International Women's Day - March 8
Each year on March 8, International Women’s Day (IWD), women around the world take time to celebrate the achievements of women and to reflect on our current status, demanding legal and economic equality and freedom from violence.
International Women’s Day has its roots in the international labour, socialist, and peace movements that were active early in the 20th century. IWD has been celebrated on March 8 since 1917 and is a national holiday in many countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Like Labour Day, International Women’s Day provides a focus for the necessary activism of the day. In 2008, the Canadian Labour Congress launched a year-long campaign on women's economic equality. In 2000 and 2005, the World March of Women launched its global campaigns on IWD.
Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario is again producing t-shirts in recognition of International Women’s Day. Many locals buy them for members, to distribute at local IWD events, and to use as fund-raisers for community women’s groups.
Related Links
Status of Women Canada produces material and an organizers’ handbook for IWD activities.
The United Nations website also has information on the international history of IWD
www.womensequality.ca/ - AdHoc Coalition for Women's Equality and Human Rights.
www.ccaac.ca and www.childcareontario.org - Child Care.
www.equalpaycoalition.org/ - Equal Pay Coalition.
www.equalvoice.ca - Equal Voice.
www.fafia-afai.org - Reality Check: Women in Canada.
www.springtideresources.org/ - Springtide Resources:Ending Violence Against Women.
www.worldmarchofwomen.org - World March of Women.
Visit the Celebrating Women's Achievements website by Library and Archives Canada.
"We must open doors and we must see to it they remain open, so that others can pass through."
Rosemary Brown, 1973
Classroom Activities for International Women’s Day
- Send roses to the schools in your district with a copy of the “Bread and Roses” lyrics. Invite the women to spend a recess or noon hour together and share the information about International Women’s Day.
- Share the information with students – particularly female students to give a history of the day.
- Ask that an announcement be made in the school – along with a brief history of the reason for it.
- Write a special diary entry celebrating your own achievements as a woman and what contributions you have made to education.
- Consider your own economic security. Do you know the facts about your family economics?
- Explore statistical information about women in the workforce with your older students.
- Teach a lesson on long term economic planning to your class.
- Have students make posters using the symbols “Bread and Roses” to display on International Women’s Day.
- Share the information you learn about it with someone you think does not understand the need for an “International Women’s Day”.
- Organize a fundraiser and send the proceeds to Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan, a Canadian volunteer solidarity group, established in 1996 and committed to raising awareness to the plight of women in Afghanistan. Breaking Bread for Women in Afghanistan is a fundraising project to support education projects for Afghan women and girls by holding potluck dinners across Canada.
For more information please visit this website.
Do you have suggestions for other activities? Let us know by contacting Carol Zavitz at czavitz@etfo.org.