International Women's Day 2011: Women Honored Worldwide

Once more, it is the 08th of March, the International Women's Day.

Since 1911, the day has been one when the plight and achievements of
women has been celebrated. The significance was not much initially, as
the day was timidly observed in Germany.

But over time, the day has grown in importance and scope. In the 1940s
and 1950s, it was mostly celebrated in Eastern Bloc countries as the
International Day of the Working Woman. The 1960s and 1970s saw many
women join the workforce in different capacities, and the day became
popular even in Western Countries like the USA.

1977 saw the UN General Assembly voting to adopt the 08th of March as
the International Women's Day. This is what really popularized the
celebration of women on this day.

In different parts of the world, the day is marked in various ways.
Some have seminars and other events that showcase the achievement of
women in industry, politics and business.

In sub Saharan Africa, it is mostly a day where women are honored by
men. They get together and pretty much party with other women. It is a
very important day both economically as well as politically.

Women's groups showcase their activities, educate the public on what
they do, and they get the full attention of the media. In recent
years, it is a tradition to get a special fabric design, which women
wear as a uniform on this day.

It is also a day that women leave the kitchen, and can be said to be
an official day off for the sub Saharan women.

In the United States, president Barack Obama designated the month of
March "Women's History Month". Celebrations for the day included
Congressional hearings broadcast live on C-SPAN which focused on the
difficulties women still face in some parts of the world.

Congressmen were briefed on mass rapes carried out by the LURD's
Resistance Army in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and how this has
affected the spread of HIV/AIDS.

All in all, the International Women's Day 2011 was a success across
the globe, and shows the growing role women have come to play not only
in the home, but in society.