Observing International Women’s Day

The 115th International Women’s Day was celebrated with a variety of programmes in Nepal by a number of government and non-government institutions on Saturday. The theme for the day this year was ‘For all women and girls: rights, equality and empowerment’.

The Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens is holding a special function while Women’s organizations affiliated with various political parties have also planned different events for International Women’s Day.

The United Nations has been celebrating Women’s Day since 1975. On March 8, 1908, more than 15,000 women in the United States demonstrated demanding shorter working hours, better pay, and the right to vote. This day is celebrated to commemorate the day when women themselves began the struggle for their rights and well-being.

Meanwhile, in a message today, President Ram Chandra Poudel has said that the principle of proportional inclusion adopted by the Constitution has proven to be a milestone in establishing meaningful representation and leadership of women in the political, social, economic, cultural and educational sectors. “Equal access of women to every sector of the state such as education, health, employment, policy making and decision-making process, and politics should be ensured to fulfill the objective of gender equality and women’s empowerment,” he added.

The President has also called for more effective and creative programs to eliminate harmful practices that increase the incidence of physical and mental violence against women and girls.

In a similar message, Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav has stressed on the need to run awareness campaigns about gender equality and women’s rights for the general public. 

Women’s rights have been established as a fundamental right in the Constitution of Nepal. Based on the principle of proportional representation, women’s participation in the political and administrative organs of the state has also been ensured. Currently, there are 34 percent women representatives in the federal parliament, 36.5 percent in the provincial assembly and 41.1 percent at the local level. Similarly, there is currently about 28 percent female employees in the civil service.

Stating that there is a need for continued efforts to strengthen women socially, economically and through education and established their personal identity through empowerment. Stating that women have always played an important role in the development and progress of the country and society, he said that coordinated and organized efforts are necessary to increase their literacy, awareness and self-reliance. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives Devraj Ghimire and National Assembly Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal have also issued separate statements extending their best wishes to all women and girls on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

Observed annually on March 8, the International Women’s Day, offers a significant opportunity to recognize the strength, courage, resilience, and accomplishments across various fields, and fortitude of women worldwide. Women have played a pivotal role in advancing socio-economic development, leading enterprises, influencing policies, and nurturing communities from corporate boardrooms to educational institutions, from scientific laboratories to legislative chambers, women are making a lasting impact with their intellect, ingenuity, and empathy. They have triumphed in the fight for the right to vote, have equal access to education, and hold positions of leadership in politics, representing strength and power. Besides these advancements, women continue to confront significant barriers, including the inability to access equal opportunities, the lack of female political influence, and the wage disparity in the workplace.

International Women’s Day has its origin in the early 20th century, which grew out of the women’s movement to advocate working women and their suffrage. In 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York demanding shorter working hours, better pay, and the right to vote. A year later, the Socialist Party of America declared the first National Woman’s Day. It came to life as National Women’s Day in the United States back in February 1909. Later in 1910, at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, Denmark, women’s rights activist Clara Zetkin called for an International Women’s Day to give women a greater voice to further their demands for equal rights. And the 100 women there, from 17 countries, agreed to it unanimously leading to the first observance in 1911 in several European countries, with over a million participants advocating for women’s rights. International Women’s Day was marked for the first time in March 1911 – and the date was fixed as 8 March 1913.

The UN celebrated the Women’ s Day for the first time in 1975 and in 1996 it announced its first annual theme: “Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future”. International Women’s Day is celebrated as a national holiday by countries across the globe, with women often given flowers and gifts – and there are IWD events in major cities worldwide. On the centenary in 2011, sitting US President Barack Obama called for March to be known as Women’s History Month. He said: “History shows that when women and girls have access to opportunity, societies are more just, economies are more likely to prosper, and governments are more likely to serve the needs of all their people.”

International Women’s Day has a great significance for gender equality and women’s rights. It serves as a platform to raise awareness about the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women worldwide. Additionally, the day provides an opportunity to highlight the persistent challenges and barriers that women face, including gender-based discrimination, violence, and unequal access to education and employment opportunities.