International Women’s Day: 8 March

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Every year, 8th March is globally celebrated as International Women’s Day (IWD), highlighting the struggles and achievements of women.

History

• 1910: Clara Zetkin proposed to celebrate Women’s Day in every country on 28th February.
  • Zetkin was a Germany-born labour and women movements activist.
• 1911: Women’s Day was observed for the first time on 28th February.
• 1913: The date was changed to 8th March, and it continues to be celebrated as such every year.
• 1975: During the International Women’s Year, the United Nations began celebrating 8th March as IWD.
• 1977: The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a UN Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by the Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions.
• Major Milestones
  • 1995: The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a historic roadmap, was signed which focuses on 12 critical areas of concern.
  • 2015: The inclusion of Goal 5 “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Key Highlights

• Theme for 2021: ChooseToChallenge
  • It indicates that a challenged world is an alert world, and from challenge comes change.
  • So, the day urges everyone to choose to challenge everything that has been holding them back and become better allies to women around them.
• Objectives
  • Celebrate women’s achievements.
  • Raise awareness about women’s equality.
  • Lobby for accelerated gender parity.
  • Fundraise for female-focused charities.

(Image Courtesy: IWD)

• Challenges Faced by Women
  • Violence (domestic violence, threats of rape, harassment, etc.)
  • Gender gap and the digital gender divide
  • Informal work and instability
  • Lack of better marriage prospects.
  • Period poverty and stigma.
  • Underrepresentation in politics and leadership roles.
  • Patriarchal outlook.
  • Stereotypical gender roles.
  • Social pressure.
• The IWD sees a number of missions with different objectives.
  • Women in Technology Mission: To celebrate digital advancement and champion the women forging innovation through technology.
  • Women in Sports Mission: To celebrate women athletes and applaud when equality is achieved in pay, sponsorship and visibility.
  • Women’s Health Mission: To assist women to be in a position of power to make informed decisions about their health.
  • Women at Work Mission: To forge inclusive work cultures where women’s careers thrive and achievements are celebrated.
  • Women Creatives Mission: To celebrate the work of women creatives and elevate visibility for commercial projects and commissions.
  • Women’s Empowerment Mission: To shine a spotlight on activity encouraging and uplifting women to pursue goals without bias or barriers.

Significance

• This day is celebrated to acknowledge the economic, political, social and cultural achievements of women from all walks of life.
• IWD marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
• Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women’s achievements or rally for women’s equality.
• The day is aligned with the priority theme of the 65th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, “Women in public life, equal participation in decision making“.
• It also aligns with the flagship Generation Equality Campaign, which calls for women’s right to decision-making in all areas of life, equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, an end to all forms of violence against women and girls, and health-care services that respond to their needs.

Major Steps by India

• The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles of State Policy.
  • The Constitution not only grants equality to women, but also empowers the State to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women.
• Ratification of Global Initiatives: India has ratified various international conventions and human rights instruments committing to secure equal rights of women.
  • Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1993.
  • Mexico Plan of Action, 1975.
  • Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies, 1985.
  • Beijing Declaration as well as the Platform for Action, 1995.
  • Outcome Document adopted by the UNGA Session on Gender Equality and Development and Peace for the 21st century, titled “Further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action”.
• National Commission for Women: It was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1990 to safeguard the rights and legal entitlements of women.
• 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, 1993: Provided for reservation of seats for women in the local bodies of Panchayats and Municipalities respectively, laying a strong foundation for their participation in decision making at the local levels.
• National Policy For The Empowerment of Women, 2001
  • It aims to bring about the advancement, development and empowerment of women and the policy is widely disseminated so as to encourage active participation of all stakeholders for achieving the goals.
• Mahila E-haat
  • It is a direct online marketing platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to support women entrepreneurs, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to showcase products made and services rendered by them.
  • This is a part of the ‘Digital India‘ initiative.
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana
  • It was launched in January 2015, with an aim to generate awareness and also improve the efficiency of welfare services for the girl child.
  • The initial aim of the campaign was to address the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) but now includes gender-biased sex-selective eliminations and propagating education, survival, and protection of the girl child.
• Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
  • Falling under the ambit of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, it is a government-backed savings scheme for girl children.
  • The account can be opened at any India Post office or a branch of an authorised commercial bank anytime between the birth of the girl child and till the age of 10 by a parent or guardian.
• Mahila Shakti Kendra
  • These were launched in 2017 to empower rural women with opportunities for skill development, employment, digital literacy, health and nutrition.
  • These work through community engagement and provide an interface for rural women to approach the government to avail of their entitlements through training and capacity building.
  • These work at the National, State, District, and Block levels.
• Working Women Hostel
  • The objective of the scheme is to promote the availability of safe and conveniently located accommodation for working women.
  • These have daycare facilities for their children and are located wherever possible, in urban, semi-urban, or even rural areas where employment opportunities for women exist.
• Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP)
  • It was set up to provide skills to women so that they can take up gainful employment.
  • It also provides the right competencies and training for women to become entrepreneurs.
  • Open to every woman above the age of 16, it is run through a grant given to an institution/organisation including NGOs directly.
• One-Stop Centre Scheme
  • It was implemented in April 2015 with the ‘Nirbhaya‘ fund and is popularly known as ‘Sakhi’.
  • Established at various locations in India for providing shelter, police desk, legal, medical and counselling services to victims of violence under one roof integrated with a 24-hour toll-free helpline (181).
• Swadhar Greh
  • It was launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2002.
  • It aims for the rehabilitation of women in difficult circumstances.
  • Beneficiaries: Widows deserted by their families and relatives, women prisoners released from jail and without family support, women survivors of natural disasters, women victims of terrorist/extremist violence, etc.
  • The implementing agencies are mainly NGOs.
• Various Schemes to Encourage Women in Science
  • Science and Engineering Research Board-Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research (SERB-POWER) Programme.
  • New Science Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) 2020.
  • Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-orientation Programme (BioCARe).
  • Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI).
  • Department of Science and Technology (DST) schemes like
    • Women Scientists Scheme (WOS).
    • Indo-US Fellowship for Women in STEMM (WISTEMM).
    • Consolidation of University Research for Innovation and Excellence in Women Universities (CURIE).
    • Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN).
    • Vigyan Jyoti Programme.
• Nari Shakti Puruskars
  • These are national-level awards recognizing the efforts made by women and institutions in rendering distinguished services for the cause of women, especially vulnerable and marginalized women.
  • The awards are presented by the President of India every year on 8th March.

Source: IE