Women around the world are celebrating today International Women’s Day – March 8a day dedicated to celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women, but also reminding of the fight for equality and better working conditions.
The first Women’s Day was celebrated on March 8, 1909 in the United States of America, after the declaration of the Socialist Party of America. The idea of celebrating this day originated at the beginning of the 20th century, during the time of rapid industrialization, when women workers organized protests due to poor working conditions and low wages. One of the first recorded protests took place in 1857 in New York, when women workers in the textile industry took to the streets demanding better working conditions.
A large protest was also held in 1908 when around 15,000 women marched through the streets of New York demanding shorter working hours, higher wages and the right to vote. International Women’s Day was established at the suggestion of the German socialist Clara Zetkin in 1910 at the international women’s conference in Copenhagen.
A year later, this day was marked by more than a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. In the same year 1911, the world was shaken by a tragedy in the factory Triangle Shirtwaist in New York, when more than 140 women died in a fire, which further highlighted the poor working conditions and lack of safety measures.
Over the years, March 8 has become a symbol of the fight for women’s rights. In many countries today it is celebrated as a day of respect and gratitude for women, and it is often accompanied by congratulations and the giving of flowers.
Editorial office ZOS radio sends sincere congratulations to all women on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
