March 8 – International Women’s Day
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March 8 – A Historic International Women’Day
March 8 is being observed as IWD all over the counties of the world with enthusiasm, spirit and glory since March 8, 1914, being Sunday. It is mere coincidence that after a pretty long time this year it falls on Sunday once again.
To get the recognition on the international floor this historic day carries too many efforts made by the women of the different countries of the world for their social, political and legal rights of freedom, equality and moreover social justice.
Why we observe it on March 8 , why not on other day there is a remarkable history behind it.
Although there were a number of women – led strikes, protests, procession and marches in the earlier years of struggles leading to 1914, none of them happened on March 8 in 1914 IWD was held possibly that day was Sunday and since then every year IWD is celebrated all over the world with enthuasiasm.
The history is summarised as follows:
1. In Germany the day of 914 was observed as dedication to women’s right to vote which German women did not win this right of voting until 1918.
2. In London – a prominent city of Great Britain women were united for their rights and a large number of women marched together from Bour to Trafalgar square in support of women’s suffrage on march 8 , 1914, being Sunday.
Among the women leaders Sylvia Pankhrust was arrested in front of Charing Cross station on her to speak in Trafalgar square of London.
3. In 1917 demonstrations on marking IWD in Saint Petersburg on the last Sunday of February which falls on March 8 on the Gregorian calendar initiated the February Revolution.
Women in a large number went on strike on that day for “Bread And Peace” demanding the end of world war – I, an end to Russian food shortages.
By that time none could even imagine that this women day would inaugurate as revolution in Russia.
With the voice regularly raised time to time for the women’s rights on May 8, 1965 by the decree of the USSR Presidium of the Supreme, Soviet International Women’ Day was declared a non – working day in the USSR though Vladimir Lenin made it an official holiday in the Soviet union but was a working day until 1965.
Since that the day of declaration of official holiday in USSR it was celebrated as IWD in Communist and Socialist countries like China in 1922 and Spain in 1936 respectively.
It was a milestone when on December 1949 March 8 was proclaimed as an official holiday with women in China given a half day off.
In the west too IWD was for the first time was observed as a memorial event in the history of UNO after 1977 when the united Nations General Assembly invited member states in order to proclaim March 8 as the UN DAY for women’s rights and world peace.
Since then March 8 is being celebrated as IWD in almost all the countries of the world with sheer enthusiasm, spirit and glory
After that the UNO included various useful themes for the social, economic and political equality and justice time to time announced as a sort of proclamation every year on this auspicious day since 1996 to till date.
A few of them are as follows:
1. In 2011 on March 8 100th anniversary was celebrated in the USA empowering women and girls through international exchanges.
2. In 2012 IWD was focussed by the UNO on “ Empowering Rural Women , End hunger and Poverty.”
3. In 2013 on March 8 “ A Promise For A Promise – Time For Action to end violence against Women”
4. In 2014 IWD the theme is “ Equality for Women is Progress for All.”
5. In 2015 the theme is “ Empowering Women , Empowering Humanity. The IWD also focuses on “ Make it happen with a dedicated nastag for social media.
As women are the vital parts of the society, we must motivate and encourage them in all that they require from all corners in right perspective. We must protect them at all cost, only then human beings can survive on earth, otherwise vanish one day or other.
Let us celebrate IWD today or tomorrow with the women, their children and all concerned in right spirit and letter for a common cause
Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!
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Writer: Durga Prasad, PGD and MA in Human Rights, MA in Labour and Social Welfare, BL, PDG in Journalism and Mass Communication.
Date: March 8, 2015, Day – Sunday , Time- 7AM
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