Int'l Women's Day celebrations at BMICH

by Mohammed NAALIR

International Women's Day celebrations organised by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Women's Association will be held under the title"Ascharya Diyaniya" at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on March 7 under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Technology and Research Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said.

According to Minister Wanniarachchi, the history of celebrating International Women's day goes back to hundred years.

Addressing the media at Mahaweli Centre Minister Wanniarachchi said that for the first time in the world the women in America won the fundamental rights by staging a demonstration demanding fundamental rights in 1908.

The American women celebrated women's day in 1909 in domestic level.

The Minister said women representing 100 nations gathered in Copenhagen in 1910 and highlighted various problems faced by women and ways and means to change this attitude in the society.

For the first time Denmark, Viyanna, Austria, Germany and Switzerland jointly celebrated the international women's day in 1911 and the UNO approved celebrating the women's day an international event in 1944.

Meanwhile the International Womens Day celebration, the theme of which is "Women's knowledge and strength to uplift the country will be held on March 8 at the BMICH under the patronage of President Rajapaksa, Child Development and Women's Affairs Minister Tissa Karalliyadde said that 2500 representatives from women organisations islandwide would participate in the commemorative meeting at the BMICH.

Loans will be granted to women for self-employment and presents will be awarded in appreciation of their skills, he said.

'Women were the worst affected by terrorism in Sri Lanka.

It is time to ameliorate the sufferings of women and render every possible assistance to them upgrade their lives, he said.

A five year action plan for women will be launched this year apart from the ongoing development projects such as self employment projects, exhibitions and sales centres for women's products, housing loans, and consultancy services, he said.