The celebrations are not confined to any particular country,
organization, charity, academic institution, or women's group. It encompasses
all categories collectively everywhere.
In this regard, Gloria Steinem, an internationally
renowned feminist, journalist and women's rights activist, once
said:
"The story of women's struggle
for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to
the collective efforts of all who care about human rights."
Objectives
of International Women's Day
The main objectives of International Women's
Day include the following:
History
of International Women's Day
International Women's Day has been observed
for over a century. At the beginning of the 20
th century, women's
oppression and
inequality
in all spheres of society reached a peak, which resulted in widespread protests
that led to the establishment of International Women's Day in 1908.
The
idea for having an annual celebration exclusively dedicated to women's rights
and gender equality, came from a woman named Clara Zetkin, who was the Leader
of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany. The celebrations
officially began in the year 1911, supported by over one million people. Since
then, the International Women's Day celebrations have continued to grow from
strength to strength throughout the world.
Historically speaking, the awareness colors for
International Women's Day - 'Purple', 'Green' and 'White' - signify different
aspects of womanhood.
- 'Purple' signifies dignity
- 'Green' signifies hope
- 'White' signifies purity
These awareness colors were adopted way back in 1908,
when the celebrations first began.
Theme
for International Women's Day 2020
The theme proposed by the United Nations (UN)
for the 2020 International Women's Day celebrations is
'I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women's Rights'. The UN's
Generation Equality Campaign includes individuals of every
gender, age, ethnicity, race, religion and country in order to reach the goal
of
creating a gender-equal
world eventually.
This year's theme is based on the notion of
'Collective Individuality', meaning that when 'individuals' act 'collectively',
they can make a difference to society. Therefore, with collective action, it
may be possible to create a gender equal world. This is why the hashtag
#EachforEqual has been chosen for this year's celebrations.
Disparities
in Gender Equality: Facts & Figures
- 2.7
billion women are deprived of jobs considered to be exclusively for men
- Women's
income is 23 percent lesser than that of men worldwide
- 24
percent of parliamentary seats are occupied by women worldwide
- 1
in 3 women have experienced physical or sexual violence worldwide
- 200
million women and girls have suffered from genital
mutilation worldwide
- There
are only 10 female Heads of State and 13 female Heads of Government
worldwide
- Women
constitute only 7 percent of all CEOs in the Fortune 500 list
- Domestic/unpaid
work is carried out by women and girls in 80 percent of households in
developing countries
- Only
53 out of more than 900 Nobel Laureates are women since the inception of
the Nobel Prize in 1901
- In
1903, Marie Curie was the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize
- Marie
Curie is the only woman in history to receive the Nobel Prize twice
- Only
37 percent of media stories are written by female journalists
- Kathryn
Bigelow is the only woman to win an Oscar for Best Director in the 92-year
history of the Oscar Awards
- Only
2.2 percent of female athletes participated
in the first Modern Olympic Games held in 1900
Ways
to Celebrate Women's Achievements on International Women's Day
Some of the ways to celebrate the
achievements of women in various fields are briefly highlighted below:
- Recognize
Women's Contribution to Science and Technology: Women's contribution to
scientific discoveries and technological innovations should be duly recognized
and rewarded
- Applaud Equality for Women Athletes: Women athletes
should be applauded for their achievements and given equal status with male
athletes with regard to pay, sponsorship and visibility
- Create Inclusive Workplaces So Women Can Thrive: Inclusive and conducive
workplaces should be created to help women thrive by increasing their ability
to innovate, lead, and uplift their colleagues
- Encourage Women to Achieve Financial Stability: Women should be encouraged to attain financial stability and become
independent, so that they are not a burden to others
- Empower Women Through Health Education: Women should be empowered through adequate health education so that they
are capable of making informed choices about their own health and that of their
children
- Honor Women's Creativity: Women
displaying creativity in their respective fields should be encouraged by
showcasing their work in public forums and be honored for their contributions
Conclusion
An equal world is an enabled world. Time has
come to fight bias, challenge stereotypes, expand perceptions, and improve
conditions for the upliftment of women's status in society. We need to make a
difference by thinking globally and acting locally.
So, let's make everyday
International Women's Day to help girls grow up to be women of substance with a
bright future.
References : - Visualize the Data: The Representation of Women in Society - United Nations - (https://www.unwomen.org/es/digital-library/multimedia/2020/2/infographic-visualizing-the-data-womens-representation)
- International Women's Day: Gender Equality by 2030 - United Nations - (https://www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day)
- About International Women's Day - (https://www.internationalwomensday.com/About)
- I Am Generation Equality: Realizing Women's Rights - United Nations - (https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/international-womens-day)
- An Equal World is an Enabled World: International Women's Day - (https://www.internationalwomensday.com/)
Source: Medindia