Portia - Victorian Women Lawyers

International
WOMEN’S DAY
By Mary-Ann Newton
International Women’s Day on 8 March 1999 is an
occasion marked by women’s groups around the
world. The day was originally created out of
protest and political action symbolising the efforts
to end poor working conditions experienced by
women in sweat shops. International Women’s
Day now recognises all efforts to improve the lives
of women.
The idea of an International Women’s Day first
arose at the turn of the century when many women
in industrially developing countries began entering
the paid labour force. Here is a brief timeline of the
evolution of International Women’s Day.
1857 The first recorded action was on March 8 in
New York. Women textile workers went on
strike to protest against their low wages, 12
hour working day and poor working
conditions.
1907 In New York City, International Women’s Day
was celebrated for the first time
commemorating the 1857 strike. The women
protested and rallied for the right to vote,
decent wages and the end to sweat shops
and child labour.
1909 In accordance with a declaration by the
Socialist Party of America, the first National
Women’s Day was observed across the
United States on 28 February. Women
continued to celebrate on the last Sunday of
February until 1913, this was to ensure that a
work day would not be lost.
1910 At the International Socialist Conference in
Copenhagen, Clara Zetkin, a German Socialist
leader proposed that a particular day be
proclaimed International Women’s Day. Over
100 women from 17 countries unanimously
supported the proposal to set aside a
particular day each year to remember women
and their struggles. No fixed date was
selected.
1911 On March 19, more than one million women
in Switzerland, Austria, Denmark and
Germany used the day to rally for the right to
vote, hold public office, to vocational training
and to end discrimination on the job.
Less than one week later, on 25 March, a fire
at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York
took the lives of more than 149 women, most
them Italian and Jewish immigrants. The
appalling working conditions which caused
the tragedy were denouned in subsequent
commemorations of International Women’s
Day and led to reform in the US labour
legislation.
1913- 1914 As part of the peace movement before
World War 1, Russian women protested the
outbreak of WW1 on the last Sunday in
February.
1917 Following a series of strikes by Russian
workers against high prices and factory
layoffs, and the deaths of 2 million Russian
soldiers in the War, Russian women took to
the streets of St Petersburg to strike for
“bread and peace”. Political leaders opposed
the timing of the strike, and the protests
turned to riots, contributing to the February
revolution which led to the abdication of the
Czar four days later. The provisional
government granted women the right to vote.
This historic Sunday fell on 23 February on
the Julian Calendar then in use in Russia, but
on 8 March on the Gregorian Calendar in use
elsewhere.
1977 A United Nations resolution passed calling for
all countries to celebrate a day of women’s
rights and international peace, 8 March was
proclaimed that day.
Since 1857, International Women’s Day has
assumed a new global dimension for women.
It began as an acknowledgement of women’s
struggles to make their work places better,
however, it is a day of celebration of women
and a time to reflect on the progress made.
Women and men celebrate International
Women’s Day to recognise the acts of
courage and determination by those who
began the struggle and those who continue to
work for change.
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