Celebrating International Women’s Day!

Posted by Dafni Kalatzi Pantera on 2022-03-08

International Women’s Day is a day to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women. It is also a focal point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.

The earliest reported Women’s Day observance, called “National Woman’s Day” was held on February 1909 in New York, organized by the Socialist Party of America. In March 1911, IWD was marked by over one million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. In 1917 the Soviet Union made IWD an official holiday and until the ‘60s the IWD remained predominantly a communist holiday. However, during the ‘60s the day re-emerged as a day of activism, and it is sometimes known in Europe as the “Women’s International Day of Struggle”. The United Nations started celebrating IWD in 1975 and since then it has been celebrated in many countries around the world.

The need for the day as its original aim, to achieve full gender equality for all women across the world, is still pressing. According to the UN, the theme for this year’s IWD is, “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, recognizing the contribution of women and girls around the world who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all.

The question is how can we support IWD? International Women’s Day belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. Hence, this year, the Essex Student Journal is calling to students to help promote the importance of IWD. If you are a current undergraduate or postgraduate student at Essex and you have an essay, research paper, or case study that relates to the promotion of all women’s rights, the Essex Student Journal is the best place for it! Have a look at our submission guidelines by clicking here to find out more. Or why not send us an email at journal@essex.ac.uk.

For more information about International Women’s Day 2022, visit the official website.