On the occasion of International Women’s Day, CORCOM, the umbrella organisation of major militant outfits in the state sent its greetings and paid homage to the women for their roles in the history of the world in terms of culture and traditions, economy, and social administration.
The theme of the day as set by the United Nations for this year is ‘Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world’.
The genesis of the observation goes back to movement wherein women demanded equal rights and equal presence on matters concerning economy and social administration, a release issued by media coordinator M Sak-hen stated.
The seeds of the movement were sown in 1903 when women working at factories in the United States began to organise themselves for their own upliftment and betterment amid the deplorable and inhumane working conditions.
The groups of women who had been demanding equal voting rights began to form a ‘Women’s Trade Union League’ and spearheaded the movement, and it became a defining moment in history, it stated.
In the last Sunday of February 1908, a massive demonstration in demand of equal voting rights and equal representation in other sectors were carried out by women socialists of the United States, the release stated. In 1909, women employed at clothing factories began to hold general strikes and in 1910, women socialists and feminists began to observe Women’s Day across the soil of the United States, the release mentioned.
The following year, the observation was carried out for the second time at an international level at Copenhagen where delegates from around the world took part, it stated. A resolution to push the movement to a global scale was taken during the conference, it added.
Over 100 women from 17 different countries gave consent to the resolution taken on that day. As a result of the resolution taken at Copenhagen, the International Women’s Day was observed for the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland March 19.
The observations in these countries not only raised the demand for equal voting rights but demanded equal opportunity towards employment, training and protested against discrimination, the release stated.
In 1917, Russian women not only protested against the WWI but also demanded ‘Bread and Peace’ during a protest held on March 8. After four days, the Russian Czar abdicated from the throne and women were allowed to vote. Since those days, the observation of International Women’s Day has gained momentum and strength. In the following year, the observation gained more popularity and recognition, it added.
Eventually, the UN announced the year 1975 as the ‘International Women’s Year’ in support of their struggle. The observation of the ‘International Women’s Day’ began every year on March 8, the release stated. The present women enjoy a higher status and equal rights with better access to employment and administration.
However, women have not been able to achieve their targets completely as they are still facing discrimination. There are many women who are not being paid equally to their male counterparts. They are still not being represented in public spheres and not allowed to partake in social administration. At a global rate, they still do not get access to healthcare and face oppression, it added.
In Kangleipak (Manipur), women used to enjoy a higher status in its history but due to the cultural assimilation of India, they began to face oppression and violence, and this has been increasing on a daily basis, the release stated. This is a direct result of merging with India which was founded on the basis of caste-system and communalism, it added.
