What is International Women's Month & Why Celebrate It?

Gender Equality Today with Womanhood: What is International Women's Month and Why Do We Need to Celebrate It?

The month of March is the time to embrace the strength in sexuality, femininity, and all other types of perspectives and outward manifestations—It is declared National Women's Month.

Different countries celebrate and honor the achievements that women have made in our society. In this article, we discuss the brief history and importance as well as why we need to continue celebrating this special month.

Supported by United Nations: About International Women's Day

International Women's Day Celebration is dedicated to celebrating every woman's social, economic, cultural, and even political accomplishments. It has been observed every March 8 for more than a century. The day serves as a reminder to enhance gender parity.

In contrast to the figure of 99.5 years in the 2020 report, the Global Gender Gap Report predicts that it will take 132 years to achieve gender equality around the world at the current rate of advancement, with the global gender gap closing by just 68.1%.

From those early years, women in both rich and developing countries now celebrate it on a global scale. The has served as a focal point for increasing support for women's and children's rights and involvement in political and economic spheres thanks to the expanding worldwide movement, which four United Nations women's conferences have supported on a global basis.

But did you know that this evolved from just being a single day to a whole week and eventually to one month? That's just a day celebration that became a monthly celebration.

The inaugural observance of International Women's History Day occurred in 1911 and has been observed for over a century. It was established for the first time in 1910 at the Second International Socialist Women's Congress. The movement's pioneers, including German campaigner Clara Zetkin, aimed to organize working women in a setting distinct from the mainstream feminist movement since they believed the movement neglected working people in favor of the bourgeois. However, there has yet to be a set a date for the celebration. Zetkin recommended the March 8 date in 1921 in remembrance of the Petrograd workers' strike on that day in 1917, which served as the impetus for the Russian Revolution.

National Women's Day: Why Do We Celebrate It?

It's an opportunity to consider the trailblazing women who pave the way for change in fields ranging from science and transformative technology to breaking the digital gender gap to even widening economics and politics. This day is observed in many nations worldwide with demonstrations, educational programs, and other traditions like giving presents and flowers to women.

This inspires girls worldwide by giving them a voice and the chance to be more empowered and heard. There are numerous methods for organizations and individuals to observe this holiday, including hosting events, organizing campaigns, initiating initiatives, sharing success story stories, giving to charities that support women, and more.

This month is noteworthy too:

1. Celebrate women's accomplishments

2. Spread awareness and knowledge for girls' and women's equality

3. Appeal for the advancement of women's and children's right

4. Encourage the political development of gender parity

5. Fundraise for organizations that serve women

International Women's History Month isn't only for women—it's about gender equality as well as breaking gender stereotypes and the gender gap. We can all contribute without a difference to the important matter that needs to be done. Gender equality can be created with the participation of everyone, everywhere. Any activity, including numerous campaigns, events, rallies, lobbying efforts, performances, festivals, parties, fun runs, and celebrations, is acceptable. Television specials, political speeches, classroom learning projects, and social media posts honoring exceptional women in one's life are all included in the celebration.

Also Read: 2021 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women

Women's Month Philippines

Under Proclamation No. 224, National Women's History Day was first formally observed on March 8, 1988. This reaffirmed our commitment to the United Nations and recognized the role played by Filipino women in the struggle for the country's independence, civil liberties, equality, and human rights. The month-long commemoration observance of the occasion was also launched by Proclamation No. 227, which was also signed in the same year and reinforced the prior declaration. Finally, in 1990, the Republic Act 6949, which designated March 8 as a unique working holiday, strengthened the celebration even further.

Since then, National Women's Month in the Philippines has provided a forum for discussing ongoing and new challenges to gender equality, women's empowerment issues, and the observance of women's accomplishments. The commemoration is centered on practical initiatives that adhere to laws and agreements at the local, state, and international levels, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The 2023 National Women's Month Celebration introduces a new recurrent theme starting in 2023 and lasting until 2028: WE for gender equality and inclusive society. It signals a turning point in the growth of women's rights as it rekindles advocacy efforts and builds on the successes made possible by the 2016–2022 theme WE make CHANGE Work for Women. This theme aims for deep socioeconomic change in order to revitalize job creation and accelerate poverty reduction by navigating the economy back on an elevated path, and emphasizes that growth must be inclusive, creating an environment that offers equal rights and equal opportunities among all Filipinos and equipping them with skills to participate in an innovative and globally competitive economy fully.

The past of humanity is filled with the stories of powerful women who helped their societies grow and encouraged creativity. This can help modern societies fight off economic and social inequalities and achieve social justice. This fosters the value of courage by cultivating braver, more courageous women.

International Women's Month continues to serve its purpose—to be a reminder and a tribute to the remarkable women all around the world's population as well as everything that they have accomplished. The world gradually accepts equality. Women are now more outspoken, and some female leaders even try to run for politics without having the fear that no one will vote for them. We continue to battle in some way every day for the equality of women. The month of March is given to have us consider the journey of women as well as celebrate and empower those around us.

The appreciation for women's contributions and their relevance to the progress of our society is the end goal of all of these initiatives. Since we already celebrated this honorable event, why don't we continue this advocacy for this month and the rest of our lives?

Treat every day as National Women's Day.

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