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Article by Tabea Dapous 10C (Published 12.03.2024)
Not only is March a month for warmer weather but also for the celebration of women. The third month of the year acts as ‘National Women’s History Month’ in order to draw more attention and awareness to women’s contributions in history. A more widely known festivity is International Women’s Day on the 8th of March. Around the world, this day is used to acknowledge women and their achievements. On this day, aspects that usually divide us, such as ethnicity, culture, politics etc., are put aside. Our school community is lucky to have this day as a holiday, to mark the importance that it symbolises.
What led to this holiday started with Women’s protests throughout the 19th and 20th century, fighting for better working conditions and rights for women. Then in February 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York protesting against child labour, and sweatshop working conditions, and demanding women's suffrage. In honour and memory of those strikes that helped initiate women’s rights movements, the Socialist Party of America commenced a National Women’s Day. This was celebrated for the first time on Feb. 28. 1909.
Why we celebrate it on the March 8., has to do with the introduction of International Women's Day. Due to differences in calendars in different parts of the world, it was eventually agreed that IWD* should be celebrated on March 8. in the western Calendar.
In 1977, IWD was officially recognized by the United Nations. Since then, it has helped grow Women’s movements in developed and developing countries, as well as globally.
*IWD = International Women’s Day
Sources:
https://time.com/5187268/international-womens-day-history/
https://www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day/background
Image:
https://talk-and-chalk.com/international-womens-day-a-special-date/
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