What, why, how and more: All about International Women's Day
As another International Women's Day comes marching, have you ever wondered when it was first observed or why it was instituted at all? Started informally in 1909, it has come a long way. Over the decades, what it signifies might have evolved but it's still a platform to celebrate women and champion for their rights. Here's all you need to know and more.
German socialist-theorist Clara Zetkin was behind the first mass observance
A dedicated day for women was conceived to further women's suffrage and acknowledge their contributions towards society's advancement. A formal day was first organized in March 1911 reportedly by German socialist-theorist Clara Zetkin. Attended by 100 delegates from 17 nations, it was marked by countless demonstrations across the Austro-Hungarian Empire and a million people taking to streets in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.
Is it still relevant today?
What began with women demanding the right to vote, hold public office and equal employment, has now become a global movement with scores of them demanding safety and equality worldwide. Today, we need a Women's Day more than ever because even after over a century, we are far from achieving equal work and pay. Moreover, females are still underrepresented in politics, science and boardrooms.
A platform to bridge deepening inequalities
We need International Women's Day also because: *Only 55 of world's 500 richest people are women *It will take another 118 years to close the gender pay gap *1/3rd third of women worldwide have suffered physical/sexual violence at least once *About quarter of a billion more women are working today than in 2008. However, they earn what men did in 2006, reports the WEF.
Empowering women is the surest way out of global crises
The new agenda to build on unachieved Milennium Development Goals pointedly focuses on empowering women and girls to tackle overpopulation, economic underperformance and poverty worldwide. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon famously said, "We have shattered so many glass ceilings we created a carpet of shards. Now we are sweeping away the assumptions and bias of the past so women can advance across new frontiers."
