Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Like other parts of the globe, International Women’s Day will be marked on March 8 across the globe including Pakistan to celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and across nations.
It is also known as the United Nations (UN) Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace. It is also focused on helping women to gain equal participation
in global development.
The first International Women’s Day occurred on March 19 in 1911. The date was chosen, as it commemorated the day that the Prussian king promised to introduce votes for women in 1848. The International Women’s Day date was moved to March 8 in 1913 when the first women conference was convened in Mexico City. The UN General Assembly then invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace in 1977. The day aimed to help nations worldwide eliminate discrimination against women.
The majority of the world’s 1.3 billion absolute poor are women. On average, women receive between 30 and 40 percent less pay than men earn for the same work. Women also continue to be victims of violence, with sexual assault and domestic violence listed as significant causes of disability and death among women worldwide.
