This month is all about celebrating the special women in your life - from your mother to your sister, to your aunt to your best friend. With International Women’s Day on the 8th of March, and Mothers’ Day the 10th of March, this month allows us to celebrate the achievements of women, no matter their background.
My mum is my inspiration, and I can’t imagine where I’d be without her. She has helped me through some of my worst times and been there at my best.(Freya Gallagher, 17)
International Women’s Day (IWD) is especially important as it serves as a reminder of how far we have come in our fight for not only equality, but equity, which we are still fighting for today. This year the themes are ‘Investing in Women: Accelerating Progress’ (as set by the UN), as well as ‘Inspire Inclusion’ (as seen on the official International Women’s Day website).
International Women’s Day was first celebrated in 1911 by over a million people, after a woman named Clara Zetkin, a German activist, campaigned for the day to become an international holiday at the International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen in 1910. In the years that followed, many countries followed suit, allowing the celebration of women’s achievements to be highlighted worldwide.
The day was officially recognised by the United Nations in 1975, and in 1996 they released their first theme, ‘Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future’.
However, this year is all about ‘Investing in Women.’ The UN has emphasised the fact that there has been a prevalent lack of progress in improving the lives of women so that they can live in equilibrium with their male counterparts. The UN has therefore outlined several changes that need to occur for progress to continue. These include improving the levels of poverty; ‘implementing gender-responsive financing;’ moving towards a greener economy; equal distributions of household chores and showing a greater support for feminist organisations.
Investing in women and championing gender equality turbocharges a future where everyone in society can thrive, creating a world of boundless opportunity and empowerment for all. (unwomen.org)
Mothers’ Day falls on the 10th March this year, and with this fast-approaching national holiday, I implore that you start preparing to ensure that your mother feels as loved as she should on this day. Grab her favourite flowers, a big box of chocolates, that personalised mug declaring her to be the best mum of all – anything that shows your appreciation for the role that she plays in your life.
However, don’t only leave these two days to celebrate women, but rather make good of the month in its entirety, for it is also Women’s History Month. Take advantage of activities that celebrate the contributions of women in society: listening to talks with guest speakers, reading a book by a female author and many more.
