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International Women’s Day

March 8 of every year marks the day women movements of
all continents regardless of nationality, language, culture, economy or
political view gather to commemorate the long history of women struggle
and to continue sustaining their cooperation to achieve equality, justice,
peace and development.
The history of “International Women’s Day” began with the
struggle of women workers in the garment factory in New York city,
United States, who rose up to demand wage rise and their rights from
the employer. The incident in turn turned into a tragedy where 119
women were killed by arson attack on the factory while they were
protesting. All incidents took place on March 8, 1857.
Later in 1907, women workers of the garment factory in Chicago,
United States, could no longer endure exploitation, oppression and
suppression by their employer. They were forced to work in a slave
like condition for 16-17 hours a day without leave and health insurance.
As a consequence, many became sick and prematurely died. They were
either compensated with a peanut amount of money or sacked if they
were pregnant.
Such inhumane condition served as a ground for women workers
to go on strike on March 8, 1907. They demanded the employers to
decrease working hours to 8 hours a day and improve the welfare.
However, although the uprising was not a success as many women
workers were arrested, women across the world subsequently extended

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