At Nellie’s, we’re proudly celebrating International Women’s Day

It’s about fighting for equality. It’s about celebrating achievements. It’s about applauding girl power. International Women’s Day is celebrated every year in Canada and in countries around the world on March 8. It is a global day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It’s also a day to bring attention of the need to accelerate gender parity.

No one government, charity, NGO, corporation, school, women’s network or media outlet is solely responsible for International Women’s Day. The day belongs to all women around the world and is all about unity, celebration, reflection, advocacy and action—whatever that looks like globally and at local levels.

The IWD2020 theme is #EachforEqual—an equal world is an enabled world.

How and when did International Women’s Day start?

The idea of having a Women’s Day first took hold over a century ago in the early 1900s as a response to the rapid changes and deteriorating conditions in women’s lives as a result of industrialization. According to the International Women’s Day website, the United States first recognized a day for women on February 28, 1909. The following year, the leader of the ‘Women’s Office’ for the Social Democratic Party in Germany proposed the idea of an International Women’s Day at an international conference of working women. It was unanimously approved and celebrated the following year by a number of countries on March 25. In 1913, the date was changed to March 8, where it has remained ever since. In 1975, the day was adopted by the United Nations, helping it gain a wider reach.

Are there certain colours you should wear to show your support?

 Wear anything you want. But purple is the international colour symbolizing women.

Why is it still important to celebrate International Women’s Day in 2020?

International Women’s Day is just as important today as it was over a century ago. While we’ve come a long way, there’s still much to speak out about.

• Women in poverty: More than 1.5 million women in Canada live on a low income.
• Gender based violence: Every six days in Canada, a woman is killed by her intimate partner.
• Sexual assault and harassment: Only 5% of sexual assaults are reported to police.
• Barriers girls face: The percentage of girls who say they’re confident drops from 36% to 14% between grades 6 and 10.
• Women and leadership: Six in 10 women say they sometimes find it difficult to picture themselves as leaders.

(Statistics courtesy of Canadian Women’s Foundation.)

Whether it’s making sure that women get equal pay for equal work, speaking out about violence against women, encouraging more women to enter the political sphere and take on leadership roles, we proudly celebrate International Women’s Day at Nellie’s. It’s so important to educate today’s young girls and boys about sexism, heterosexism, racism, or other discriminatory behaviour, and International Women’s Day is a great chance to start—or continue—the conversation about gender roles and gender equality.