International Women’s Day, March 8, 2008

QWB celebrates International Women’s Day standing tall with/for our sisters all around the world.

CALL OUT!!

For an end to the violence against women and girls across all social, economic, cultural, religious and historical contexts.

There can be no human rights without women’s rights.

End all violence against women by the state, its agents, by family members or strangers.

Hold all perpetrators of violence against women and girls accountable.

“As long as women are denied rights around the world, there can be no peace and no justice. Recognizing women’s equal rights, therefore, is an essential requirement for the creation of strong, sustainable women enjoying equality with men in all areas of life is a key step to making human rights a universal reality.” 

   ..Shirin Ebadi, 2003 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate & Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

*A Small Piece of Herstory*

International Women’s Day was first celebrated on February 28, 1909 in the United States when the Socialist Party made a declaration for women’s rights.  The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory’s fire in NYC was commemorated on this day. The herstory of using March 8th as a marching day goes back to 1857 when women from the clothing and textile factories protested what they saw as poor working conditions and low wages for women. This march was attacked by the police and the marchers were dispersed. Other marches were then held on March, 8th. In 1908 15,000 women marched in NYC demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. In 1910 the first International Women’s day was held in Denmark by the Socialist International and Clara Zetkin proposed that an International Women’s Day be held each year on March 8th. Over a million people celebrated worldwide in 1911