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International Women's Day(IWD)


The Beginning

International Women's Day (8 March) is an occasion marked by women's groups around the world. International Women's Day is the story of ordinary women as makers of history; it is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men.

The history of IWD dates back to 1910 internationally and, in Australia, to 1928. But socialist women in the United States organised the first national Women's Day in 1908 and helped to inspire the international event.

International Women's Day has its roots in the labour movements of the late 19th and early 20th century, when workers protested poor working conditions and low wages in the textile industry, which employed many women. International Women's Day was first celebrated on March 8, 1911, and had "Universal Female Suffrage" as its theme. The first IWD was held on March 19, 1911 in Germany, Austria, Denmark and some other European countries. A million leaflets calling for action on the right to vote were distributed throughout Germany before IWD in 1911.

The Progress

Equal pay, including for servicewomen, became a major issue during the war years from 1940-45. During these years, the Women's Employment Board was set up with powers to set wage scales for women entering male dominated industries. IWD has experienced many ebbs and flows as a day that helps to push women's issues onto the political agenda.

On the 50th anniversary of IWD in 1960, 729 delegates from 73 countries, including Queenslander Doris Webb from the Union of Australian Women, met in a conference in Copenhagen. It adopted a general declaration of support for the political, economic and social rights of women. The first of the large IWD marches took place in 1972. From then on, IWD marches generally took place on the Saturday morning nearest to March 8.

In Sydney, the march was organised by an ad hoc open-ended group of women's liberationists who formed the March Action Campaign for IWD. The March Action Campaign was taken up in some other states and focussed on the following demands:

The Right to Work
Equal Pay
Equal opportunity for work and education
Free child care and pre-school activities
Free, safe contraceptives
Safe, legal abortion on request

Achievements

During International Women's Year in 1975, IWD was given official recognition by the United Nations and was taken up by many governments who had not previously known of its existence. IWD 1985, to many, will simply mark the beginning of a new decade in women's political activity.

The growing international women's movement, which has been strengthened by four global United Nations women's conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point for coordinated efforts to demand women's rights and participation in the political and economic process.

In the 87 years since, women have gained the vote and much more - equality under the law and a more prominent place in all aspects of society. International Women's Day celebrates these achievements and looks ahead to continued progress for women on all fronts. In 1998, the theme is built around "The Evolution of Women's Rights: A Lifelong Commitment."

Significance

The day has been variously seen as a time for reassessment and reaffirmation of broadly based goals; a day for the celebration of gains, or of women's potential and creativity; and as a time for direct and radical action. In contrast to this, the main thrust of "official recognition" has been to use IWD to plaster over the sex, race and class contradictions affecting women's lives with platitudes.

International Women's Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of women's rights.

IWD survives as a point of reference and some measure of progress in the longest struggle of all - the liberation of women.


Compiled by: Stella Jebamani

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