History of women’s day - When, Why and How?

History of women’s day - When, Why and How?

The whole world witnessed women’s day on the 8th of this March and so did India. Many companies inaugurated their women empowerment plans, NGOs raised their voices against the atrocities done on women whereas the elite class celebrated it to boast about women power and get it registered as a socially aware class. But have you ever thought that why is this day celebrated? Was there any specific history behind this day? Why is it celebrated on 8th March and not on any other day? Well the answers are even more interesting than the questions. Let’s have a look:-

It all started when industrialization was slowly raising its hands in U.S.A. and other Nations.

In the year 1857, the women workers in the garment industry of New York staged a protest against bad working conditions and inhumane behavior during the working hours. Though initially this protest was not paid any heed and was fragmented by police but two years after this protest, the women workers made their first labour union to improve the working conditions. Again, on March 8 (notice the date) 1908, 15000 women protested across the Ney York city for higher wages, better working conditions and abolition of child labour in the city. Their slogan was “Bread and Roses” where they referred bread as economic prosperity and roses for a better life. Then the socialist party of America announced that the last Sunday of February to be celebrated as National Women’s Day (NWD). After this declaration, the first such occasion was observed on 28th February 1909 and it continued till 1913.

Back in 1910, a conference was organized in Copenhagen, Denmark by many social working organizations from all over the world. It was in this conference that the idea for an International women’s day celebration was proposed. The proposal was initially given by Clara Zetkin, a German who proposed that such an event should be marked all over the world to celebrate the protest of women garment workers in USA. The representative from 17 countries accepted for the demand of a International women’s day to honor the movement for women’s right and their right to vote, though, no fixed date was announced. In 1911, IWD was marked for the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. But then on 25th March the very unfortunate Triangle fire accident took place in New York City in a garment factory where girls from many nations were killed due to lack of safety measures.

After this the protest was fuelled against women labour conditions. After 1st World War, peace movements were going on in Russia and in 1913 the Russians observed the IWD. In Russia, women were protesting for their right to work and vote even after the First World War. Again in 1917, the Russian women celebrated the day and marked the day for protest to have their due rights. 4 days after the celebration or protest, the czar of Russia gave the women their right to vote.

It was the historic movement when that Sunday fell on 23rd February but according to Georgian calendar the date was 8th March. And thus in 1977, the UN general assembly designated 8th March as International Women’s Day or International Working Women’s Day. And since then, this day has been marked internationally all over the globe in its present form.

So, this is the most hidden, un-discussed yet interesting history about the start of IWD which illustrates how a group of women workers brought about such a big change. Salute to women and salute to women power!!!!