WOMEN'S DAY - 8th OF MARCH


Born at the turn of the century, in the age of great industrial development, but also of great turbulences, crises and radical ideologies, the International women's day has, as it has shown, carried in itself the roots of protest and political activism that would become the unavoidable forms of social life.
The years prior to the historical 1910 were marked by strong gender segregation and a small percentage of employed women in industrially developed countries. Those who were employed worked exclusively in the textile industry, manufacture, and as service staff in households. They worked in very bad conditions, and for extremely small pay.
At the same time, great crises repeatedly strike the industry. Women workers' coalitions, which did not belong to the trade unions, found themselves in an unenviable position, while the unions gained more and more strength.
In Europe, Great Britain, America, and to a lesser extent Australia, women lobby ever more for their suffrage. This struggle seemed as if it suppressed all other aspects of women's lives, and new, revolutionary changes were getting a visible shape.

1903, USA - Trade unions and independent women's associations also supporting women's suffrage, founded the Women's Trade Union League, in order to help women workers to gain political and economic strength. It was still a time of hard work conditions and poverty.

1908, USA - Last Sunday in the February of 1908, American women socialists marked the first Women's Day, by organising large demonstrations. They demand not only suffrage for women, but also the realisation of their political and economic rights. Next year, 2.000 people participated in the demonstrations on Manhattan.

1909, USA - This year, the women workers employed in the textile industry organised a general strike. Around 30.000 women workers went on strike for 13 weeks, demanding better pay and better work conditions. The Women's Trade Union League paid bail for the arrested, and financially helped the strikers' fund.

1910, USA - The Women's Day was accepted by women socialists and feminists all over the USA

1910, Copenhagen - The delegation from the Trade Unions is present at the Second International Conference of Women Socialists in Copenhagen, with the intention of suggesting that Women's Day be made an international holiday.

In those days the German Socialist Party, a strong advocate of women's suffrage, particularly Clara Zetkin, had a great influence over the international socialist movement. Incited by the happenings and the actions of American women workers, she shaped the demand for marking a single day in a year, when women would lobby for their interests. Over a hundred women attended the Conference, coming from 17 countries, representing trade unions, socialist parties, women workers' clubs, and three women who were elected into the Finnish Parliament. The suggestion by Clara Zetkin was accepted unanimously, with the marking of the Women's Day as the result
On the conference, the importance of women's suffrage was once again confirmed, meaning the right to vote, which would not be based on the rights of property. Namely, some socialists held that women's suffrage would easier be attained through realizing rights of ownership, while others, including the German, Clara Zetkin, and the Russian, Alexandra Kollontai, fought for the realisation of this right as a obligatory and separate part of the socialist program.
A universal suffrage was also demanded - for all adult women and men. One of the conclusions of the conference was also to proclaim work at night as dangerous for women's health. Workers from Sweden and Denmark opposed this, for, as they stated, it was work during night shift that was an irreplaceable source of income. It was also demanded that the rights of married mothers be made equal to those of single mothers, for which Alexandra Kollontai fought vigorously, but her efforts did not give results.

1911 - As a result of the decisions made in Copenhagen, the Women's day was first marked on the 19th of March, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. More than a million women and men celebrated it. They demanded not only women's suffrage, but also making the right to work possible, professional improving, and abolishing sexual discrimination.

Not a week later, on the 25th of March 1911, more than 14 women workers, mostly Italian and Jewish immigrants, were killed in a tragic fire in New York. The accident, which was the consequence of bad work conditions, would be a powerful influence on the labour legislation in the United States of America.

1913-1914, Russia - As part of the pacifist movement, which started its activities in the eve of the First World War, Russian women marked the Women's Day for the first time, on the last Sunday of February 1913. Elsewhere in Europe, the Women's Day was celebrated on, or around, the 8th of March, either as an antiwar protest, or as an expression of solidarity with the women of Russia.

1917, Russia - Russia has lost 2 million of its inhabitants. Once again, Russian women chose the last Sunday of February to mark Women's day, and demand rights to "bread and peace". The political top of Russia tried to stop the protest, but the women marched anyway. The rest is history...

Four days later, the Russian Tzar abdicated, and the temporary government guaranteed women the right to vote. This historical Sunday, according to the Julian Calendar, which was at that time in use in Russia, went on the 23rd of February, and according to the otherwise used Gregorian Calendar, on the 8th of March. It was taken as the day when the entire world will mark the international holiday - Women's Day.
Women and women's organisations around the world mark Women's Day, and many countries have it for a national holiday. It is an opportunity for women from all continents, often separated by borders, to connect, and a chance to look back on nine centuries of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.
It represents the struggle of the "little" women, who became great political protagonists through struggle for equal participation in all the workings of the society, for equality with men.