Women's Day March8
Women Plays Different Roles In Both Personal As Well As Professional Life. As A Child, Wife, Mother, Mother-Inlaw, Grandmother, Sister, Friend.......To Cross Each Stage, The Pain Which She Takes Is Unimaginable.....Only Those Who Have Experienced, Can Understand & Feel Her Pain. "
March 8
Not only is this day commemorating women one of the most widely observed holidays of recent origin, but it is unusual in that it began in the United States and was adopted by many other countries, including the former U.S.S.R. and the People's Republic of China. This holiday has its roots in the March 8, 1857, revolt of American women in New York City, protesting conditions in the textile and garment industries, although it wasn't proclaimed a holiday until 1910.
In Great Britain and the United States, International Women's Day is marked by special exhibitions, films, etc., in praise of women. In the former U.S.S.R., women received honors for distinguished service in industry, aviation, agriculture, military service, and other fields of endeavor.
Not only is this day commemorating women one of the most widely observed holidays of recent origin, but it is unusual in that it began in the United States and was adopted by many other countries, including the former U.S.S.R. and the People's Republic of China. This holiday has its roots in the March 8, 1857, revolt of American women in New York City, protesting conditions in the textile and garment industries, although it wasn't proclaimed a holiday until 1910.
In Great Britain and the United States, International Women's Day is marked by special exhibitions, films, etc., in praise of women. In the former U.S.S.R., women received honors for distinguished service in industry, aviation, agriculture, military service, and other fields of endeavor.
Women for Women International envisions a world where no one is abused, poor, illiterate or marginalized; where members of communities have full and equal participation in the processes that ensure their health, well-being and economic independence; and where everyone has the freedom to define the scope of their life, their future and strive to achieve their full potential.
8th March is celebrated as International Women’s Day world wide. This is a special day to let women know their importance in ones life and society. She plays the different roles such as sister, daughter, mother and wife in her life. On this day several women that include television personalities, inventors, leading educators, entrepreneurs as well as business, political and community leaders are invited to speak on the events. Seminars, sensitive plays, documentary shows and mass rallies are conducted on this day. On this day women are given gifts by family members, friends and school children give presents to their female teachers.
International Women's Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women’s Day, is marked on March 8 every year.[1] In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements. Started as a Socialist political event, the holiday blended in the culture of many countries, primarily Eastern Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet bloc. In many regions, the day lost its political flavour, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother's Day and St Valentine's Day. In other regions, however, the original political and human rights theme designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner. It has however been responded to critically by movements such as 'lads month' who feel it is unfair to host such a day.
History
The first national Women's Day was observed on 28 February 1909 in the United States following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America.[2] In August 1910, an International Women's Conference was organized to precede the general meeting of the Socialist Second International in Copenhagen. Inspired in part by the American socialists, German Socialist Luise Zietz proposed the establishment of an annual 'International Woman's Day' (singular) and was seconded by Clara Zetkin, although no date was specified at that conference.[3] Delegates (100 women from 17 countries) agreed with the idea as a strategy to promote equal rights, including suffrage, for women.[4] The following year, on 18 March, 1911, IWD was marked for the first time, by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. In the Austro-Hungarian Empire alone, there were 300 demonstrations[3] In Vienna, women paraded on the Ringstrasse and carried banners honouring the martyrs of the Paris Commune.[3] Women demanded that women be given the right to vote and to hold public office. They also protested against employment sex discrimination.[2] Americans continued to celebrate National Women's Day on the last Sunday in February.[3]In 1913 Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February (by Julian calendar then used in Russia). In 1917 demonstrations marking International Women's Day in St.Petersburg on the last Sunday in February (which fell on 8 March on the Gregorian calendar) initiated the February Revolution.[2]
Following the October Revolution, the Bolshevik Alexandra Kollontai persuaded Lenin to make it an official holiday in the Soviet Union, and it was established, but was a working day until 1965. On May 8, 1965 by the decree of the USSR Presidium of the Supreme Soviet International Women's Day was declared a non working day in the USSR "in commemoration of the outstanding merits of Soviet women in communistic construction, in the defense of their Fatherland during the Great Patriotic War, in their heroism and selflessness at the front and in the rear, and also marking the great contribution of women to strengthening friendship between peoples, and the struggle for peace. But still, women's day must be celebrated as are other holidays."[citation needed]
From its official adoption in Russia following the Soviet Revolution in 1917 the holiday was predominantly celebrated in communist and socialist countries. It was celebrated by the communists in China from 1922, and by Spanish communists from 1936.[5] 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.[6]
In the West, International Women's Day was first observed as a popular event after 1977 when the United Nations General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for Women's Rights and International Peace.[7][1]
2010 International Women's Day
On the occasion of 2010 International Women's Day the ICRC drew attention to the hardship displaced women endure. The displacement of populations is one of the gravest consequences of today's armed conflicts. It affects women in a host of ways.[8]2011 International Women's Day
Events took place in more than 100 countries[9] on March 8, 2011 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day.[10] In the United States, President Barack Obama proclaimed March 2011 to be "Women's History Month", calling Americans to mark IWD by reflecting on "the extraordinary accomplishments of women" in shaping the country's history.[9] Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launched the "100 Women Initiative: Empowering Women and Girls through International Exchanges", on the eve of IWD.[11] In the run-up to 2011 International Women's Day, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on States and other entities not to relent in their efforts to prevent rape and other forms of sexual violence that harm the lives and dignity of countless women in conflict zones around the world every year.[12] In Pakistan, Punjab Govt. Project Gender Reform Action Plan, District Gujranwala celebrated this day in large scale in the Gift University Gujranwala, Mrs. Shazia Ashfaq Mattu, MPA and GRAP officer, Mr. Dr. Yasir Nawaz Manj has organized in very effective manners. Like Pakistan this type of examples are found very few in Govt. level.Australia issued a 100th anniversary commemorative coin.
2012 International Women's Day
The UN theme for International Women’s Day 2012 is Empower Women – End Hunger and Poverty.[13] In many countries, International Women's Day is an occasion to honor and praise women for their accomplishments. In 2012, Oxfam America is inviting people to celebrate inspiring women in their lives by sending a free International Women’s Day e-Card or honoring a woman whose efforts make a difference in the fight against hunger and poverty with Oxfam’s International Women’s Day award.[14]
http://online.thomsonreuters.com/womensday/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/08/international-womens-day-feminism
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