International Women’s Day on March 8 is among the most celebrated holidays. However, its content has undergone a metamorphosis: from an ideological celebration of women – it turned into a day of love and family values.
History of the holiday
In 1908, 15,000 women in New York City demonstrated, demanding a shorter workday, higher wages, and the right to vote (in most states, women gained it in 1920, when the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was adopted). The following year, the American Socialist Party proposed making the last Sunday in February Women’s Labor Day.
In August 1910, Clara Zetkin, a prominent figure in German Social Democracy, proposed the establishment of an International Day of Struggle for Women’s Equality and Emancipation at a conference in Copenhagen.
About one hundred participants from 17 countries supported the idea unanimously.
1911, it was celebrated for the first time in Germany, Austria-Hungary, Denmark, and Switzerland.
The demonstration in New York, with which it all began, took place on February 28. Clara Zetkin did not give a specific date. The first celebration of Women’s Day in Germany took place on March 19 to commemorate the March Revolution of 1848 in Prussia. Then, Women’s Day was celebrated in different countries on March 2, 9, and 12, as well as on May 2 and 12.
In 1975, the UN General Assembly proclaimed March 8 as a day to celebrate women’s achievements in all areas of life and to protest against the vestiges of inequality.
The color of International Women’s Day is often referred to as purple because it symbolizes dignity and justice. It is also green and white. They were proposed as a symbol of the struggle for equality by the British Women’s Social and Political Union in 1908. Purple stands for justice and dignity, green for hope, and white for purity.
Celebration in Ukraine and around the world
In recent years, Ukrainian women have gained many new rights and opportunities for self-expression. Ukrainian legislation is also increasingly protecting women’s rights. Of course, we still have a lot of work to do, but the shifts are apparent.
In June 2022, Ukraine ratified the Istanbul Convention on the Prevention of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. This holiday has not been canceled in our country and is still an official day off; however, because of the war, holidays are not yet days off.
In China, women’s working days last four hours instead of eight, but this recommendation of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China is not a law, and some employers do not follow it.
In Italy, women are given mimosa flowers on March 8. This custom originated in Rome shortly after World War II; its source is unknown.
In the United States, March is considered Women’s History Month. Each year, the president makes a proclamation honoring the accomplishments and contributions of American women.
