by Agnes a Paris
Wed Mar 8th, 2006 at 11:16:52 AM EST
International Women's Day (8 March) is an occasion marked by women's groups around the world. This date is also commemorated at the United Nations and is designated in many countries as a national holiday. When women on all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, come together to celebrate their Day, they can look back to a tradition that represents at least nine decades of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.
International Women's Day is designed to celebrate "the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men" as the UN puts it.
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.
On 8 March 1857, women working in clothing and textile factories (called 'garment workers') in New York City, in the United States, staged a protest. They were fighting against inhumane working conditions and low wages. The police attacked the protestors and dispersed them. Two years later, again in March, these women formed their first labour union to try and protect themselves and gain some basic rights in the workplace.
On 8 March 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter work hours, better pay, voting rights and an end to child labour. They adopted the slogan "Bread and Roses", with bread symbolizing economic security and roses a better quality of life. In May, the Socialist Party of America designated the last Sunday in February for the observance of National Women's Day.
What I would like us to do today is give a thought to how lucky we, women living by Western standards, are compared to the overwhelming majority of the world female population. It is not only about economics and social status, more importantly this is about basic human rights such as the right to self determination in the key choices one has to make in life.
Promoted by Colman
To pick up examples that will sound familiar, let's stay in France.
French girls, whose parents immigrated from the Maghreb, who were born in France and consider France as their home country, have friends there and a future, at least so they think, are summoned back to their ancestors' country to marry someone they never met, without having the slightest say about it.
Although this barbaric practise has been made illegal, and thus difficult to account for in statistics, there are still young girls dying from hemorrhage after an excision is performed on them.
Meanwhile, I've too often heard female colleagues complaining about being discriminated against because they were denied, allegedly on account of their three pregnancy leaves, the same pace of moving up the corporate ladder as their male and childless female colleagues. I have always felt an urging wish I could scream : "don't you have any respect?" Respect for all these women who have to fight if they wish to have a professional occupation at all.
Women bemoaning their lack of pocket money to accommodate their weekly shopping sprees as their husband, reluctant to systematically take all the core expenses on his own budget, shyly suggests they could share the mortgage or the children education costs.
Women having filed for divorce complaining about the scarcity of their alimony. "Okay, I did cheat on him, but still..."
In some countries, if a woman is seen alone with another man who is not her husband or brother, her fate is being stoned to death.
So let's forget, just for one day, about the grudges we bear against our men (partners, colleagues, lovers, friends) and let us rejoice for being women living in Western countries, where we can not only succeed but also rule, for the most talented, even if a lot remains to be done.
I also suggest to go and have a look at Amnesty International's link: STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
