Today is International Women’s Day. And as far as women’s rights go
Sri Lanka has been in the lead a good many decades from the rest of
Asia. We had the first woman Prime Minister in 1960. That is probably
why the International Women’s Day (IWD) - which is dedicated to the
economic, political and social achievements of women, is important to
us.
The IWD is celebrated the world over regardless of divisions, whether
national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.
Organisations, governments and women’s groups around the world choose
different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues.
This year’s theme of choice of the UN is `Women and men united to end
violence against women and girls’.
The IWD is a national holiday in China, Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia,
Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Although it initially started as a political
event, in some countries it has lost its political flavor and become
a day in which men express their love for women in their lives, sort of
a cross between Mother’s day and Valentine’s day.
But in most other countries the UN designated political and human
rights themes prevail.
Of course women’s day and women’s rights are interlinked. The history
of women’s day can be traced back as far as the 1860, when campaigns for
women’s rights - such as the right to vote - were just commencing.
Oppression and inequality were forcing women to become more vocal and
active in campaigning for their rights.
IWD first emerged from the activities of labour movements at the turn
of the twentieth century in North America and across Europe. But the
actual idea of having a woman’s day was originally put on the table by a
woman named Clara Zetkin - leader of the ‘Women’s Office’ for the Social
Democratic Party in Germany - at the second International Conference of
Working Women, held in Copenhagen in 1910. It received unanimous
approval, resulting in International Women’s Day.
The first IWD was held the following year not on the eighth, but on
19th March, lead by Clara Zetkin herself. The success of the first
International Women’s Day exceeded all expectations. In 1913 the IWD was
transferred to March 8th. Year 1975 was designated as “International
Women’s Year” by the United Nations.
In the current setting IWD is commemorated the world over by a host
of events such as craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades,
rallies and much more. But women’s rights and IWD are not always
received with open arms.
President Nixon once said “I’m not for women in any job. I don’t want
any of them around. Thank God we don’t have any in the Cabinet ... I
don’t think a woman should be in any government job whatever. I mean, I
really don’t. The reason why I do is mainly because they are erratic.
And emotional. Men are erratic and emotional, too, but the point is a
woman is more likely to be.”
International Women’s Day encountered violence in Tehran, on March 4,
2007, when police beat hundreds of men and women who were planning a
rally.
Although the world has changed drastically since the inception of IWD
in 1911, even in the 21st century context the fact that women are
underpaid is obvious. Although forty eight different women in total
including cosmonauts, astronauts, payload specialists and foreign
nationals have flown in space and women do two-thirds of the world’s
work women receive only 10% of the world’s income and own less than 1%
of land. Still two-thirds of the world’s uneducated children are girls,
and two-thirds of the world’s illiterate adults are women.
But many researchers suggest that the single most effective strategy
for the economic advancement of developing countries and for the
well-being of children is the education of women.
Educated women do not only become more skilled workers but also make
more informed choices when it comes to their families. It is expected
that the increase in the number of women graduates in Middle Eastern
countries - and with it the increase of job opportunities for women -
will bring about a profound social change.
Another profound social change that this scenario has entailed is
that women in successful careers are now thinking twice about getting
married.
It is probably safe to say that these changes were brought about by
the activities initiated by IWD and in spite of the negative past, IWD
has now moved onto being a celebration of the positives.
- Sajitha
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