International Women's Day

International Women's Day saw it's centenary in 2011. In many countries it is a public holiday. The actual day for International Women's Day is the 8th of March, and is an event celebrated throughout the world. It is a day to inspire, and to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women – and their fight for equality, justice and peace. A day to recognise and understand the achievements of women in history and women today. It is also an opportunity to promote awareness of women's aims and needs for the future. 

There is a still a need to address not only equality issues such as pay, job opportunities and domestic violence, but also on a global scale the lack of women's education, health (particularly in childbirth), their oppression, and sexual violence being used as an act of war. Unrest began in the early 1900's, a time when women's oppression and inequality was just no longer acceptable.

International events

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Protests and campaigns, by and for women, were taking place in many countries.  On 19th March 1911, on the first recognised International Women's Day, more than one million women (and men) attended rallies around Europe to demand votes for women, women's rights to work, training and an end to working discrimination.  Ironically, in that same year on 25th March, more than 140 working women died in the 'Triangle Fire' in New York.  This tragic event drew attention to the dangerous and totally unacceptable working conditions of women, which led to the Bread and Roses' campaign.

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Since that time, International Women's Day has gone from strength to strength all around the globe.  International Women's Day gives everyone, not just women, the opportunity to take the time to understand the ongoing struggles women still have in so many aspects throughout society.  Whilst we have moved forward in the this part of the world yet still have a way to go, in other parts of the world, women's hardships and struggles in day to day life are far beyond anything we could imagine.  IWD brings an awareness for women around the globe, to work in unity, for the benefit of women everywhere. 

"International Women's Day has been recognised and marked by United Nations since 1975.  They have  acknowledged that bringing women into negotiations will bring positive changes."

"Today a central organizing principle of the work of the United Nations is that no enduring solution to society's most threatening social, economic and political problems can be found without the full participation, and the full empowerment, of the world's women." Taken from the United Nations Website

It is important that women take back their rightful place in society, with their own feminine strengths, to bring back the balance, and bring their feminine powers to work along side that of men, for a more just and peaceful world.  International Women's Day aids that task.