A collective effort
On March 8, the whole world is celebrating the International Women’s Day. This will mark the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Women’s equality is also an important slogan which has gained relevance and this day also marks a call to action for this.
For over a century, International Women’s Day has been celebrated. The first gathering happened in 1911 and was supported by over a million people. In the current scenario, International Women’s Day belongs to all groups collectively everywhere.
Various themes are introduced every year during Women’s day celebrations. This year, the campaign theme for International Women’s Day 2022 is #BreakTheBias. Even if it is deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. All of us know that bias. That isn’t enough and a stern action is needed to tackle this serious issue.
“The year 2022 is pivotal for achieving gender equality in the context of climate change and environmental and disaster risk reduction, which are some of the greatest global challenges of the twenty-first century,” UN Women said in a statement.
A long history
In the 1990’s, it was a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialised world. International Women’s Day (IWD) has been observed since this era.
Oppression and inequality were the main reasons for women to become more vocal and active. In 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City. They demanded shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.
The first National Woman’s Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on February 28 in accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. This also marked the beginning of the movement. Women continued to celebrate women’s day.
Russian women observed their first International Women’s Day on February 23. On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women’s Day on February 23, the last Sunday in February. Following discussions, International Women’s Day was agreed to be marked annually on March 8. This was later translated in the widely adopted Gregorian calendar from February 23. March 8th thus remained the global date for International Women’s Day ever since.
March 8th is also marked to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about women’s equality, lobby for accelerated gender parity and fundraise for female-focused charities.
Purple, green, and white are the colors of International Women’s Day. The Purple colour signifies justice and dignity. Green symbolizes hope while white represents purity, albeit a controversial concept. These colors found their way from the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the UK in 1908.
