March 8, International Women’s Day! How did it begin and why does this day serve to honor the figure of women?

Today, women all over the world celebrate “March 8”, International Women’s Day.

Perceived both as a celebration and a protest, emphasizing women and their rights, March 8 originated from the labor movement. It all began in 1908, when 15,000 women marched in New York City demanding shorter working hours, better pay, and the right to vote. A year later, the Socialist Party of America declared the first National Women’s Day. The idea to make this gathering an international event came from Clara Zetkin, a communist activist and advocate for women’s rights.

March 8 was chosen as the date because on that day Russian women demanded “bread and peace” during a wartime strike in 1917. Four days after the strike, the Tsar was forced to abdicate the throne and the provisional government granted women the right to vote. According to the Julian calendar, which was then used in Russia, the women’s strike began on February 23. In the Gregorian calendar used in most of the world, that date corresponds to March 8.

The first International Women’s Day was celebrated in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. The United Nations (UN) began marking the event in 1975. The first theme adopted by the UN (in 1996) was “Celebrating the past, planning for the future.”

March 8 is not simply a day of celebration, nor is it a day of extreme feminism. It is mostly perceived as a moment when everyone should reflect on issues related to women’s lives, on major social and political achievements connected to equal opportunities, and on the next steps that must be taken to overcome the gaps that still exist.

Around the world, women continue to raise their voices to fight against frequent violations of their right to be safe and to be free in their choices.

Professional and economic disadvantages are among the issues for which women around the world continue to struggle. Although it is true that significant progress has been made, especially in Western countries, it is equally true that the path toward gender equality and social emancipation is still long.

The colors associated with this day are purple, green, and white, symbolizing justice and dignity, hope, and purity. These colors were used by the Women’s Social and Political Union, a group founded in the United Kingdom in 1903 to fight for women’s voting rights.

“KORÇA BOOM”