International Women’s Day – Do we still need it?

The status of women in many developed societies seems equivalent to that of men. Women hold public offices at the highest levels, fill the roles of industry leaders, and determine the course of global events. In such a world are women’s events and causes still relevant? Here is a closer look.

Origins

The International Women’s Day dates back to 1909. In New York City the Socialist party of America observed this day to commemorate a protest by 15,000 women. The protest was against long work hours, lack of voting rights, and low pay. The event originally started as the ‘National’ Women’s Day. In 1910 the second National Women’s Conference was held in Copenhagen. This time the Women’s Office for the Social Democratic Party in Germany took the lead. This conference made the decision to take the event international. In 1911 the first International Women’s Day (IWD) was observed. Over a million people participated. There were numerous demonstrations throughout Europe, demanding equality for women on various fronts.

The idea quickly took hold. Women representing unions, socialist parties, working women’s clubs, and governments joined the movement. There were campaigns for women’s rights to work, to vote, to be trained, to hold public offices, and to end discrimination. Subsequent events highlighted hazardous working conditions for women and drew more attention to the cause. The labor legislation in the US became an ongoing focus of IWD events.

Women’s Movement in Russia

In February 1913 Russian women observed their first International Women’s Day. The movement rapidly gained momentum. During a wartime strike in 1917 Russian women demanded ‘Bread and Peace’. The strike escalated into a mass event. Eventually the Tsar was forced to abdicate and Russian women won the right to vote. This was a major victory for women worldwide. According to the Georgian calendar the date of the start of this strike was March 8. Consequently the date for IWD was officially changed to March 8. It has remained so ever since.

UN Ratification

In 1975 the United Nations celebrated the IWD for the first time. Later in 1996 the UN announced its first theme-based IWD. The 1996 theme was ‘Celebrating the past, Planning for the Future’. Next year in 1997 the theme was ‘Women at the Peace table’. In 1998 it was ‘Women and Human Rights’ while in 1999 the theme for IWD was ‘World free of violence against women’. The themes somewhat reflect the growing involvement and influence of women in global affairs and within the UN.

IWD 2021

The UN’s theme for IWD 2021 is ‘Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world’. The theme celebrates efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from COVID-19. It aligns with the priority theme of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. The keynote calls for women’s right to decision-making in all areas of life, equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, an end to all forms of violence against women and girls, and the provision of healthcare services that respond to their needs.

Relevance

International Women’s Day is dedicated to honoring the achievements of women throughout history and all across the world. It is a day for women from diverse backgrounds and cultures to band together to fight for gender equality. International Women’s Day is a growing movement centered on unity and strength. It brings to light significant issues women face. The world has made much progress over the past decades. However women continue to face discrimination, gender violence, and inequalities.

Gender inequality and wage gap are among the reasons why millions of women seek employment abroad. They willfully distance themselves from their families in the quest for better lives. The UN states that gender inequality can be a powerful factor that leads to migration.

OFW Women

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) send money to Philippines to support their families. In 2019 they sent home $33.5 billion. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority 12.2 million Filipinos work overseas. 56% of them are women. Their remittance contributions are substantial for the national economy. Vast numbers of Filipino women migrate to China and the Middle East. They are employed in domestic work and nursing by the thousands. According to the ILO migrant women abroad often experience abuse and exploitation. Budgetary and resource constraints limit governments’ ability to address these issues fully.

Events such as the International Women’s Day remind us of these situations. The causes of women have come a long way since 1909. However, in light of prevailing global issues IWD is still very relevant. It is our annual call to action to “build a more just and resilient world”.

About the author:

Hemant G is a contributing writer at Sparkwebs LLC, a Digital and Content Marketing Agency. When he’s not writing, he loves to travel, scuba dive, and watch documentaries.