INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

International Women's Day (IWD) is marked on 8 March every year. It is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women. Let me share with you about the history of Women's Day, according to the sources which I search it from the net, the first IWD was held on March 19, 1911 in Germany, Austria, Denmark and some other European countries. This date was chosen by German women because, on that date in 1848, the Prussian king, faced with an armed uprising, had promised many reforms, including an unfulfilled one of votes for women. A million leaflets calling for action on the right to vote were distributed throughout Germany before IWD in 1911. Some others sources from the net said, the first IWD was observed on 28 February 1909 in the United States following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. Among other relevant historic events, it commemorates the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire (New York 1911), where over 140 women lost their lives. Anyway, let us share about what is happening related to women's day in the year below;

>1910: 1st International Women's Conference was held in Copenhagen by the Socialist International and an 'International Women's Day' was established.

> 1911: IWD was marked by over a million people in Austria, Denmark,Germany and Switzerland. However, soon threafter, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City killed over 140 garment workers. A lack of safety measures was blamed for high death toll. Furthermore, on the eve of World War 1, women across Europe held peace rallies on 8 March 1913.

> 1917: Demonstration marking International Women's Day in Russia proved to be the first stage of the Russian Revolution, following the October Revolution, the Bolshevik feminist Alexandra Kollontai persuaded Lenin to make it an official holiday, and during the Soviet period it continued to celebrate "the heroic woman worker".

> 1929: in addition to a social and dance in Brisbane and a Sydney Domain rally, the militant women also organised an IWD rally in Sydney's Belmore Park in support of the wives and families of striking timber workers, where men were far more prominent than women in the audience.

> 1931: 1st marches in Sydney and Melbourne. About 60 women headed a march of 3-400 people with many slogans and banners demanding equal pay for equal work and other special women's demands, as well as more general issues such as resistance to wage cuts, opposition to the Arbitration courts and solidarity with the Soviet Union.

>1932: small IWD meetings were held in Brisbane,Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, Newscastle, Sdney and Hobart where about 50 women and children led a march of about 200 through the city to the Hobart Domain. Banners at this march declared " Fight or Starve" and "Demand More Dole."

> 2005: Congress of the British Trades Union overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling for IWD to be designated a public holiday in the United Kingdom.

Today, many events are held by women's group around the world. Many governments and NGOs around the world support IWD. So, what type of activity did your organisation celebrate this year inconjuction of International Women's Day or what kind of celebration you organise in your office, among friends and most important what you say and gift to your mum, wife and sisters ? Please share with us.