Story Behind the Celebration of Womens Day on 8th March

International woman’s day as the name itself implies that the day is devoted to the celebration of the muliebrity. The name of this particular day has been transformed from International working woman’s day to International woman’s day with the time.

The reason behind the jubilation of this day is to honour the women for the contribution they have made so far to the society irrespective of their fields. There’s almost no domain where the role of the woman hadn’t made any significant changes. May it be political, societal, economical, educational, Cultural.

The another reason behind the solemnization of this day is to corroborate the Gender equality.

Over the centuries, Women’s have fought so much for it, so the day owes a long history behind it.

Let’s follow the timeline to the event that happened consecutively over the time to made this day as hugely celebrated around the world.

Back in 18^th century, Hundreds of the women in the garment and the textile factories were so infuriated with the low earnings, barbarous working conditions, long working hours and right to vote. In order to stand up for themselves, they united and started a protest against the factories to prevent it from happening.

Later In 1866, The first voluntary association named as ‘International Workers association’ was formed. The motive behind forming this association was to support women engagement in every domain of the industry. It openly encouraged the women’s to get to the professional work and hence took exception over the tradition that women’s place is in the home.

In March 1908, Over 15k woman employees protest against the government for the diminution of the working hours and to increase earnings.

In 1909, The first National women’s day was celebrated in the United States of America on 28^th of February.

In 1910, The socialist International, meeting in Copenhagen established a Women’s day international in character, to honour the movement for women’s rights and to build accompaniment for attaining universal suffrage for women. It was done because of the suggestion of German Labour, Politician, Leader Clara Zatkin for the proclamation of the women’s day in memory of all women who had clambered for equality.

The proposition was perceived with unanimous approval by the conference of over 100 women from 17  countries, which included the first three women elected to the finish parliament.

In 1911, As a positive outcome of the Copenhagen Conference, International women’s day was first observed on 19^th march 1911 in Austria, Germany, Denmark and Switzerland where millions of men and women attended rallies to endorse woman in every domain.

With all of this, they necessitated the right to work, to vocational training and to put down the discrimination faced by them in the workplace.

In 1913, The date was rescheduled to March 8^th  to immortalise a crucial strike by women textile workers in the 18^th century.

1914, happenstance, The Russian movement began on the 8^th march with bread riots led by women. So International Women’s day was kept beneath in the name of the peace movement to protest against the war raising in Europe.

Just after Four days of the strike, the Tsar (Nicholas II of Russia or Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov) was forced to give up and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. Alexandra Kolontai- which at that time was the minister in the first government of the Soviet Union – was the one who persuaded Lenin to proclaim the day of March 8th as official Women’s Day.

After the revolution, The USSR made International Women’s day an official Holiday, as did by China.

In 1977, United Nations initiated its involvement in this subject where general assembly passed Resolution 32/142 that includes the invitation of each country to exalt in accordance with its historical and national customs and traditions. March 8^th ain’t specifically designated in this resolution. However, Numerous countries have chosen to mark this day as ‘International women’s day’.

1995: A historic Roadmap signed by the 189 Government officials, focused on 12 critical areas of concern and envisioned the world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as getting an education, having an income, living in societies free from violence and discrimination.

Latest by 2014, The 58^th session of the commission on the Status of the women (CSW-58) –The annual meetup of states to address essential issues related to gender equality and women’s rights- focused on “Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the millennium Development goals for women’s and girls.