Normally, we’ll mention such things on the days they are generally observed, but I wanted to puff International Women’s Day in advance, so you can make plans for Tuesday, which is the 100th Anniversay of International Women’s Day!
This year’s official International Women’s Day UN-approved theme is “Equal access to education, training, and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women.” Not terribly catchy, but also undeniably true. There are many other themes, though, some of which you can check out here. Thousands of events are scheduled to mark the occasion: search for one near you here.
I’m interested in a march organized by Women for Women International, which supports the protection, education, development for women who have survived war, famine, and other conflicts.
Their theme for this year is “Stronger Women Build Bridges of Peace,” and people around the globe will be meeting on and marching across bridges to promote the cause, particularly, of the women of Afghanistan, who must be included in the imminent peace negotiations.
In NYC, marchers will be meeting on the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge and marching across to City Hall, but there are nearly 300 W4W events planned for all over the globe. A map showing many of these events can be found here.
Whether or not you’ve got a bridge around you, you can still support Afghani women’s right to be at the bargaining table by signing the petition (or addressing a letter or email to your nation’s Secretary of State), donating to the cause, and asking other to do their part.
And if you’ve got another pet cause–there are so many worthy ones!–then put your time and energy toward that. Everyone can do her part. International Women’s Day was founded by women who labored to determine their own fortunes (a quick history is here), and 100 years later, we’re still laboring together. Don’t let it pass unnoted.
IWD is so exciting. Here in San Antonio, we had our annual march this past Saturday. It was a very peaceful march that included protest chants at the Alamo (to stop glorifying violence, colonialism, etc.) and at the Hyatt downtown. Marchers carried a wide range of signs; here’s a really short video that shows us many of us marching past the Hyatt.
International Woman’s Day March in San Antonio, Texas
Protest Outside The Hyatt
I love the variety of reasons we march: everything from women’s rights to LGBTQ rights to anti-nukes to the right to choose to de-colonialism to fair wages to peace to anti-domestic violence to de-militarization to education, and more.