Marked every year on March 8th, International Women’s Day
(IWD) is perhaps the main day of the year to praise women's accomplishments,
bring issues to light about women's equality, lobby for accelerated gender
parity, and fundraise for female-centered causes. Critical movement is seen
worldwide as groups meet up to commend women's accomplishments or rally for
women's equality.
IWD outgrew the labor movement to turn into a perceived
yearly occasion by the United Nations (UN). The seeds of it were planted in
1968 when 15,000 ladies walked through New York City demanding more limited
working hours, better compensation, and the right to vote. It was the Socialist
Party of America who announced the main National Woman's day, after a year.
It's extraordinary that, in India, today ladies work in huge organizations and
get equivalent compensation as men. Yet, According to information from the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the average
American woman (barring the contemplations of race, sexual direction, age, pay
level, actual capacity, and whether they have children) earns almost 82 cents
for each dollar the average American man does - an 18.2% difference in pay
contrasted with the male median wage.
Be that as it may, the issue of the gender pay gap reaches
out past the boundaries of the US. As per information from a similar OECD
report, some of the member nations with the most significant gender pay gaps
incorporate Korea, Estonia, Japan, Latvia, and Chile, yet different nations
have significant gender pay differences also. And furthermore, in view of the
pandemic, women are doing essentially more domestic chores and family care,
which thusly, can affect job and education opportunities. Data from the UN
women uncovered that the COVID pandemic could wipe out 25 years of increasing
gender equality.
The plan to make the day worldwide came from a lady called
Clara Zetkin. She recommended the thought in 1910 at an International
Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. There were 100 ladies there, from 17
nations, and they conceded to her idea collectively. It was first celebrated in
1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. Things were made official
in 1975 when the UN began celebrating the day. The first theme embraced by the UN
(in 1966) was "Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future". The
current year's theme is "Choose to Challenge". Clara's thought for an
international women's day had no fixed date. It wasn't formalized until a
war-time strike in 1917 when Russian ladies requested "brand and
peace"- and four days into the women's strike the Tsar had to abandon and
the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. The date when the
women's strike started on the Julian calendar, which was then being used in
Russia was Sunday, February 23. This day in the Gregorian calendar was March 8.
IWD is commended each year; yet, India positions 123 among 162 nations in the
gender inequality index. As indicated by the Global Gender Gap Report 2020, it
will require an additional 100 years to accomplish gender equality dependent on
the current pace of progress. Equality starts from our own home. Everybody at
home must be responsible for encouraging equality. Everything relies upon the
outlook of a family, despite the fact that, there are different missions to
bring issues to light on gender equality. The behaviour of each family adds to
the change and advancement of a nation.
by Swathi R
Women’s
day is symbolic of the historic journey women around the world have taken to
better their lives. It comes as a reminder that while a lot has been achieved
by the turmoil of the women, the journey is long and a lot more needs to be
done. a day when we honour women’s immense strength and unique abilities. This
day is meant to uphold feminist values and celebrate womanhood to the fullest.
It’s also an occasion to celebrate the great achievements of women and the
meaningful contributions they’ve made to the world.
International
Women’s Day has been celebrated for over a century now. But while many people
think of it as a feminist cause, its roots lie in the labour movement. It was
first organised in 1911 by the early 20th century Marxist from Germany Clara
Zetkin.
Zetkin
was born in 1857 in Germany’s Wiederau. She trained as a teacher, and was
associated with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) that is one of the two major
political parties in the country today. She was a part of both the labour
movement and the women’s movement.
In
the 1880s, when anti-socialist laws were enforced by German leader Otto von
Bismarck, Zetkin went into a self-imposed exile in Switzerland and France.
During this time, she wrote and distributed proscribed literature, and met leading
socialists of the time. Zetkin also played a significant role in the formation
of the Socialist International.
Upon
her return to Germany, she became the editor of Die Gleichheit (‘Equality’) —
SPD’s newspaper for women — from 1892 to 1917. In the SPD, Zetkin was closely
associated with the far-left thinker and revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg. In 1910
— three years after she became a co-founder of the International Socialist
Women’s Congress — Zetkin proposed at a conference that Women’s Day be celebrated
in every country on February 28.
The
conference comprised 100 women from 17 countries, with unions, socialist
parties, working women’s clubs and female legislators unanimously approving the
suggestion. Women’s Day was observed for the first time in 1911.
Two
years later, in 1913, the date was changed to March 8, and it continues to be
celebrated as such every year.
International
Women's Day is not country, group, nor organization specific. No one
government, NGO, charity, corporation, academic institution, women's network,
or media hub is solely responsible for International Women's Day. The day
belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. Gloria Steinem, world-renowned
feminist, journalist and activist once explained "The story of women's
struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist, nor to any one
organization, but to the collective efforts of all who care about human
rights." So make International
Women's Day your day and do what you can to truly make a positive difference
for women.
Celebration
of women’s day should not be limited to a single day recognition, but a
lifetime celebration.
Today’s
women need to establish themselves as an identity who lives on its own. Women need to empower themselves in a way
that is benefiting them as well as the whole society.
●
Women
must possess self-worth, confidence, and freedom to choose their needs and
requirements.
●
Women
need to have a free and non-biased environment in the society.
●
Women
need to have equal pay in all the industries whether in cinema, sports, e.t.c.
●
Women
need full encouragement in adopting in any career of their choices to carve
their hidden talent.
●
Women
need to have equal rights to participate in education, society, economics and
politics. They should be allowed to have higher education and treated in the
way like men.
●
They
are entitled to get proper and effective judicial help whenever they face any
molestation, or any misbehavior.
●
Women
should be given opportunities to use their talent to eradicate unemployment in
the country with the help of women empowerment. Whenever women are facing
unemployment, their true potential is left without any use. To make use of the
strength and potential of the women, they must be provided with equal
opportunities.
The
21st century has brought a new hope and has empowered women in a positive
manner. Earlier they were under the shadow of a husband or a father, but now
they have established their own identity and are independent.
The
role of women has changed tremendously and they have been able to create a
positive impression in the society. From housewives to CEOs, the transition can
be seen at an accelerating rate. Modernization and the advent of the latest
technology have widened hope and opportunities for them. They have established
themselves socially, politically and economically in almost every field. Women
are no longer considered unfit or weak for military or for other defense
forces. Recently, Avani Chaturvedi has set a perfect example and has created a
milestone by becoming India’s first female fighter pilot.
The
journey of liberation of women has crossed many milestones and the society has
indeed come a long way. They have struggled hard over the last few decades but
still been able to successfully establish their own identity. Today’s women are
adorned with patience and perseverance, which has helped them to attain the
pinnacle of success. Earlier, women were seen only as housewives who were projected
to cook, clean and take care of their family. Today- along with handling tough
clients at office, they successfully multitask at home too. Women are more
focused and have a unique decision making power even at senior leadership
level, in the most optimal manner, and at times are in a better position than
men. Empowering women can help the society to grow and develop at a faster
pace. We are definitely redesigning the world!
I
have grown up in a generation in which terms such as “women's lib,” “feminism,”
“equal rights,” and “egalitarian marriage” are practically household words.
Our
society no longer promotes God's values for the woman. Femininity, modesty,
discretion, virtue, and graciousness are seemingly relics of a bygone era—as
out of place in contemporary culture as the horse and carriage.
Instead,
the “ideal” woman of our age is glamorous, sophisticated, aggressive, powerful,
outspoken, career-minded, independent, self-sufficient, and sensuous. She needs
no one and nothing. She is in control of her own life, as well as the people
and circumstances around her. But a women should be what her mind says to her,
she should choose to be what she wants. That’s the real feminism which respects
every woman’s choices. This is why
The theme for this year’s International
Women’s Day is #ChooseToChallenge. It indicates that a “challenged world is an
alert world, and from challenge comes change”.
This year, we can all choose to
challenge everything that has been holding us back, and become better allies.
So,
I would like to end this article:
Happy
#sheday to every human.
Let
her feel a part of this universe,
Not
to make increase in numbers in numbers,
But
to count those numbers equally precious.
#shedoesn’tneedanyadjective
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