Celebrating progress and advocating for women's equality
Women's Day commemorated
Women's Day emphasises the importance of collective efforts in encouraging individuals, communities and governments to promote policies for equality, advocate for laws and policies that support women's rights and gender parity.
International Women's Day (IWD) honours women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievements and also serves as a call to action for accelerating gender parity. This day, rooted in the early 20th-century labour movements, has become a worldwide celebration and a reminder of the work still needed to achieve gender equality.
Internationally, the origins of Women's Day date back to 1908, when 15 000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours, better pay and voting rights. The following year, the first National Woman's Day was observed in the US on 28 February as designated by the Socialist Party of America.
Global recognition
In 1910, at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, Clara Zetkin proposed the establishment of an annual Women's Day. This idea was unanimously accepted, and the first International Women's Day was celebrated in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March.
The date was later moved to 8 March and it became a global day of recognition and celebration after being adopted by the United Nations in 1975, coinciding with International Women's Year. Since then, IWD has been marked with a specific theme to focus on pressing issues affecting women worldwide.
IWD serves multiple purposes, including recognising women's contributions across various fields, from politics and business to arts and sciences, highlighting issues such as gender inequality, gender-based violence and discrimination and advancing gender parity and women's rights globally.
Furthermore, IWD is marked by a variety of events and activities, reflecting diverse cultural backgrounds and challenges, which include marches and rallies, conferences and panel discussions, cultural performances, as well as corporate and educational initiatives.
Closer to home
Women's Day is observed on 9 August in South Africa, commemorating the 1956 women's march against apartheid. This day honours the bravery, strength and resilience of the women who stood up against racial segregation and gender inequality, marking a decisive moment in the nation's history.
On 9 August 1956, over 20 000 women from all backgrounds marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Their protest was against the oppressive pass laws that required black South Africans to carry internal passports, limiting their freedom of movement.
The march was organised by the Federation of South African Women (FSAW) and was led by notable figures such as Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn.
The women delivered a petition containing over 100 000 signatures to then prime minister, J.G. Strijdom, challenging the pass laws and demanding equal rights. Their slogan, 'Wathint' Abafazi, Wathint' Imbokodo!' (You strike a woman, you strike a rock), became a powerful symbol of the struggle against apartheid and gender oppression.
Continued action
While Women's Day is a celebration of past victories, it also highlights the ongoing struggles women face, including gender-based violence, economic inequality and a lack of access to education and healthcare. Activists use this day to draw attention to these challenges and call for continued efforts to achieve gender equality.
Women's Day is a powerful reminder of the strides made in women's rights and the work still needed to achieve full gender equality. It celebrates the achievements of women while calling for continued action to address the challenges they face. By uniting under common goals and themes, Women’s Day inspires and mobilises people to advocate for a more equitable and inclusive world for women and girls.
Thus, the concept behind Women’s Day emphasises the importance of collective efforts in addressing these issues, encouraging individuals, communities and governments to promote policies for equality, advocate for laws and policies that support women's rights and gender parity, invest in programmes and initiatives that empower women economically, socially and politically, and finally, to challenge stereotypes and biases.
Internationally, the origins of Women's Day date back to 1908, when 15 000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours, better pay and voting rights. The following year, the first National Woman's Day was observed in the US on 28 February as designated by the Socialist Party of America.
Global recognition
In 1910, at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, Clara Zetkin proposed the establishment of an annual Women's Day. This idea was unanimously accepted, and the first International Women's Day was celebrated in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March.
The date was later moved to 8 March and it became a global day of recognition and celebration after being adopted by the United Nations in 1975, coinciding with International Women's Year. Since then, IWD has been marked with a specific theme to focus on pressing issues affecting women worldwide.
IWD serves multiple purposes, including recognising women's contributions across various fields, from politics and business to arts and sciences, highlighting issues such as gender inequality, gender-based violence and discrimination and advancing gender parity and women's rights globally.
Furthermore, IWD is marked by a variety of events and activities, reflecting diverse cultural backgrounds and challenges, which include marches and rallies, conferences and panel discussions, cultural performances, as well as corporate and educational initiatives.
Closer to home
Women's Day is observed on 9 August in South Africa, commemorating the 1956 women's march against apartheid. This day honours the bravery, strength and resilience of the women who stood up against racial segregation and gender inequality, marking a decisive moment in the nation's history.
On 9 August 1956, over 20 000 women from all backgrounds marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Their protest was against the oppressive pass laws that required black South Africans to carry internal passports, limiting their freedom of movement.
The march was organised by the Federation of South African Women (FSAW) and was led by notable figures such as Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn.
The women delivered a petition containing over 100 000 signatures to then prime minister, J.G. Strijdom, challenging the pass laws and demanding equal rights. Their slogan, 'Wathint' Abafazi, Wathint' Imbokodo!' (You strike a woman, you strike a rock), became a powerful symbol of the struggle against apartheid and gender oppression.
Continued action
While Women's Day is a celebration of past victories, it also highlights the ongoing struggles women face, including gender-based violence, economic inequality and a lack of access to education and healthcare. Activists use this day to draw attention to these challenges and call for continued efforts to achieve gender equality.
Women's Day is a powerful reminder of the strides made in women's rights and the work still needed to achieve full gender equality. It celebrates the achievements of women while calling for continued action to address the challenges they face. By uniting under common goals and themes, Women’s Day inspires and mobilises people to advocate for a more equitable and inclusive world for women and girls.
Thus, the concept behind Women’s Day emphasises the importance of collective efforts in addressing these issues, encouraging individuals, communities and governments to promote policies for equality, advocate for laws and policies that support women's rights and gender parity, invest in programmes and initiatives that empower women economically, socially and politically, and finally, to challenge stereotypes and biases.
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