International Women’s Day, which has
existed for more than 100 years, was the product of an era marked by rapid
change and upheaval in the industrialized world. As the planet's population
grew and the demand for labor increased, and as new ideologies took shape,
women were thrust into a brave new world and confronted with a host of
challenges.
The first day dedicated to women was
established in 1911, and it
was observed for the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on
March 19, when more than 1 million people attended rallies around the world to
assert women’s right to work, vote, be trained and hold public office. Two
years later, the day was officially changed to March 8, the date on which it's
been celebrated globally ever since as International Women’s Day.
Today, International Women’s Day is
recognized by the UN and is an official holiday in 27 countries. On this day
each year, men are asked to honor their mothers, wives, girlfriends and
colleagues -- similar to Mother’s Day, when boys and men celebrate and give
gifts to their mothers and grandmothers.
While women have made great strides,
a gender equality gap still exists. In 2014, International Women’s Day will
focus on the role men play in standing up for women’s rights. According to a World Health Organization report, men can play
a critical part in reducing domestic violence and increasing communication
about contraception, children's health and social support for wives and
partners.
“It’s an objective fact, that if you
want to solve some of these huge, kind of bigger problems of extreme poverty,
you have to include the women,” actor Matt Damon, founder of Water.org, a
nonprofit group that provides access to safe water and sanitation in Africa,
South Asia and Central America, said about the UN’s “He For She”
campaign, which was unveiled on Friday. "They’re the ones who
will get it done."
“This is a moment when we review
past achievements and look ahead to the challenges that remain, as well as to
untapped potential and opportunities,” she said. "In moving forward, we
must ensure that women’s empowerment and gender equality stand at the heart of
all of our work to craft a better future.”
International Women’s Day will be
celebrated on March 8, 2014, with
an event held on March 7 at the UN headquarters in New York at noon. A live
stream of the event can be viewed here.
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