International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide on March 8 every year. In different parts of the world, the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation, and love towards women to a celebration for women’s economic, political, and social achievements.
International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.
The 2019 theme, ‘think equal, build smart, and innovate for change’ focuses on innovative ways in which we can advance gender equality and the empowerment of women, particularly in the areas of social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure.
The achievement of the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires transformative shifts, integrated approaches, and new solutions, particularly when it comes to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.
Innovation and technology provide unprecedented opportunities, yet trends indicate a growing gender digital divide and women are under-represented in the field of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and design. It prevents them from developing and influencing gender-responsive innovations to achieve transformative gains for society. From mobile banking to artificial intelligence and the internet of things, it is vital that women’s ideas and experiences equally influence the design and implementation of the innovations that shape our future societies.
On March 8 2019, as we celebrate a future in which innovation and technology create unprecedented opportunities for women and girls to play an active role in building more inclusive systems, efficient services, and sustainable infrastructure to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs and gender equality.
Trends indicate a growing gender digital divide and women are under-represented in the field of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and design
International Women’s Day is also an opportunity to consider how to accelerating 2030 Agenda building momentum for the effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially goal number five: achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls; and number four: ensure inclusivity and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning.
On March 8, International Women’s Day events are held worldwide. Various women, including political, community, and business leaders, as well as leading educators, inventors, entrepreneurs, and television personalities, are usually invited to speak at various events on the day. Such events may include seminars, conferences, luncheons, dinners or breakfasts. The messages were given at these events often focus on various themes such as innovation, the portrayal of women in the media, or the importance of education and career opportunities.
Many students in schools and other educational settings participate in special lessons, debates or presentations about the importance of women in society, their influence, and issues that affect them. In some countries school children bring gifts to their female teachers and women receive small presents from friends or family members. Many workplaces make a special mention about International Women’s Day through internal newsletters or notices, or by handing out promotional material focusing on the day.
The first International Women’s Day occurred on March 19 in 1911. The inaugural event, which included rallies and organized meetings, was a big success in countries such as Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. The March 19 date was chosen because it commemorated the day that the Prussian king promised to introduce votes for women in 1848. The promise gave hope for equality but it was a promise that he failed to keep. The International Women’s Day date was moved to March 8 in 1913.
The UN drew global attention to women’s concerns in 1975 by calling for an International Women’s Year. It also convened the first conference on women in Mexico City that year. The UN General Assembly then invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace in 1977. The day aimed to help nations worldwide eliminate discrimination against women. It also focused on helping women gain full and equal participation in global development.
The International Women’s Day logo is in purple and white and features the symbol of Venus, which is also the symbol of being female.
The status of women in Pakistan is one of systemic gender subordination even though it varies considerably across classes, regions, and the rural-urban divide due to uneven socioeconomic development and the impact of tribal, feudal, and capitalist social formations on women’s lives. The Pakistani women of today do, however, enjoy a better status than in the past.
In modern Pakistan, women have held high offices including that of the Prime Minister, Speaker of the National Assembly, leader of the opposition, as well as Federal Ministers, and judges.
Pakistan has a dual system of civil and Sharia law. The Constitution of Pakistan recognises equality between men and women (Art. 25(2) states “There shall be no discrimination on the basis of sex”) but also recognizes as valid Sharia Law (Chapter 3A – Federal Shariat court).
Women of the country have increased political presence, formed strong civil organisations and contributed to academic programs at universities.
Some of the discrimination against women in law has been repealed. However, there is still a long way to go. Among other issues, enrolment of girls in primary and secondary school is low and child marriages continue to be a problem. There is still much to be done in Pakistan for gender equality.
The writer is a retired doctor of the Sindh Health Department
Published in Daily Times, March 8th 2019.