International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated every year on March 8. This special day is a day to honour and celebrate all social, economic, cultural and political accomplishments of women and acknowledge how far we have come in our struggle for equality, peace and development.
The first International Women’s Day in Australia was held in 1928 in Sydney. The Militant Women’s Movement organised the event, calling for equal pay for equal work, an 8 hour working day for shop girls and paid leave. This rally sparked events that were held in subsequent years in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne where marches continue to be held today.
The day is an opportunity for inclusion, gathering people from diverse backgrounds to empower, inspire, motivate and benefit individuals and communities towards advancing gender equality, here in Australia and globally.
This years IWD theme is Cracking the code. This theme emphasizes the importance of bold, transformative ideas, inclusive technologies, and accessible education in combating discrimination and the marginalization of women globally.
Women around the world have worked tirelessly to achieve and establish so many rights, particularly in the West, however in some countries women still face enormous discrimination and inequality.
In Europe, Many women enjoy full rights and accordingly, women in Ukraine are taking on many of the responsibilities that usually men assume — including combat — in the desperate defence of their homeland in the face of war. Some may say that it’s a little bit of history repeating itself afterall, it was the March 8, 1917, when thousands of women from different backgrounds took to the streets of Russia to demand the end to food shortages and the end of WW1. This demonstration sparking the beginning of subsequent protests that would eventually become known as the Russian Revolution.
A 100yrs on and today in many countries women can be elected to Parliament, elected Prime Ministers, appointed as CEO’s, study to qualify as doctors, lawyers or scientists, train in the armed forces are just some of the changes women have propagated in the last century. Knowledge of this makes it hard to hear how some women in the world are still struggling for the right to an education, equality in the workforce and in the home. If nothing else, this serves as a reminder of not only how far most of us have come but, perhaps how far some of us still have to go.
In Ukraine, International Women’s Day is widely celebrated, as it’s a national holiday. Traditionally the day is celebrated with conferences presentations and public gatherings held to celebrate women’s achievements, but this year, Ukrainian women are clutching guns, not bouquets, exercising their right to defend their homeland.
Facing adversity head on is something women have become accustomed to, captured in history across all cultures throughout the globe.
For Ukrainian women perhaps its etched into their genome, after centuries of fighting for freedom has left their ancestral blood well equipped with a level of fortitude many in the world today find astounding. This past year we have witnessed time and time again the strength, solidarity, and resilience of Ukrainian women that burns deep within their spirit – that won’t give up and won’t give in.
Today we celebrate International Women’s Day, at our Head office with displaced persons of Ukraine, as we unite to support women in all walks of life to deliver peace and progress for a better tomorrow for all.
