Why Women’s Day is Celebrated on March 8?

International Women’s Day is celebrated all over the world every year on the Eighth day of March.  It celebrates womanhood and pays tribute to the indomitable spirit of women across the globe.

Much progress has been made to protect and promote women’s rights in recent times. However, nowhere in the world can women claim to have all the same rights and opportunities as men, according to the UN. The majority of the world’s 1.3 billion absolute poor are women. On an average, women receive between 30 and 40 percent less pay than men earn for the same work. Women also continue to be victims of violence, with rape and domestic violence listed as significant causes of disability and death among women worldwide.

The first International Women’s Day occurred on March 19 in 1911. The inaugural event, which included rallies and organized meetings, was a big success in countries such as Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. The March 19 date was chosen because it commemorated the day that the Prussian king promised to introduce votes for women in 1848. The promise gave hope for equality but it was a promise that he failed to keep. The International Women’s Day date was moved to March 8 in 1913.  The 1914 observance of the Day in Germany was dedicated to women’s right to vote, which German women did not win until 1918. In 1914 International Women’s Day was held on March 8, possibly because that day was a Sunday, and now it is always held on March 8 in all countries.

You have got everything… to take the world in your stride. Happy Women’s Day.

Courtesy: Wonderwoman.com and Timeanddate.com