International Women's Day is celebrated on
March 8 every year . Its a focal point in the movement for women's rights. After the Socialist Party of America organised
a women day on February 28 ,1909 in New York, the 1910 International Socialist
Woman’s Conference suggested a Women’s day to be held annually. The day was
then predominantly celebrated by the Socialist and Communist countries until it
was adopted in 1975 by the United Nations.
History
The earliest Women's Day observance called
National Women's Day was held on February 28 1909 in New York organised by the
Socialist Party of America at the suggestion of Theresa Malkiel. In August 1910
International Socialist Women's conference was organised to precede the general
meeting of Socialist second
international in Copenhagen denmark. Inspired
in part by by the American socialists, German Socialist Luise Zietz proposed
the establishment of an annual Women's day and was seconded by fellow socialist
Clara Zetkin. The following year on March 19 ,1911 IWD was marked for the first
time ,by over a million people in Austria, Denmark ,Germany and Switzerland. Women
demanded that they be given the right to vote and to hold public office . They
also protested against employment sex discrimination . The Americans continued to celebrate National Women's Day
on the last Sunday of February.
In 1913
Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last
Saturday in February. In1914
International Women's Day was held on March 8 in Germany possibly that day was a Sunday , and now its
always held on March8 in all countries. The 1914 observance of the day in
Germany was dedicated to women's right to vote which German women did not win
until 1918.
On March 8 1917 in the capital of the Russian Empire ,Petrograd women
textile workers began a demonstration covering the whole city . This marked the
beginning of the February Revolution which alongside the October revolution made
up the Russian revolution. Seven days later ,the Emperor of Russia ,Nicholas 2
abdicated and the provisional government granted women the right to vote.
From
its official adoption in Soviet Russia following the revolution in1917 the
holiday was predominantly celebrated in communist countries. It was celebrated by
the communist in China from 1922. After the founding of the People’s Republic
of China on October 1 1949 the state council proclaimed on December 23 that
March 8 would be made an official holiday with women in China given a half day
off.
The United Nations began celebrating
International Women's Day in the International Women's Year, 1975. In 1977 ,the United Nations
General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for
women's rights and world peace.
- By Poorvi Bellap
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