International Women's Day
St Petersburg International Women's Day
Date
8 March 1917
Russian women demonstrate in Saint Petersburg, March 8, 1917.
Credit: State Museum of Political History of Russia/Wikimedia Commons
On 8 March 1917, thousands of housewives and women workers in St Petersburg, Russia defied union leaders' appeals for calm and took to the streets against high prices and hunger, thus igniting the February revolution (so-called because of the different calendar in use at the time). Before the protest took place even the Bolsheviks regarded it as ill-advised.
Women in Russia had marked International Women's Day in late February each year since 1913 (in old style dates), following women in the US who began holding annual events on the last Sunday of February in 1909.
On March 9, 200,000 workers joined the women by striking, shouting slogans against the tsar and the war. Some military units began to join the workers, and by 15 March, tsar Nicholas II was forced to abdicate.
On the first anniversary of this event, women in Austria took to the streets for the first time celebrating International Women's Day on this date.
In 1922, Chinese communists began to celebrate International Women's Day, and with assistance from Clara Zetkin, March 8 was declared a national holiday in the Soviet Union. It subsequently spread to many other countries, mostly in the old Soviet bloc until the 1960s.
Around 1967, it began to be recognised in other countries as well. The reason behind its resurrection in the United States is unclear, but one theory was that a women's group at the University of Illinois, including daughters of communists, was responsible.
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https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10826/st-petersburg-international-women's-day
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What is IWD?
IWD is a specific day dedicated to the advancement of women worldwide.
Marked by millions of people on March 8, IWD celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender equality.
IWD provides an important platform to engage with communities, reflect on progress, and commit to positive action. Participation in IWD ensures progress toward equality remains on the global agenda and positive action prevails.
IWD has a long and powerful history of collective action, with many groups, countries, and bodies having actively contributed to its evolution. Today, IWD is a highly visible worldwide occurrence with significant mainstream awareness, marked by groups worldwide in a wide variety of ways.
What are the aims of IWD?
IWD can mean different things to various groups, yet the overarching aims of IWD are to:
Celebrate women’s achievements through recognizing and appreciating the contributions of women in various fields, highlighting their influence and successes throughout history and in the present day.
Raise awareness of gender inequality through shining a light on persistent issues like the gender pay gap, lack of representation in leadership roles, gender-based violence, and unequal access to education and opportunities.
Mobilize action for equality through encouraging individuals, communities, and organizations to take steps toward creating a more inclusive and equitable world for women.
Donate and fundraise for women-focused charities, and elevate the visibility of their work.
Foster solidarity among people of all genders in support of women’s rights and gender parity worldwide.
In honor of the many women that both gave me life and also saved my arse from peril many times.......
