… Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women’s craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more … (about 1/2).
Homepage; some videos on IWD;
Events; International Women’s Day 2009 Theme; Whats YOUR International Women’s Day 2009 Theme? e-mail us;
Networking; Global Issues; Innovation; Work; Business /Finance; Media /Arts; Government; Link; Register; Log-in;
Contact online.
About 2/2: International Women’s Day has been observed since in the early 1900’s, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies … (see: 1908 – 2000 and beyond):
- IWD is now an official holiday in China, Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. 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 … (full text).
Interesting Links:
UNIFEM.org and its International Women’s Day 2009 – Women and Men: United to End Violence against Women; on UN’s CyberSchoolBus;
UN.org: investing in women and girls;
8 marzo, niente manifestazione, tante feste diverse per le donne
Una giornata sempre più « istituzionale », and: Festa della donna, parla Ciampi « La parità è ancora lontana »;
Iranian women struggle for equality, and: Iran: Release Women’s Rights Advocates;
123 greetings and its Int. women’s day;
Peace X Peace and its Global Network;
International Museum of women, San Francisco/USA: Frontpage, Homepage, Contact;
… on wikipedia; on Holyday Year;
… and: International Men’s Day on wikipedia.