Mar 08
International Women’s Day
On March 8, 1857, women from clothing and textile factories in New York staged a protest against poor working conditions and low wages. Police attacked and dispersed the protestors, but more protests followed on March 8 in years to follow.
On March 8, 1908 15,000 women marched shoulder to shoulder through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.
Persistance finally paid off.
- In 1910 the first international women’s conference was held in Copenhagen, and an ‘International Women’s Day’ was established.
- In 1975, the United Nations gave official sanction to and began sponsoring International Women’s Day.
- In 2005, the British Trades Union Congress overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling for IWD to be designated a public holiday in the United Kingdom.
Not surprisingly, International Women’s Day encountered violence in Iran in 2007, when police beat hundreds of men and women who were planning a Women’s Day rally. Police arrested dozens of women… some were released after several days of solitary confinement. Several community activists were released after a fifteen day hunger strike.
Today?
Today, International Women’s Day is an official holiday in Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Croatia, Italy, Laos, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Zambia.
I find it Ironic not to see Canada, Australia or the USA listed among the countries that recognize International Women’s Day. Unless, of course, wikipedia is wrong, which is entirely possible.
Source: wikipedia
Popularity: 18% [?]
