Introduction of International Women’s Day 2021

With women rising to claim their rights, modern India has witnessed a
revolutionary impact on the age old societal structure.

Post Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization era and in our fight against the deadly pandemic, India emerged as one of the greatest world leaders- a status which would have been impossible to achieve without women leading at the forefront with men.

This can perhaps be attributed to many factors, of which the leading factor is
the rise of the feminism movement in India.
However, even after such ideologies have come to light, the Indian society is
still struggling to be at par with women demanding equal rights and shattering
even the subtlest form of patriarchy that surrounds them.

What is Women’s History Month?

Women’s History Month is a dedicated month to reflect on the often-overlooked contributions of women to United States history. From Abigail Adams to Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth to Rosa Parks, the timeline of women’s history milestones stretches back to the founding of the United States.

The actual celebration of Women’s History Month grew out of a weeklong celebration of
women’s contributions to culture, history and society organized by the school district of
Sonoma, California, in 1978. Presentations were given at dozens of schools, hundreds of
students participated in a “Real Woman” essay contest and a parade was held in downtown
Santa Rosa.
A few years later, the idea had caught on within communities, school districts and organizations across the country. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8 as National Women’s History Week.

The U.S. Congress followed suit the next year, passing a resolution establishing a national celebration. Six years later, the National Women’s History Project successfully petitioned Congress to expand the event to the entire month of March.

It is a global celebration of the economic, political and social achievements of women, took
place for the first time on March 8, 1911. Many countries around the world celebrate the
holiday with demonstrations, educational initiatives and customs such as presenting women
with gifts and flowers.

The United Nations has sponsored International Women’s Day since 1975. When adopting its resolution on the observance of International Women’s Day, the United Nations General
Assembly cited the following reasons: “To recognize the fact that securing peace and social progress and the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms require the active participation, equality and development of women; and to acknowledge the contribution of women to the strengthening of international peace and security.”

Women’s history is full of trailblazers in the fight for equality in the United States. From Abigail Adams imploring her husband to “remember the ladies” when envisioning a government for the American colonies, to suffragists like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton fighting for women’s right to vote, to the rise of feminism and Hillary Clinton becoming the first female nominee for president by a major political party, American women have long fought for equal footing throughout the nation’s history.
And while some glass ceilings have been shattered, others remain. But progress continues to be made. As Clinton said while accepting her nomination, “When there are no ceilings, the sky’s the limit.”

What are some of the Influencing and leading examples?

• July 19-20, 1848: In the first women’s rights convention organized by women, the Seneca Falls Convention is held in New York, with 300 attendees, including organizers Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. Sixty-eight women and 32 men (including Frederick Douglass) sign the Declaration of Sentiments, which sparked decades of activism, eventually leading to the passage of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote.
• Aug. 18, 1920: Ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is completed, declaring “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” It is nicknamed “The Susan B. Anthony Amendment” in honor of her work on behalf of women’s suffrage.
• May 20-21, 1932: Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman, and second pilot ever (Charles Lindbergh was first) to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic.
• Rosa Parks, Civil Rights, Equal Pay Dec. 1, 1955: Black seamstress Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat to a white man on a bus in Montgomery, Ala. The move helps launch the civil rights movement.
• Jan. 4, 2007: U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) becomes the first female speaker of the House. In 2019, she reclaims the title, becoming the first lawmaker to hold the office two times in more than 50 years. Jan. 24, 2013: The U.S. military removes a ban against women serving in combat positions.
• July 26, 2016: Hillary Clinton becomes the first woman to receive a presidential nomination from a major political party. During her speech at the Democratic National Convention, she says, “Standing here as my mother's daughter, and my daughter’s mother, I’m so happy this day has come.”
• January 20, 2021: Kamala Harris is sworn in as the first woman and first woman of color vice president of the United States. “While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last,” Harris said after getting elected in November.

The daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, Harris served as California’s first Black female attorney general and won election to the U.S. Senate in 2016. She made her own unsuccessful presidential bid before being selected by former vice president Joe Biden as his running mate.

Feminism is about equality and not about establishing women superior to men.

Matriarchy is not the solution! The change needs to start from our houses. The problem lies
with the way children are parented. Gender sensitivity needs to be taught in households from childhood itself.

Another big issue in modern society is the content which young folks consume as they grow up, and by content I mean information, entertainment and opinions. A big issue here, especially in India, is the rise of objectifying women in mainstream entertainment media.

This has to be stopped at the earliest. This portrayal of women in such a derogatory manner, and portraying men as well in a certain manner, leads to stereotyping at a societal level.

This should probably support the question of why OTTs should be regulated by the Government.

According to the international sources, women have made enormous progress on some fronts. Women have not only caught up with men in college attendance but younger women are now more likely than younger men to have a college or a master’s degree.

Women are also working more and the number of women and men in the labor force has nearly equalized in recent years.

As women’s work has increased, their earnings constitute a growing share of family
income. Though, Twenty first century has brought in it’s trail a mew hope for women.

Dramatic changes have happened in the role, ambitions and attitude of women. Women have departed from their traditional role of reproducers, mother’s and wives only. From a non- entity, they have been able to establish an identity of their own in the modern society. Modern women have proved that they are second to none.

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On International Women’s Day 2021 occasion you must read our blog on Sarojini Naidu – an inspiration to female artists and politicians.