International Women’s Day and its relevance

Whenever the discussion on International Women’s Day arise, Indians believe all days are meant for women as many Indians particularly believer of Hindu faith perform puja in the form of Kali or Durga or other form of deity. Devotion of Ramakrishna to Kalimata in Dakshineswar Kali Temple is known to all. His great disciple Swami Vivekananda had great respect towards women. On 30 September 1893, an interview of Swami Vivekananda was published in the Boston Evening Transcript. In that interview he was asked if he had a plan to get married. Vivekananda’s prompt reply was— “Why should I marry, when I see in every woman only the divine Mother?  To emancipate myself from earthly ties and attachments so that there will be no re-birth for me. When I die I want to become at once absorbed in the divine, one with God. I would be a Buddha.” Swami Vivekananda considered Sita as the ideal Indian woman. He also told, “The ideal womanhood of India is motherhood— that marvellous, unselfish, all suffering, ever-forgiving mother.” He understood the day India started neglecting their women, the downfall of the nation would start.

Anyway International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on March 8 to honour women for their enormous service to mankind. It is also known as the United Nations (UN) Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace. A woman is a mother, sister, wife and finally torchbearer of the human civilization as without a mother male, female or even transgender cannot see the light in this world. Unfortunately, in many places, women are victimized in different ways in the world. One of the reasons is that they are not earning so do not have much say in the family, whereas in all religions woman has got important position. Hinduism has the strongest presence of the divine feminine from ancient times to the present.  The Goddess is viewed as central in Shakti and Hindus perform Puja in the name of Durga, Kali, Saraswati and others. Although in Hinduism, there are different names of Goddess or God but God/Goddess is one.  In the Holy Quran, it is stated that all humans are equal: “To whoever, male or female, does good deeds and has faith, We shall give a good life and reward them according to the best of their actions.” (16:97). Mother Mary is most respected by Catholic Christians of the world. In every Catholic Church, Mary’s portrait can be seen along with Jesus. According to Sikhism, women are equal to men. “Guru Nanak proclaimed the equality of men and women, and both he and the gurus that succeeded him encouraged men and women to take a full part in all the activities of Sikh worship and practice”. So it is evident that women are respected in different religions also.

In the context of International Women’s Day it is pertinent to mention that, following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women’s Day was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March 1911 where   more than 1 million people in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Denmark took part indicating the event was a great success. The date 19 March was selected because it commemorated the day that the Prussian King promised to introduce votes for women in 1848. The promise gave hope for equality but he failed to keep.

The International Women’s Day date was later on shifted to 8 March in 1913. The UN took initiative for global attention to women’s concerns in 1975 by calling for an International Women’s Year. It organised the First Conference on women in Mexico City that in 1975 itself. Subsequently, the UN General Assembly invited member states to proclaim 8 March as the UN Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace in 1977. The Day intended to eliminate discrimination against women and also to celebrate the women’s movement and struggle for equality. According to the United Nations, the theme for International Women’s Day 2020 is “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights”.  It aims at “bringing together people of every gender, age, ethnicity, race, religion and country”, in a bid to drive actions that will lead to a “gender-equal world we all deserve”.

It is pertinent to mention that International Men’s Day is celebrated on November 19 every year little more than 80 countries.

Dr. Shankar Chatterjee

Former Professor& Head (CPME)

NIRD &PR (Govt. of India),

Hyderabad-500 030

Telangana, India

Email <shankarjagu@gmail.com>