Page 67 - Fyne Times Spring 2014

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following discussions, International Women's
Day was transferred to 8 March and this day
has remained the global date for International
Women's Day ever since. In 1914 further
women across Europe held rallies to campaign
against the war and to express women's
solidarity.
1917
On the last Sunday of February, Russian
women began a strike for “bread and peace” in
response to the death over 2 million Russian
soldiers in war. Opposed by political leaders
the women continued to strike until four days
later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the
provisional Government granted women the
right to vote. The date the women's strike
commenced was Sunday 23 February on the
Julian calendar then in use in Russia. This day
on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere
was 8 March.
1918 - 1999
Since its birth in the socialist movement,
International Women's Day has grown to
become a global day of recognition and
celebration across developed and developing
countries alike. For decades, IWD has grown
from strength to strength annually. For many
years the United Nations has held an annual
IWD conference to coordinate international
efforts for women's rights and participation in
social, political and economic processes. 1975
was designated as 'International Women's
Year' by the United Nations. Women's
organisations and governments around the
world have also observed IWD annually
on 8 March by holding large-scale events
that honour women's advancement and
while diligently reminding of the continued
vigilance and action required to ensure that
women's equality is gained and maintained in
all aspects of life.
2000 and beyond
IWD is now an official holiday in Afghanistan,
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso,
Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba,
Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women
only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro,
Nepal (for women only), Russia, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan,
Vietnam and Zambia. The tradition sees men
honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends,
colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In
some countries IWD has the equivalent status
of Mother's Day where children give small
presents to their mothers and grandmothers.
The new millennium has witnessed a
significant change and attitudinal shift in
both women's and society's thoughts about
women's equality and emancipation. Many
from a younger generation feel that 'all the
battles have been won for women' while
many feminists from the 1970's know only too
well the longevity and ingrained complexity
of patriarchy. With more women in the
boardroom, greater equality in legislative
rights, and an increased critical mass of
women's visibility as impressive role models
in every aspect of life, one could think
that women have gained true equality. The
unfortunate fact is that women are still not
paid equally to that of their male counterparts,
women still are not present in equal numbers
in business or politics, and globally women's
education, health and the violence against
them is worse than that of men.
However, great improvements have been
made. We do have female astronauts and
prime ministers, school girls are welcomed
into university, women can work and have a
family, women have real choices. And so the
tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few
years, moved from being a reminder about the
negatives to a celebration of the positives.