Women's Day: why is it celebrated every March 8?

On March 8 we commemorate International Women's Day, in which we remember the efforts of women throughout our history and reaffirm the importance of our role in this world and for humanity.

Although we still have a long way to go, this is a special day to be aware of all the things we have achieved thanks to the sacrifices of wonderful women who have fought for the equality of our rights, so that their story inspires us, empowers us and motivates us to continue fighting.

Today we pay tribute to all of us, brave and powerful women, and we tell you the story behind the celebration of Women's Day. Happy day everyone!

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Why is Women's Day celebrated?

March 8 was established as International Working Women's Day after several moments that changed our history.

During the II International Conference of Socialist Women that took place in Copenhagen in August 1910, due to the efforts of German activists Luise Zietz and Clara Zetkin for women's rights, the Day of the Woman. During this conference, activists backed by 100 women from 17 countries held a

proposal to advance equal rights and universal suffrage.

Since then, on March 19, 1911, the first celebration of Women's Day was held in Germany, Denmark, Austria and Switzerland. Millions of women gathered that day and took to the streets to demand the right of women to vote, to vocational training, the right to work and non-discrimination in employment and the right to hold positions public.

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What happened at the Triangle Shirtwaist shirt factory with the women?

However, a week after the first celebration, devastating events occurred, shaking greatly to popular opinion and had an impact on both labor laws and the celebration of the woman.

In New York, March 25, 1911 146 women tragically died in a factory fire Triangle Shirtwaist they were working on. Many of them were young immigrant women who died from burns to their bodies, suffocation, collapses and even some resorted to suicide when they saw that they had no escape from the calls.

These women were unable to leave the factory when the fire started because they were locked up in the factory, and both stairs and doors were sealed by the owners to avoid possible robberies.

This was one of the worst industrial disasters in the United States and led to changes in labor laws and the formation of the Union of Women Textile Workers. In reality, it is the death of these women that generated changes in our work history and that is what we commemorate every March 8or.

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Other relevant moments for the celebration of International Women's Day

The history of our day does not end with the factory accident that occurred just over 100 years ago. On the last Sunday of February 1913, Women's Day is celebrated in Russia for the first time and the following year, in 1914, the International Women's Day is officially celebrated for the first time on March 8 in Germany, Russia and Sweden.

In the period between 1922 and 1975 there were several events that institutionalized International Women's Day. First, Alexandra Kollontai, a great feminist fighter, won the vote for womenher, she made abortion and divorce legal while working as a town commissioner for public assistance.

As if that were not enough, he managed to make it official on March 8 and in 1965 the Soviet Union declared it a non-working day. This spread throughout the world and, for example, in Spain it has been commemorated since 1936.

The UN and International Women's Day

Starting in 1975, the UN joined the commemoration of Women's Day and put more effort and support into the women's struggle. In 1979, the General Assembly changed the name of our celebration and made March 8 official as the International Day for Women's Rights and International Peace.

From this moment on, the UN has continued to improve its efforts and in 2011 it opened an entity to address Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

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The future of women, our future

As you may have seen in the tour that we have done on the celebration of this day, the fight for women's rights has not been easyAnd while great women have made very good progress thanks to their sacrifice, dedication and love, we still have a long way to go.

We must remember that we are powerful, strong, brave, capable and that all united, without judging each other, without comparing ourselves, without being part of the media and consumption game, and rather by loving and valuing ourselves, we will achieve a real equality of our rights and greater freedom.

You are great because you are a woman, you are strong because you are a woman, your voice is powerful because you are a woman. Do not let anything or anyone tell you otherwise and feel proud of being the woman you are. Happy International Women's Day.

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