Have you ever wondered ‘Why’ Women’s Day is significant?
You might have heard that 8th March is celebrated as International Women's Day every year mentioned in the media or by friends. But what is it for? When is it? Is it a celebration or a protest? And is there an equivalent International Men's Day? The fact remains that, for more than a century people around the world have been marking 8 March as a special day for women. It is time then to read on to find out why.
When did Women’s Day celebration actually begin?
International Women's Day grew out of the labour movement to become an UN-recognized annual event. The seeds of it were planted in 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote. It was the Socialist Party of America who declared the first National Woman's Day, a year later. However, the idea to make the day international came from a woman called Clara Zetkin. She suggested the idea in 1910 at an International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. There were 100 women there, from 17 countries, and they agreed on her suggestion unanimously. It was therefore in 1911, that International Women’s Day was first celebrated in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. The centenary was celebrated in 2011, and in 2020 it was the 109th International Women's Day that was commemorated.
More importantly, this day was officially recognized in 1975 when the United Nations (UN) started celebrating the day. The first theme adopted by the UN (in 1996) was "Celebrating the past, Planning for the Future". In 2020, the theme focused on focuses on "An equal world is an enabled world" and asks for people to work together to create a gender equal world.
Why International Women’s Day celebrated on March 8th every year?
Clara's idea for an International Women's Day had no fixed date. It wasn't formalized until a war-time strike in 1917 when Russian women demanded "bread and peace" - and four days into the women's strike the Tsar was forced to abdicate and the provisional government granted women the right to vote. The date when the women's strike commenced on the Julian calendar, which was then in use in Russia, was Sunday 23 February. This day in the Gregorian calendar was 8 March - and that's when it's celebrated today.
How is International Women’s Day celebrated around the world?
International Women's Day is a national holiday in many countries, including Russia where the sales of flowers doubles during the three or four days around 8 March. In China, many women are given a half-day off work on 8 March, as advised by the State Council, although many employers don't always pass the half-day on to their female employees.
In Italy, International Women's Day, or la Festa della Donna, is celebrated by the giving of mimosa blossom. The origin of this tradition is unclear but it is believed to have started in Rome after World War Two.
In the US, the month of March is Women's History Month. A presidential proclamation issued every year honours the achievements of American women.
What was theme of International Women’s Day in 2020?
In 2020 the International Women's Day campaign had chosen the theme #EachForEqual, which is drawn from the idea of collective individualism.
"We are all parts of a whole," the campaign states. "Our individual actions, conversations, behaviours and mindsets can have an impact on our larger society.
"Collectively, we can make change happen. Collectively, we can each help to create a gender equal world."
Is there a Men’s International Day?
There is indeed, on 19 November. But it has only been marked since the 1990s and isn't recognized by the UN. People celebrate it in more than 60 countries, including the UK. The objectives of the day are "to focus attention on men's and boys' health, improve gender relations, promote gender equality and highlight positive male role models". The theme for 2019 was "Making a difference for men and boys".