Neglecting women's participation in politics perpetuates their oppression
Source: The Daily Star
March 8, 1857 witnessed the uprising of female needle factory workers in New York City, who marched in defiance of perilous working conditions, meagre pay, and gruelling 12-hour shifts. This demonstration resonated across the Atlantic, reaching Europe with its message of solidarity. Building upon the momentum of the 1857 movement, by 1860, female needle factory workers succeeded in securing the legal authorisation to establish a union. Fast forward to March 8, 1908, when thousands of women employed in the garment and textile sectors of New York City renewed the call for equitable pay and a standard eight-hour workday by mobilising on the streets once more.
In 1909, following the precedent set by their predecessors, 30,000 US women workers initiated a 13-week strike advocating for similar demands. The following year, in 1910, the First International Conference of Socialist Women convened in Copenhagen, Denmark. During the second assembly of this conference, Clara Zetkin, a prominent figure in the German Social Democratic Party, presented a proposal. She suggested the establishment of an annual gathering specifically for working women, providing them with a platform to convene and share perspectives on a designated day each year.
Clara Zetkin's proposal led to the adoption of March 8 as Women's Day. However, it wasn't until 1974, 117 years later, that the United Nations officially recognised March 8 as International Women's Day. Today, we commemorate the protest of women workers in New York City on March 8, 1857 as International Women's Day.
Read here the full article published by The Daily Star on 8 March 2024.
Image by The Daily Star
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March 8, 1857 witnessed the uprising of female needle factory workers in New York City, who marched in defiance of perilous working conditions, meagre pay, and gruelling 12-hour shifts. This demonstration resonated across the Atlantic, reaching Europe with its message of solidarity. Building upon the momentum of the 1857 movement, by 1860, female needle factory workers succeeded in securing the legal authorisation to establish a union. Fast forward to March 8, 1908, when thousands of women employed in the garment and textile sectors of New York City renewed the call for equitable pay and a standard eight-hour workday by mobilising on the streets once more.
In 1909, following the precedent set by their predecessors, 30,000 US women workers initiated a 13-week strike advocating for similar demands. The following year, in 1910, the First International Conference of Socialist Women convened in Copenhagen, Denmark. During the second assembly of this conference, Clara Zetkin, a prominent figure in the German Social Democratic Party, presented a proposal. She suggested the establishment of an annual gathering specifically for working women, providing them with a platform to convene and share perspectives on a designated day each year.
Clara Zetkin's proposal led to the adoption of March 8 as Women's Day. However, it wasn't until 1974, 117 years later, that the United Nations officially recognised March 8 as International Women's Day. Today, we commemorate the protest of women workers in New York City on March 8, 1857 as International Women's Day.
Read here the full article published by The Daily Star on 8 March 2024.
Image by The Daily Star
.