International Women's Day

Today is International Women's Day, 8 March....

This year theme for International Women’s Day, “A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women” seeks to strengthen international community’s commitment to put an end to violence against women. 

Originally called International Working Women's Day, is marked on March 8 every year. Since in the early 1900's,International Women's Day has been observed with great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies. The focus of the celebrations is from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements.

In 1909 The Socialist Party of America declared the first International Woman's Day was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate National Woman's Day on the last Sunday of February until 1913.

In 1910, a second International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen. 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, agreed with suggestion Clara Zetkin (Leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) that a celebration of International Woman's Day should be on the same day every year.

Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women's Day was honoured the first time in Australia, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended International Women's Day 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 & Roses campaign.

On the eve of World War (1913-1914) 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 Women's Day ever since. In 1914 further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women's solidarity. 

In 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, International Women's Day has grown from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations has held an annual International Women's Day 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 International Women's Day 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, International Women's Day 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 with flowers and small gifts. In some countries International Women's Day has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers. 

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, theatrics performances, fashion parades and more. Many global corporations have also started to more actively support International Women's Day by running their own internal events and through supporting external ones. 

So make a difference, think globally and act locally! Make everyday is International Women's Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding. We all Love Women's...