International Women's Day 2008
Celebrate and Support the International Rights of Women
International Women's Day is a worldwide celebration of women's rights and recognition of its importance in our global community.
On 8 March 2008, people around the world will celebrate International Women’s Day. International Women’s Day gives everyone the opportunity to celebrate the achievements made for women’s rights and recognize the contribution women make to society.
Significant economic, political and social improvements for women have been gained in the last century. However, there are still battles to be won for women’s rights. In developing countries, the majority world, women continue to fight for equal rights. Their contributions to society are often undervalued and ignored. Religion or tradition is used as a barrier for women’s equal rights in some patriarchal societies.
Poverty and Discrimination Against Women
The majority of the world’s poor are women (70 per cent) and the feminization of poverty is a continuing threat to the advancement of women worldwide. Even in the "rich" countries, women face poverty and discrimination. Women are not paid equally to men and they rarely occupy high positions in government or business.
Women hold only 14 per cent of parliamentary seats worldwide, according to the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). For women, the "glass ceiling" remains well and truly intact. Internationally, news reporting often reinforces prejudices against women, and women rarely have editorial control in the media.
Women around the world are still marginalized and it is important for governments, organizations and communities to actively promote women’s equal rights. On International Women’s Day it is necessary to consider the advancements made and the struggles to be overcome and show support for women’s rights.
History of International Women’s Day
100 years ago, in 1908, 15,000 women rallied in New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and declaring women’s right to vote. The following year, the first National Women’s Day was observed in the United States. The first International Women’s Day was launched in 1911 in Copenhagen.
War and food shortages played a big part in the beginnings of International Women’s Day and, in 1913 on the eve of World War I, Russian women held their first International Women’s Day. The following year women around Europe held rallies to protest the war and join in solidarity with women worldwide.
In December 1977, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace. Today, International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide and is even an official holiday in some countries.
Get Involved
This year International Women’s Day will be celebrated at hundreds of events worldwide. To find out about local events or for more information, visit the official International Women’s Day website.
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