It’s difficult to be a woman in this day and age. Women have spent lifetimes being subservient and submissive towards the male figures in their lives. We have so much to owe to women, though. They are the strong figures in everyone’s lives. Children will always look to their mothers for comfort first. They are the caregivers, protectors, teachers, and so on. Sisters help you navigate other aspects of life too. For all these reasons and more, women deserve a special day of their own. We celebrate International Womens Day here in India on the 8th of March.
International Womens Day in the world on 8th March
This is actually an event that is celebrated all over the world. It’s an important day as it celebrates women’s achievements in all aspects of life. It also aims to further promote and raise awareness of women’s rights and to help them achieve equal opportunity status in all walks of life.
The world has progressed and attempts have been made to protect and promote women’s rights in recent times. However, according to the UN, there is no place in the world where women can claim to be on an equal footing as far as rights and opportunities are concerned. According to reports, on average, women receive between 30 and 40 percent less pay than men even if both are doing the same work. Women also continue to be victims of violence, with rape and domestic violence listed as significant causes of disability and death among women worldwide.
The origin of International Womens Day
The original aim of International Womens Day was to achieve full gender equality for women in the world. This still hasn’t happened. A gender pay gap persists across the globe and women are still not present in equal numbers in business or politics. Figures show that globally, women’s education, health, and violence towards women is still worse than that of men.
According to the World Economic Forum, this gender gap won’t close until 2186. On International Womens Day, women across the world come together to force the world to recognize these inequalities – while also celebrating the achievements of women who have overcome these barriers.
A 2017 report by the World Economic Forum states that it could still take another 100 years before the global equality gap between men and women disappears entirely.
Women in India and all over the world
If you read any of the Indian newspapers, you’ll find all sorts of horror stories and allegations about women being hurt, abused, raped and killed for various reasons. The fact remains that to be a woman in India at this point in time is quite horrifying. There are places in the country to where women will not and should not travel alone. While Goa is still considered to be a safer place than a lot of other places in the country, one still has to be careful and vigilant while traveling around.
2017 saw an explosion of women speaking out against years of alleged abuse and sexual misconduct. There was an outpouring of allegations prominent men in power from all over the world. This gave rise to the #MeToo movement. Suddenly, women everywhere were speaking out loud against the abuse and harassment they suffer in film, fashion, music, politics, and art. The #MeToo campaign traveled all over the news media and social media platforms. Women in India also spoke about incidents that happened to them and it was quite saddening to hear all the stories.
Celebrating International Womens Day
International Womens Day is celebrated across the world. So much happens on this day. People hold parties, arts performances, talks, rallies, networking events, conferences, marches, seminars and so much more. International Womens Day is a day dedicated to honoring women for all they do and all that they have achieved. Not all achievements are huge, like women finally obtaining the right to vote. Women do all sorts of jobs and activities in their daily lives too. Some cook, clean, have and take care of babies and children, make sure that their spouses have comfort at the end of a long day, even when some of them have careers of their own.
One doesn’t have to do anything over-the-top or extravagant to show their appreciation for their female relatives and friends. Sometimes a simple “thank you, I have no idea how you do it” is enough to lift an overworked woman’s spirits. It also helps to do small things like attending seminars or talks about what its like to be a woman and the kinds of trials and tribulations she faces from day one.
So, this International Womens Day, do something nice for your female relatives and friends. Show them that it truly is an honor to be a woman and encourage them to shine! Also check out these top restaurants in Goa to celebrate Women’s Day.
Information credit – Why International Women’s Day Is Important/ International Women’s Day
