This year’s International Women’s Day was tagged breaking the bias.
No doubt women have experienced so much bias over the years. What is bias? It means inclination or prejudice against a person.
In the 19th century, women were not allowed to vote, be elected or own property in many parts of the western world. This lead to the suffrage movement.
The suffrage movement began like a flicker of fire touching a part of a wood until it covered everywhere.
In 1840, Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were not allowed to attend the World Anti-Slavery Convention held in London and this sparked the movement.
These women argued that they have the right to vote according to the Constitution, but the US Congress did not give them an audience.
The women who were at the forefront of the movement were Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony and in 1866 they formed the American Equal Rights Association, an organization dedicated to the goal of suffrage for all regardless of gender or race
In 1872, Susan voted anyway in an election but she was arrested.
They published a book called ‘The Revolution’ with the motto “Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less!”
Soon it became evident that they had to focus solely on women’s rights, proving that human rights are not women’s rights.
The issue that caused division was whether to support the proposed Fifteenth Amendment which gave black men the right to vote and not women.
They broke out and formed the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) with the sole focus on women’s rights.
In 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment gave black men the right to vote but not women. Susan was not deterred, in 1872 she voted again in the presidential election and was arrested.
Though there were many struggles both internally and externally in the suffrage movement they finally succeeded.
In 1920, women in America acquired the right to vote by the 19th amendment.
As Nigerian women seek more representation in politics and government, they should not give up but press on no matter the opposition they face.
It is important to note that the first Women’s day was celebrated on March 8th 1908.