March 8, the day women's voices became impossible to ignore. The story of a celebration born of rebellion and courage
International Women's Day, celebrated annually on March 8, has deep roots in the women's rights movements of the 20th century. Sunday marks 51 years since the United Nations officially established this day as a day to celebrate women around the world.
The right to vote, won by women only in the 20th century. PHOTO: Shutterstock
But the celebration has behind it a century of struggle for rights and dignity.
The first protests: New York, 1908
On March 8, 1908, approximately 15,000 women in New York's textile industry took to the streets to demand reduced working hours, decent wages, and the right to vote. It was one of the moments that sparked a global movement.
A worker then declared to the press of the time: “I worked too much for too little.”
“Our fingers bleed, our backs break, and our wages are barely enough to feed our children. We don't march for pleasure, we march for survival.” added the woman.
1909: First National Women's Day in the US
A year later, the Socialist Party of America established February 28 as the first National Women's Day, in the context of a larger movement for social and political rights.
1910: Clara Zetkin and the idea of an international day
The German activist Clara Zetkin proposed, at the International Conference of Socialist Women in Copenhagen, the creation of an International Women's Day, aimed at uniting the demands of women around the world. The proposal was adopted by more than 100 delegates from 17 countries.
“Working women need to be part of the fight for social justice. We need a day of our owna day where women's rights are in the spotlight,” Zetkin said.
1911: First international celebration
On March 19, 1911, Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland officially marked International Women's Day for the first time. More than a million people participated in rallies for equal rights, protection from discrimination and access to vote.
1917: Women in Russia change the course of history
On March 8, 1917, in the midst of World War I, thousands of women protested in Petrograd demanding “bread and peace”.
The demonstrations sparked a movement that contributed to the abdication of Czar Nicholas II. Soon after, women in Russia got the right to vote, and March 8 became an official holiday.
“The bakeries were empty, the factories cold. We shouted: Bread! Peace! Enough of the war! The men warned us that we would be beaten, but hunger was stronger than fear”, a worker recalled:
1975: The UN officially recognizes International Women's Day
In 1975, declared International Women's Year, the UN officially established March 8 as International Women's Day. Since then, the organization has dedicated this day annually to a global theme, from gender equality to combating violence and supporting economic independence.
“Equality is not a gift, it is a right. No nation has yet achieved true gender equality”the report of that year's conference emphasized.
Interwar Romania: the beginnings of Romanian feminism
At the beginning of the 20th century, women in Romania fought for access to education, the right to vote and fair working conditions. Despite the fact that many of the claims were won on paper, the social reality lagged behind.
“We're not asking for alms, we're asking for justice. A nation cannot be free if half its citizens have no voice”said Elena Meissner, one of the most important Romanian suffragettes, in 1912.
Maria Baiulescu, president of the National Council of Romanian Women, warns:
“The woman is expected to be the pillar of the family, but she is denied the right to learn and vote. How can we raise the future of Romania if we are kept in ignorance?”
A worker in a textile factory described the harsh working conditions in 1918:
“We work from dawn to dusk, fingers alive. Today we raise our voices because no woman should have to choose between hunger and dignity.”
