“No self-respecting woman should wish or work for the success of a party that ignores her sex.”
[Susan B. Anthony]
March 8 was International Women’s Day. This post is a bit delayed because although this is a 102-year-old observance, I only learned of it on Friday and wanted to learn more.
IWD began as a national movement in the United States in 1908 when women began the fight against gender discrimination in the work force. In 2011, it became an official international day of observance. With each year, both developing and developed nations review the ways in which women have advanced in the political, economic, and social sectors; however, it is without argument that much more work is needed. Even in the United States, equal pay for men and women is an issue. Despite the Lilly Ledbetter Act of 2009, women’s salaries still lag behind men’s in what should be the most advanced nation in the world. There are many other issues pertaining to the gender gap:
Education (Malala Yousafzai)
…and the list goes on and on.
Each year’s theme addresses a different aspect of women’s struggles around the world. 2012’s theme supported the world’s first International Day of the Girl Child. In light of the past year’s worldwide events, this year’s theme appropriately focused on ending violence against women. It gives me hope that so many countries observe this day to bring to light the accomplishments that women have already made; we have a long way to go yet, but hopefully it will not take another 100 years to correct the injustices women face on this planet.
Here’s a pretty cool interactive map of women’s rights around the world since 1892.