Posted on: Mar 12, '08
The need for an International women's day!
Some of the fropper friends are raising doubts about the need for celebrating such a day. Answering why it needs to be celebrated leads to retracing the history of how the International women's day came to be celebrated. Put straight, it is the celebration of the day granting women the voting rights by the Czar of Russia. The granting of voting rights did not come straight away. It was the culmination of women's arduous struggle 100 years ago.
On 8 th March 1908, a procession of a women crowd of 15,000 strong marched through New York city demanding shorter work hours, better pay, voting rights and an end to child labour. "Bread and Roses " was the slogan adopted by them with bread symbolizing economic security and roses better quality of life. In May, the Socialist Party O f America declared the last sunday of February for observing the National Women's Day
Following the declaration, the first-ever National Women's Day was celebrated on 28 th Febrauary 1909 in the U.S.
An international conference convened by the socialist organisations the world over, was held in Copenhangen, Denmark, 1910. The conference of the Socialist International proposed a women's day to be an International one. The proposal was greeted with unanimous approval by the conference of 100 women from 17 countries. The day was established to honour the women's rights including the right to vote. No fixed day was proposed at that time.
The resolution adopted at the conference had a salutary impact. On 19 th March , 1911 the Interfnational women's day was celebrated for the first time in Austria, Germany, Denmark and Switzerland. In a show of strength and solidarity over a million men and women took to the streets to mark the occcasion demanding the right to work and an end to the discrimination in jobs.
Within a week after that, the tragic triangle fire took place in New York. Over 140 workers, mostly young Italian and Jewish immigrant workers working at the Triangle Shirtwaist company lost their lives because of lack of security measures. The Women's ladies League and the International Ladies garment workers union organised a series of protests against the avoidable tragedy including the silent funeral procession bringing out a 1,00,000 strong protestors. The Triangle fire incident and the protests that followed had a bearing on the labour laws bringing about sweeping changes in them.
Russian women observed the International women's day in last sunday of Febrauary 1913 as a peace movement to express their protest against World War I. With 2 million Russion soldiers dead in World war I, Russian Women again chose the last sunday of Febrauary of 1917 to strike for "Bread and Peace"
Four days later the Czar of Russia was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. That historic sunday fell on 23 February on Julian calender in vogue in Russia coinciding with March 8 of the Gregorian calender in use eleswhere. Therefore to mark that historic day March 8 came to be the International Women's Day.
Now you get the history behind the Day?
Having been a day chosen for celebrate the recognition of women's legitimate right and their empowerment historically,there is no choice but to celebrate the same.
Even in this modern era, where women left the confines of the kitchen and their houehold to partake in the activities of the society and nation building, they need security and encouragement. Remember the Call center managements are making special security provisions for their female employees.
In short it is a day for the women to communicate with each other, unite and take the pledge to take their march forward. For men, it is a day to support the women in their just quest for equal rights and quality of life.
Thanks for reading.
Bharath selvan
Tags: hail women
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