International Women’s Day IWD (8TH March) is an occasion marked by women of all continents, often divided by national boundaries ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, coming together to celebrate their Day, the 8th of March.
This day started back in the early 20th century as way to unite global women’s movements and catalyze demands for women. In ancient Greece, Lysistrata initiated a sexual strike against men in order to end war; during the French Revolution, Parisian women calling for "liberty, equality, fraternity" marched on Versailles to demand women's suffrage.
Today the day has become much broader, a way to signify celebration and hard work, and offer up an extra platform for all those individuals, groups, and ideas contributing to the advancement of women worldwide.
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 first IWD was held on March 19, 1911 in Germany, Austria, Denmark and some other European countries. This date was chosen by German women because, on that date in 1848, the Prussian king, faced with an armed uprising, had promised many reforms, including an unfulfilled one of votes for women. A million leaflets calling for action on the right to vote were distributed throughout Germany before IWD in 1911.
The modern day woman embodies strength, assertiveness, beauty inspiration, and responsibility; yet caring, kind, compassionate, and sometimes even shy. Statistics show that there is a greater prevalence of shyness amongst women in the population, but women feel more comfortable disclosing that they are shy while men are afraid to. And so the distinction between male and female shyness should be non-existent.
As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, it is essential to emphasize the importance of protecting the rights of women and girls, and empowering them to be active community leaders as these are important aspects of building a robust rule of law in nations and regions around the world.
Today, women constitute a source of knowledge and innovation, and when harnessed effectively, provide an excellent resource to make a vital contribution to the development agenda of their countries. These times present a major break-through in the ability of women to contribute to progress and promoting rule of law across the region.
As this generation experiences an unprecedented level of interaction and interdependence throughout world, in years to come we will still have the drive to look beyond obstacles and develop innovative solutions for women to create positive change throughout the region.
“International Women’s Day that offers the world the opportunity to reflect on the status of women, with the objective of highlighting their contributions, achievements as well as their limitations in terms of promotion of gender equality and empowerment at all levels.” International Women’s Day makes voices to be heard and not to remain in limbo. I think it is worth celebrating, because it is a day that women come together to celebrate their achievements politically, economically; past, present and the future. Women have been doing really well.”