8 Solid Facts you should Know about International Women’s Day

The 8^th of March is a special day for women around the world as it has been dubbed “International Women’s Day”. The initial aim of the day was for women to have equal pay, but now it is celebrated to inspire females across the world. It 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.

Seeing as today is International Women’s Day and the theme for this year, 2018, is #PressforProgress. We thought it would be great to share some facts about the day with our readers so that they have are better informed and have a better picture of everything the International Women’s Day stands for.

Here are 8 solid facts to know about International Women’s Day:

• While International Women’s Day is now largely aimed at inspiring women across the world and celebrating their achievements, its roots are in movements campaigning for better pay and voting rights.

• During an International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen the following year, Clara Zetkin, leader of the ‘Women’s Office’ for the Social Democratic Party in Germany, suggested the idea of an International Women’s Day.She proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day. The idea was met with unanimous approval.

• 1911 saw IWD honoured for the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on March 19. Over a million people attended rallies campaigning for women’s rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination.

• On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women’s Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. In 1965, it was declared as a non-working day in the USSR.

• International Women’s Day was transferred to 8 March that same year and has remained the global date for the event ever since.

• In 1975, the United Nations gave official sanction to International Women’s Day and began sponsoring it.

• The United States now designates the whole month of March as ‘Women’s History Month’

• IWD is also an official holiday in 15 countries including China, Ukraine and Vietnam.

Can you think of any other facts relevant to International Women’s Day? Share it with us!

SOURCE:  mirror.co.uk , ftdes.net

Don’t forget to follow us on:

Facebook: GlamAfricaMag

Twitter: GlamAfricaMag

Instagram: GlamAfricaMag

YouTube: Glam Africa Mag