INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’s DAY
“Woman is the companion of man, gifted with equal mental capacity”
– Mahatma Gandhi
International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8 March every year to acknowledge the social, economic and political achievements of women, reflect on progress and demand gender equality. Constituted for a hundred years ago, International Women’s Day has long highlighted the issues affecting women all across the world. In the present times, International Women’s Day is celebrated by everyone who believes that women’s rights are human rights.
Why do we need an International Women’s Day?
Across the globe, less than 15 per cent of the world’s countries have a female political head. Only 24 per cent of senior managers across the corporate industry are women and 25 per cent of companies have no female senior managers whatsoever. Women are doing the lowest-paid jobs and are paid less money for the same job. This difference in pay is called the gender pay gap, and for young women in many places, including Britain and America, the gap is getting wider. Globally, women are also more likely to do most of the house chores and childcare. All of these problems affect women of colour even more than they do white women. When it comes to healthcare and safety, women come across significant inequalities. As per estimates, 830 women a day die during childbirth. There even more shocking statistics for female murders too. Last year, the UN found that 137 women a day were killed by their partners or former partners. Worldwide, over 50 per cent of female murders are committed by the victim’s partner or family. When they have access to health education and care, women are also more likely to be ignored by doctors when they say they are in pain, and serious health problems are sometimes ignored for years.
The history of Women’s Day
In 1908, 15,000 women in New York held a strike because of low pay and terrible conditions in the factories where they worked. The following year, the Socialist Party of America organised a National Women’s Day, and one year after that, there was a conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, about equality and women’s right to vote. In Europe, the idea grew and became International Women’s Day (IWD) for the first time in 1911 and the United Nations declared 8 March as the International Women’s Day in 1975. This day was originally called “The working women’s day” but then it is named as “Women’s day”.
What happens on 8 March?
On this day, conferences, rallies, functions and gatherings are arranged all over the world to appreciate and give regard to the women of the world. Programs are arranged to pay tribute to the women who died or martyred in the call of duty. The sacrifices of women are memorized to tell the world about the importance of a “Woman”. On this day, governments of different countries announce different packages for working women and offer different schemes for house wives. Woman is respectable, and all the men should care about the rights of women. International Women’s Day is a restoration of the dignity of a woman so it should be celebrated on national and international levels.
In some countries, children and men give presents, flowers or cards to their mothers, wives, sisters or other women they know. But at the heart of International Women’s Day lies women’s rights. Across the world, there are protests and events to demand equality. Many women wear purple, a colour worn by women who campaigned for women’s right to vote. In recent times, marches and protests have gained force thanks to the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements against sexual harassment. There is still a lot of work to be done for gender equality. But women’s movements all over the world are ready to do that work and are gaining momentum.
International Women’s Day (IWD) 2022
Every year International Women’s Day is based on some theme and this time the theme is – “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”.
IWD 2022 campaign theme: #BreakTheBias
Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day. We can break the bias in our communities. We can break the bias in our workplaces. We can break the bias in our schools, colleges and universities. Together, we can all break the bias – on International Women’s Day (IWD) and beyond. Whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. Knowing that bias exists isn’t enough, action is needed to level the playing field.
The IWD international community has urged the world to strike the IWD 2022 pose and share their #BreakTheBias image, video, resources, presentation or articles on social media using #IWD2022 #BreakTheBias to encourage further people to commit to helping forge an inclusive world. It is also providing help and guidance on how to plan International Women’s Day 2022 activity and how to support the #BreakTheBias campaign theme. Those interested need to make
Sure that they have registered in the IWD Community online –
https://www.internationalwomensday.com/ to access IWD resources.
Individuals and organizations are invited to send in #BreakTheBias images to IWD community as they will be sharing some of the best images from around the world in the lead up to International Women’s Day 2022. So strike the IWD #BreakTheBias pose with your arms crossed to show your commitment to calling out bias, smashing stereotypes, breaking inequality, and rejecting discrimination.
“Freedom cannot be achieved unless the women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression”
– Nelson Mandela
– Capt Suyash Sharma
