It is only a year less to mark the centenary of the observance of the Day after the Copenhagen Conference of 1910 decided March 8, 1910 as International Women’s Day.
Issues like unfair work and wage considerations, women's oppression and inequality, and democratic representation had spurred women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change in the period between 1908 and 1911. At the Copenhagen Conference, Clara Zetkin, leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany, tabled the idea of an International Women's Day. She proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day - a Women's Day - to press for their demands.
Over the years women around the world have seen their lives improving on economic, social and political fronts. However, today, as global nations slide into an unprecedented economic crisis, women, especially those in India who found a new fortune in export-linked industries like textiles, leather, the financial sector, real-estate and others, which were booming over the past decade -- face the same problems that moved women about a century ago!
Many reports say that as companies struggle to hold themselves in some form or other, employees, particularly women are being increasingly asked to accept retrenchment, lay offs, pay cuts which will no doubt worsen the quality of their already difficult lives. And, on this Women’s Day, the voices of women who are much more organised as a workforce will be heard in many rallies across the world.
Yet as one ponders for solution – could the present day issues be isolated as a woman’s issue? Don’t they present and call for deeper socio-political implications and economic ramifications…Thinking of it do women take an active role in democratic process or raise their voice in peace versus war process?
Today, if matters stand thus, and if the world leaders are sincerely trying to find solutions for more troubling problems, do women really need a separate voice?
Or, is it turning out to be a yearly ritual?
Now, the afternoon news says that housewives could also form legally-bound organisation – They sure will claim it as an achievement, but I fear its going to be a nuisance!
Issues like unfair work and wage considerations, women's oppression and inequality, and democratic representation had spurred women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change in the period between 1908 and 1911. At the Copenhagen Conference, Clara Zetkin, leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany, tabled the idea of an International Women's Day. She proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day - a Women's Day - to press for their demands.
Over the years women around the world have seen their lives improving on economic, social and political fronts. However, today, as global nations slide into an unprecedented economic crisis, women, especially those in India who found a new fortune in export-linked industries like textiles, leather, the financial sector, real-estate and others, which were booming over the past decade -- face the same problems that moved women about a century ago!
Many reports say that as companies struggle to hold themselves in some form or other, employees, particularly women are being increasingly asked to accept retrenchment, lay offs, pay cuts which will no doubt worsen the quality of their already difficult lives. And, on this Women’s Day, the voices of women who are much more organised as a workforce will be heard in many rallies across the world.
Yet as one ponders for solution – could the present day issues be isolated as a woman’s issue? Don’t they present and call for deeper socio-political implications and economic ramifications…Thinking of it do women take an active role in democratic process or raise their voice in peace versus war process?
Today, if matters stand thus, and if the world leaders are sincerely trying to find solutions for more troubling problems, do women really need a separate voice?
Or, is it turning out to be a yearly ritual?
Now, the afternoon news says that housewives could also form legally-bound organisation – They sure will claim it as an achievement, but I fear its going to be a nuisance!
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Photo courtesy: as per original copyright at: http://www.theage.com.au/news/sushi-das/raising-the-volume-on-what-men-think-about-feminism/2005/12/21/1135032082534.html
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