International Women's Day - 2010

International Women's Day

Introduction

International Women’s Day 08 March is also known as the United Nations (UN) Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace. It has its roots in the international labour, socialist, and peace movements that were active early in the 20th century. It is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women.

History

On 08 March 1857, women working in clothing and textile factories (called 'garment workers') in New York City staged a protest march against inhumane working conditions and low wages. Their ranks were broken by the police. Two years later these women formed their first labour union to try and protect themselves and gain some basic rights in the workplace. On 08 March 1908, a rally in New York City demanded shorter work hours, better pay, voting rights and an end to child labour. They adopted the slogan "Bread and Roses", with bread symbolizing economic security and roses a better quality of life.

1910 Copenhagen, the Socialist International conference proposed a Women's Day to honour the movement for women's rights and to assist in achieving universal suffrage for women. This resulted in International Women's Day being marked for the first time in Europe (19 March 1911) where more than one million women and men attended rallies. In addition to the right to vote and to hold public office, they demanded the right to work, to vocational training and to an end to discrimination on the job.

The International Women’s Day date was moved to March 08 in 1913.

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Symbols

The International Women’s Day logo is in purple and white and features the symbol of Venus, which is also the symbol of being female.

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International Women’s Day song: ‘Bread and Roses’

Lyrics by James Oppenheim, December 1911. Inspired by the 1912 ‘Bread and Roses’ strike, the shouts of textile workers: "We want Bread and Roses, too" symbolized their demands for not only a living wage but a decent and human life. The song has since become associated with International Women’s Day. Bread symbolizes economic justice and roses represent quality of life. For song lyrics please click here.

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The United Nations and Gender Equality

Few causes promoted by the United Nations have generated more intense and widespread support than the campaign to promote and protect the equal rights of women. The Charter of the United Nations, signed in San Francisco in 1945, was the first international agreement to proclaim gender equality as a fundamental human right. Since then, the UN has helped create a historic legacy of internationally agreed strategies, standards, programmes and goals to advance the status of women worldwide.

The UN drew global attention to women's concerns in 1975 by calling for an International Women's Year. It also convened the first conference on women in Mexico City that year. The UN General Assembly then invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for Women's Rights and International Peace in 1977. The day aimed to help nations worldwide eliminate discrimination against women. It also focused on helping women gain full and equal participation in global development. International Men’s Day is celebrated on November 19 each year.

Over the years, United Nations action for the advancement of women has taken four clear directions: promotion of legal measures; mobilization of public opinion and international action; training and research, including the compilation of gender desegregated statistics; and direct assistance to disadvantaged groups. 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.

The UN theme for International Women’s Day 2010 is ‘Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.’

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Events

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Timeline

International Women’s Day first emerged from the activities of labour movements at the turn of the twentieth century in North America and across Europe.

1909:

The first National Woman's Day was observed in the United States on 28 February. The Socialist Party of America designated this day in honour of the 1908 garment workers’ strike in New York, where women protested against working conditions.

1910:

The Socialist International, meeting in Copenhagen, established a Women's Day, international in character, to honour the movement for women's rights and to build support for achieving universal suffrage for women. The proposal was greeted with unanimous approval by the conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, which included the first three women elected to the Finnish Parliament. No fixed date was selected for the observance.

1911:

As a result of the Copenhagen initiative, International Women's Day was marked for the first time (19 March) in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, where more than one million women and men attended rallies. In addition to the right to vote and to hold public office, they demanded women’s rights to work, to vocational training and to an end to discrimination on the job.

1912:

The start of the 1912 Bread and Roses strike, one of the most significant struggles in the history of the U.S. working class in Lawrence, Mass. Bosses demanded more work and less pay from textile workers already living on the edge of starvation. Thousands of women and men started a spontaneous strike that rippled through two dozen textile factories in Lawrence.

1913-1914:

International Women's Day also became a mechanism for protesting World War I. As part of the peace movement, Russian women observed their first International Women’s Day on the last Sunday in February. Elsewhere in Europe, on or around 8 March of the following year, women held rallies either to protest the war or to express solidarity with other activists.

1917:

Against the backdrop of the war, women in Russia again chose to protest and strike for ‘Bread and Peace’ on the last Sunday in February (which fell on 8 March on the Gregorian calendar). Four days later, the Czar abdicated and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote.

Since those early years, International Women's Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike. 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 to build support for women's rights and participation in the political and economic arenas. Increasingly, 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 their countries and communities.

1975:

During International Women's Year the United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day on 8 March.

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News

Ask your councillor to support the new legislation on lapdancing clubs as licensed sexual entertainment venues.

From April 2010 councils will be required to adopt the new provisions of the licensing legislation and require operators of lapdancing clubs to apply for a sexual entertainment venue licence. (Until now, since the 2003 act, no specific licence was required). Or, if a council does not adopt the provisions, then after 12 months it would be required to go into public consultation. If you live or work in Bristol, please contact your local ward councillors and ask them to support the immediate adoption from April of licensing for sexual entertainment venues. Please then also email: info@bristolfawcett.org.uk with the name of your councillor, and their response, so a list can be developed of all councillors and how they are likely to vote if the matter comes before full council.

You can find out who your councillor is by clicking here and you may want to send councillors a link to the “Stripping the Illusion” report available here.

Sign the petition in support of Gita Saghal

Following reports of concerns by Gita Saghal, Head of the Gender Unit at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International, about Amnesty's relationship with Moazzem Begg and Cageprisoners moire information available here. she has been suspended from her post. Click here for the petition in support of Gita's position.

Bradley Stoke and Filton mark International Women's Day

Plans are under way to mark International Women's Day 2010 in the Bradley Stoke and Filton area.

The day will be marked with a fashion show, a poetry and photographic competition and the second Outstanding Women's Award presentation at Bradley Stoke Community School. The awards recognise the achievements of women in Bradley Stoke, Filton, Patchway and Stoke Gifford. To read more please click here

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Women who Make a Difference Awards

Last year the Awards celebrated their 10th year. Awards are given in recognition of the invaluable contribution women are making to improving and sustaining the communties in which they live and work. Recipients are from a good cross section of the women living across all areas of the City, encompassing a wide range of age groups and cultures.

So if there is a woman in your community (she could be your partner, mother, sister, daughter, friend, neighbour or colleague) who has inspired you or been a role model - who has made a difference in your life - please put her name forward. For more information regarding the nomination criteria please contact Fiona Watson, Equalities and Community Cohesion Team on 0117 922 2329 or 922 22658 or email: equalities.team@bristol.gov.uk Or visit Bristol City Council's Website.

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