IWD | Impressions

By T.V. Antony Raj

Woman is the companion of man, gifted with equal mental capacity… If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man’s superior… If non-violence is the law of our being, the future is with women… – Mahatma Gandhi

The International Women’s Day 2016 (Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown)

Every year on March 8th, people around the world celebrate the International Women’s Day (IWD) which was originally known as the International Working Women’s Day.

In 1975, during International Women’s Year, the United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8th. Two years later, in December 1977, the United Nations General Assembly recognized the role of women in peace efforts and development and urged an end to discrimination and increase support for women’s full and equal participation. To this to effect, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women Rights and International Peace observed on any day of the year according to their historical and national traditions by the Member States.

The 2016 theme for International Women’s Day is “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”.

Lakshmi Puri - UN Women Deputy Executive Director (Source - ipsnews.net) — Lakshmi Puri – UN Women Deputy Executive Director (Source – ipsnews.net)

Today, on March 8, 2016, UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri will ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange in New York at 9 a.m.

The United Nations observance on March 8 will reflect on how to accelerate the 2030 Agenda, building momentum for the effective implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals. It will equally focus on new commitments under UN Women’s Step It Up initiative, and other existing commitments on gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s human rights.