countries allowed women to vote, equal pay for equal
work was unheard of – if women were allowed to work at all – and reproductive rights were non-
existent. We have come a long way. Whereas once women couldn’t vote, we’re now leading
countries. While we once faced restrictions on where we worked, we’re now running
corporations. In countries such as Australia we have rights our grandmothers could only have
dreamed about, but we still don’t have complete equality. And the majority of the world’s women
aren’t anywhere near as close to that goal as we are.
Progress should be linear, but it’s too often accompanied by a step back. Sometimes,
even once laws and rights are established, they are ignored anyway. For example:
 Despite domestic violence laws, public awareness and access to legal

protections, Australian men are still killing women partners or exes at the rate of one a
week.
 Reproductive rights are a political football. Here in Australia access varies by
state, and in some parts of the United States laws have passed making terminations
inaccessible, no matter the reason behind the woman’s decision.
 Climate change is increasing violence against women and girls, according to
a major report in 2020. Case studies included domestic abuse, human trafficking,
sexual assault, and violence against women environmental rights defenders.
On International Women’s Day we remember that as long as one woman faces

discrimination, harassment, inequality or oppression, we all do.
Because sometimes we need to remember we’re not alone.
Between personal experience and public headlines it can feel like we’re not getting any
closer to gender equality, or that it’s too overwhelming (and exhausting) to keep
challenging social norms. Maybe we’re just tired of fighting the same fight. IWD is a
great way to get re-inspired or re-energised, or to remind ourselves there are millions of
women out there standing with us, and we’re all facing – and winning – the same
battles.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Beijing

Declaration and Platform of Action.
The Declaration laid down a pathway for gender equality and women's empowerment.
Originally a movement from the US, IWD is now a globally celebrated event involving nations
from all over the world who rally together, host events, fundraisers and most of all, awareness
for women’s rights.
The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single
feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts
of all who care about human rights,” – Gloria Steinem, world-
renowned feminist, journalist and social and political activist

International Womens Day

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

International Womens Day

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

International Womens Day

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The International Women's Day - marked annually on March 8 - is a global

event to celebrate and support women's rights while calling for gender

One in three women is likely to face violence in her lifetime, yet public

In 1945,the charter of the united nations became the first international agreement to

Why does International Women’s Day matter?

 Despite domestic violence laws, public awareness and access to legal

On International Women’s Day we remember that as long as one woman faces

Because sometimes we need to remember we’re not alone.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Beijing

You might also like