Why is International Women's Day commemorated every March 8?

A historic fight that is commemorated annually

Every March 8, International Women's Day is commemorated, to honor the struggle of women, who with their leadership and example, have managed to change history.

The role of women has always been important in history, being, on many occasions, more decisive than the role of men.

An example of this was during the French Revolution, when thousands of women went out to fight, armed only with knives, since food was lacking.

Another important example of that time was the little girl who blinded Marat's life; the man responsible for guillotining thousands of people, thanks to his lists of enemies against revolutionaries, which no one dared to touch while he lived.

Every year the women of the world gather in massive demonstrations, on March 8, where they remember the memory of the first women to demand change, and draw attention to the transformations that must be carried out today.

For many women, March 8 is a day of struggle, since today's society still has numerous pending debts with women, with their great struggles and their necessary recognition.

Know the origin of March 8, International Women's Day

The first demonstrations that originated Women's Day

The first important demonstration was in 1857, in the United States, when there was a textile strike and women came out en masse, demanding better working conditions, along with respect for their human rights. It would happen in New York City.

This episode would be the sign that a mental change was taking place in society, since women began to demand equal rights, the right to vote, the right to be properly educated, denounce labor and family oppression, situations of bullying etc.

In this case, the leftist political movements played an important role, echoing these demands, favoring their own political interests.

The first women's day was in the United States in 1908.

Again in the United States a strike and a mobilization were conceived, which would influence other women in the world, who would strongly demand the recognition of their fundamental rights.

This massive demonstration would be in New York City, on March 8, when women took to the streets, demanding fair wages, job security, the right to vote, and the abolition of child labor.

The following year, the Americans determined that February 28 would be their national women's day.

First International Women's Day in 1911

In the city of Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1910, a conference of socialist women was held, where the German politician Clara Zetkin; would propose the creation of an international women's day, which would start from the year 1911, taking the day March 19.

This year of 1911 the famous and unfortunate event would take place, in the New York textile factory, in which more than one hundred women would lose their lives, after a fire was caused by a cigarette butt, which fell among the remains of fabric, agglutinated in that factory.

The women could not leave those facilities, because the owners had closed the doors.

Some affirm that it was to prevent the work material from being stolen, although other versions indicate that it was to prevent their joining a strike of working women that was taking place in those days.

It would be this fire in the textile factory, which would generate the commemoration of International Women's Day.

Russian women also demonstrated in 1917

Between 1913 and 1914, Russian women had also demonstrated on their Women's Day, taking the last Sunday of February in 1913; however, in the demonstrations that took place in 1917, due to its women's day, they would acquire a greater meaning.

In 1917, Russia lived in an atmosphere of extreme tension, not only the consequences of the First World War; but in Russian territory, a civil war was also being waged, which sought to end the government of the Romanov tsars, who had been leading Russia for several centuries.

On the last Sunday of February 1917, Russian women went on labor strike, holding massive demonstrations in the streets, which increased the climate of tension.

These demonstrations, together with the high political tension, would cause the end of the government of the czars; conquering, shortly after, the right to female suffrage.

International Women's Day and UN recognition

After the end of World War II, more countries in the world joined the commemoration of International Women's Day, with the United Nations Organization naming 1975 as the year of women.

By 1977, the UN invited member countries to proclaim International Women's Day, according to their own national traditions and customs; becoming March 8, the day chosen for this commemoration.

International Women's Day in 2022

The United Nations Organization takes International Women's Day to remember the gender struggles that take place today.

For this year 2022, the UN has created the following motto: “gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”.

The fight for climate change has been included in this women's day, as several scientific studies have determined; that due to inequality between men and women, they are the ones who suffer the greatest impact from this environmental problem.