What is March 8th International Women's Day? Why is it celebrated?

Women have been discriminated against, deprived of their fundamental rights and subjected to physical and psychological violence almost since the dawn of humanity. In the past, in most parts of the world, women were not allowed to have a say in state administration and were prevented from working and standing on their own feet. Women have been identified only with domestic life and childcare.

Women have been discriminated against, deprived of their basic rights and subjected to physical and psychological violence almost since the dawn of humanity. In the past, in many parts of the world, women were not allowed to have a say in state administration and were prevented from working and standing on their own feet. Women have been identified only with domestic life and childcare.

Unfortunately, this social violence against women in the past has changed its form and continues to exist in various parts of the world. In response to these injustices, March 8 is celebrated to draw attention to women's rights and gender inequality. So, why this date and what does March 8 mean to us? Let's look at the answers to these questions and much more together.

How International Women's Day started to be celebrated on March 8th

There are various ideas as to why the date of March 8 was chosen. The first one is based on the fact that on March 8, 1857, women workers in a textile factory in New York wanted to strike for better working conditions and lost their lives when they were trapped in the burning factory.

Another similar event took place in New York City on March 8, 1908, when women workers led rallies, strikes and protests for union rights and women's suffrage. These events, attended by thousands of people, continued for a long time, and in 1909, National Women's Day was celebrated for the first time in the United States.

Another guess as to why International Women's Day was chosen as March 8 is that the February Revolution of 1917 (which falls on March in the Gregorian calendar), which led to the fall of Tsarist Russia, began with women's marches and protests on March 8.

Although there are different explanations for the origin of the date of March 8th, it can be said that all of these protests were based on the desire for basic rights and gender equality. It was in 1910 that these struggles became widespread around the world and became known as International Women's Day. At the International Conference of Women Workers held in Denmark, women's rights advocate Clara Zetkin proposed that International Women's Day be recognized in a way that would also show the importance of the struggle for women's suffrage. With the adoption of this proposal, a worldwide movement for women's rights to vote, to work in humane conditions and to be educated began.

Why March 8th is Important

For healthier societies, women need to have a voice in social life, express their opinions without hesitation and actively exercise their fundamental rights. Celebrating March 8 is a necessity in order to erase old-fashioned ideas that have no basis, such as women being pushed to the background in most areas of life and lacking the capacity to contribute to society. And contrary to some distortions, March 8 is not celebrated to glorify or denigrate any gender. On the contrary, it emphasizes that every individual, regardless of gender, should have fundamental rights.

Women's Day in Turkey and the World

Women's Day is celebrated in different ways around the world. For example, in the United States, March is Women's History Month. Every year on March 8, the Presidential Proclamation draws attention to the importance of women's rights.

In Italy, yellow mimosa flowers are distributed for Women's Day. This is because mimosa flowers are seen as a symbol of women's strength and sensitivity, and they want to honor women.

China has celebrated Women's Day since 1949. Many companies give their female employees half a day off. There are also many brands that take advantage of this date and organize discounts and campaigns to get people to consume more and spend more money. Of course, this is not unique to China. It is an example of opportunism that we see almost everywhere in the world.

In Germany, March 8 is a public holiday in the state of Berlin. In the UK, panels are organized, exhibitions are opened, and funding is provided to organizations working in the field of women's rights in order to draw attention to the problems of women in political and social life.

In Turkey, International Women's Day was first celebrated in 1921. However, it became widespread in the 70s. In 1975, the Women's Year Congress was held in Turkey as part of the United Nations Decade of Women. For political reasons, the celebration of Women's Day was suspended until 1984. Since then, it has been celebrated by both the state and the public. March 8 gains more meaning every year as women start to take more place in art, politics, sports and business life.

Much More than a Day for Working Women

World Women's Day is celebrated in different ways, but we should not forget that this important day means much more than flowers, gifts and discounts. March 8 is valuable because it reminds us of a centuries-long struggle and emphasizes the need to continue this struggle. However, what is more important is to transform this spirit of struggle into concrete activities to improve the lives and social position of women.