International Women's Day has been
observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and
turbulence
in the industrialized world that saw booming population
growth and the rise of radical ideologies.
1908
Great unrest and critical debate was occurring amongst women. Women's
oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and
active in campaigning for change. Then in 1908, 15,000 women marched
through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting
rights.
1909
In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the
first National Woman's Day (NWD) was observed across the United States
on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate NWD on the last Sunday of
February until 1913.
1910
n 1910 a second International Conference of Working Women was held in
Copenhagen. A woman named a Clara Zetkin (Leader of the 'Women's
Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) tabled the idea of
an International Women's Day. She proposed that every year in every
country there should be a celebration on the same day - a Women's Day -
to press for their demands. The conference of over 100 women from 17
countries, representing unions, socialist parties, working women's
clubs, and including the first three women elected to the Finnish
parliament, greeted Zetkin's suggestion with unanimous approval and
thus International Women's Day was the result.
1911
Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International
Women's Day (IWD) was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark,
Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and
men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote,
be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less
than a week later on 25 March, the tragic 'Triangle Fire' in New York
City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them
Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant
attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United
States that became a focus of subsequent International Women's Day
events. 1911 also saw women's 'Bread and Roses' campaign.
1913-1914
On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed
their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February
1913. In 1913 following discussions, International Women's Day was
transferred to 8 March and this day has remained the global date for
International Wommen's Day ever since. In 1914 further women across
Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women's
solidarity.
1917
On the last Sunday of February, Russian women began a strike for "bread
and peace" in response to the death over 2 million Russian soldiers in
war. Opposed by political leaders the women continued to strike until
four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional
Government granted women the right to vote. The date the women's strike
commenced was Sunday 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in
Russia. This day on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere was 8 March.
1918 - 1999
Since its birth in the socialist movement, International Women's Day
has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across
developed and developing countries alike. For decades, IWD has grown
from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations
has held an annual IWD conference to coordinate international efforts
for women's rights and participation in social, political and economic
processes. 1975 was designated as 'International Women's Year' by the
United Nations. Women's organisations and governments around the world
have also observed IWD annually on 8 March by holding large-scale
events that honour women's advancement and while diligently reminding
of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's
equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life.
2000 and beyond
IWD is now an official holiday in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia,
Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for
women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal (for women only),
Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam
and Zambia. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives,
girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some
countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children
give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.
The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal
shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and
emancipation. Many from a younger generation feel that 'all the battles
have been won for women' while many feminists from the 1970's know only
too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With
more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights,
and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role
models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained
true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid
equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present
in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's
education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of
men.
However, great improvements have been made. We do have female
astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into
university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices.
And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved
from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the
positives
Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world
to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and
diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging
from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and
networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric
performances, fashion parades and more.
Many global corporations have also started to more actively support IWD
by running their own internal events and through supporting external
ones. For example, on 8 March search engine and media giant Google some
years even changes its logo on its global search pages. Year on year
IWD is certainly increasing in status. The United States even
designates the whole month of March as 'Women's History Month'.
So make a difference, think globally and act locally !! Make everyday
International Women's Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for
girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.
The internationalwomensday.com website was created and is managed by
Australian entrepreneur and women's campaigner Glenda Stone as a global
hub of IWD events and information.
Ms Stone says "A decade ago International Women's Day was disappearing.
Activity in Europe, where International Women's Day actually began, was
very low. Providing a global online platform helped sustain and
accelerate momentum for this important day. Holding only a handful of
events ten years ago, the United Kingdom has now become the global
leader for International Women's Day activity, followed sharply by
Canada, United States and Australia. 2011 will see thousands of events
globally for the first time."
The idea of an International Women’s Day first arose at the turn of the
century, which in the industrialized world was a period of expansion
and turbulence, booming population growth and radical ideologies.
Following is a brief chronology of the most important events. As part
of the peace movement brewing on the eve of World War I, Russian women
observed their first International Women’s Day on the last Sunday in
February 1913. Elsewhere in Europe, on or around 8 March of the
following year, women held rallies either to protest the war or to
express solidarity with their sisters. With 2 million Russian soldiers
dead in the war, Russian women again chose the last Sunday in February
to strike for “bread and peace”. Political leaders opposed the timing
of the strike, but the women went on anyway. The rest is history: Four
days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional
Government granted women the right to vote. That historic Sunday fell
on 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia, but on 8
March on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere! As a result of the
decision taken at Copenhagen the previous year, International Women’s
Day was marked for the first time (19 March) in Austria, Denmark,
Germany and Switzerland, where more than one million women and men
attended rallies. In addition to the right to vote and to hold public
office, they demanded the right to work, to vocational training and to
an end to discrimination on the job. In accordance with a
declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National
Woman’s Day was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women
continued to celebrate it on the last Sunday of that month through 1913."
A Woman's Poem
A woman is the calm of a hurricane's eye
where a man finds tranquillity as the storm passes by
A woman is the softness inside the shell
when the shell is bombarded by man's creation of hell
A woman is the pillar of a temple foundation
where a man comes and goes with renewed inspirations
A woman is the cloud that carries the rain
giving life to man's soul parched from anxieties and pain
A woman is the bank of the river flows
helping man's direction by being the woman he knows
A woman is the sound of a Lark's song in the morning
when mist covers life and man feels forlorn
A woman is the emotions shared with a man
the climax of giving by the touch of a hand
A woman is the flesh that holds the seed
the miracle of birth fulfilling human need
A woman is the mother of a new generation
a man is the direction of that aspiration
(author unknown)
Women of Liberia, 8 March 2011

Women demonstrate in Sudan!


100th anniversary of International Women's Day
Two
Nepalese ethnic women wear traditional dress and jewellery during a
rally to mark International Women's Day in Kathmandu on March 8, 2011.
The International Women's Day (IWD), originally called International
Working Women's Day takes place annually on March 8. This year marks
the 100 years anniversary since its creation, with rallies and various
functions sdcheduled to occur in the Nepalese capital in celebration.
Hundreds of women, relatives of disappeared people have also staged a
protest rally demanding the whereabouts of their loved onces
Fowzia Siddiqui, sister of Pakistani scientist Aafia Siddiqui, chants
anti-US slogans during a demonstration marking International Women's
Day on March 8, 2011. Siddiqui was sentenced to 86 years in jail by a
US court who found her guilty of the attempted murder of US military
officers in Afghanistan in 2008. The first IWD (International Women's
Day) was observed on 19 March 1908 in Germany following a declaration
by the Socialist Party of America!
A girl participates in a march during Women's International Day on March 8, 2011, in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia.
Indian Muslim schoolgirls perform 'Vovinam', the Vietnamese martial art
at Saint Maaz High School in Hyderabad on March 8, 2011, on the
occasion of the International Women's Day. Some 40 students encouraged
by their parents and school officials are learning the art of self
defence by using swords and sticks during school hours!
Iraqis women dance in Baghdad on March 8, 2011 as they gather to mark the 100th International Women's Day
Women take part in a demonstration on the International Women's Day on
March 8, 2011 in Abobo, a suburb of Abidjan, to condemn the killings of
seven women during a rally on March 3. Protesters in the Women's Day
demonstrations
France's President Nicolas Sarkozy (2ndL) and France's Solidarities and
Social Cohesion Minister Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin (L) take part in a
meeting to mark the International Women's Day 100th year, at the Elysee
Palace in Paris, on March 8, 2011.
Women activists in front of a banner that reads '8th every year'
demonstrate in downtown Rome to mark the International Women's Day on
March 8, 2011. The International Women's Day is celebrated annually on
March 8, this year marks the centenial of its creation
Moroccan women attend a rally during the International Women's Day on
March 8, 2011 in Rabat. The poster reads 'We dont'have the rights to
our land'. A human rights group in Morocco on Tuesday called for the
kingdom to make gender equality a constitutional right, as it marked
International Women's Day
U.S. first lady Michelle Obama speaks during a reception commemorating
the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day and celebrating
Women's History Month in the United States March 8, 2011 in Washington,
DC. The event highlighted the importance of Awareness in young women
and girls in the U.S. and around the world.
The meeting on 8th of March 2011 in Washington
Females' Demonstration on 8th of March 2011 in Rabat, Morocco!

Kurdish Women in Violet!


Women Of Earth, Iraq !

Women Of Earth, Rome, Italy !
Women of Nepal at the meeting!

Women of Earth, India!