Each year on 8 March, celebration of International Women’s Day is witnessed across the world. So, a question pops up into mind: why is women’s day celebrated? People of all the nations celebrate this day to value the women's contribution to the society, recognise their achievements and value their rights.
Women’s Day is not considered a day where you need to greet women, offer flowers, cut cakes or post on social media platforms. The day is meant to admire the progress of women internationally. The celebration’s purpose is to appreciate women and realise society that their role is extremely important for the community and nation development.
It is not only about appreciation of corporate women, serving in big tech farms. It is also about giving value to the everyday small efforts of women workers, taking care of households, working in factories and in backwards areas to help people. Hence, they deserve to get recognition in the world.
March 8th is considered an important date to celebrate women’s social, economic, cultural and political contributions to communities.
The purpose of International Women’s Day is bigger than celebrating individual group’s achievements. It is also about discussing various issues and challenges that continue to become barriers in women's everyday life in different parts of the world.
Employment, access to education, healthcare, financial independence and decision-making are relevant problems that still need to be discussed on the table of international organisations to find better solutions.
The date also works like a reminder to us which constantly echoes in our minds that progress should not be stopped after having few achievements. There is still room for continuous effort from communities, big farms, educational institutions, societies and policymakers for creating equal opportunities for women.
The three main objectives of International Women’s Day are:
Importance of International Women’s Day
Following are the major points that highlights the importance of International women’s day:
The day highlights concerns such as unequal wages, workplace discrimination and limited career opportunities in different places.
It also depicts the annual reposts of violences, abuses, limited access to education and family-related career pressures that women face.
International Women’s Day provides a platform to discuss women’s rights, equality concerns along with current and future opportunities.
It encourages women and girls to build confidence, understand their rights and pursue their education and career goals according to their preference.
The day helps women to have their own voice for their rights. So they can protect their rights in the case of violation.
March 8th is also important for women who have never been to schools but are still making money through availing the right opportunities.
Record participation percent of women in different sectors including education, healthcare, business, science, agriculture etc.
Women’s Day has a great history of the long struggle of European and North American women who fought for their rights, working conditions, voting rights and equal treatment in the 20th century. Initially Woman’s Day was conducted by the Socialist Party of America in New York City on 28 February 1909. Later, In 1910, a women's rights activist named Clara Zetkin proposed an international day in the International Socialist Women’s Conference to recognise working women’s rights and efforts.
The first International Women’s Day celebration or events were held across Europe in 1911. Later on 8 March became the important date since a Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin, declared 8 March as International Women's Day in 1922 to honor the women's role in the 1917 Russian Revolution. After that the United Nations officially declared International Women's Day in 1977.
International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8 March to recognise women’s achievements and keep focus on gender equality. Its purpose is not limited to appreciation, it goes beyond. Since it encourages societies to understand the real barriers which women still face during different situations whether it is education, employment, safety, financial independence or decision-making.
There are many ways to help women empowerment, from supporting girls’ education to creating fair working environments and sharing household responsibilities. At the same time, understanding the challenges to women’s empowerment is necessary for meaningful change. Women’s Day reminds us that equality is not a single day's message. It is about paying respect to women, creating equal opportunities and taking everyday action towards this goal.
