International Women’s Day -
March 8, 2010
FEBRUARY 24, 2010
OPSEU’s Provincial Women's Committee urges members to join
with us and the international community in celebrating the 100th anniversary
of International Women’s Day (IWD).
Having emerged out of women’s activities in labour movements
during the 19th and early 20th centuries, International Women’s Day was
formally declared at the Socialists International Meeting in Copenhagen in
1910. The day gained increasing support across the globe. By 1977, the UN
General Assembly adopted a resolution stating that this day “recognized the
role of women in peace efforts and development and urged an end to
discrimination and an increase of support for women’s full and equal
participation.”
In 2010, we have some incredible successes behind us. We
also have much more work to do. Women continue to face challenges both here
in Canada and abroad.
During this last year of recession, women have faced an
increased burden. The lack of early childhood education and child-care
programs, the continuing pay gap, and an overall decline in social
infrastructure hits women and families the hardest. Governments must
continue to invest in social programs, often the field with the highest
levels of female employment, so that the entire country gets the support
they need.
Internationally, we are being asked honour the lives of
feminist Haitian leaders who died in the massive earthquake on January
12th. An activity in Haiti’s Catherine Flon plaza will be held to share
what they learned from three fallen feminist leaders: Myriam Merlet, Magali
Marcelin, and Anne Marie Coriolan. All three leaders had a long history of
feminist activism. They reformed a judiciary that never took rape
seriously, created organizations and houses to protect girls and women
against domestic violence and trafficking, published a feminist newspaper,
expanded a documentary center and an historical archive, and struggled for
the protection of sexual and reproductive rights.
On International Women’s Day this year, let us remind
ourselves that the struggle is not over. We must continue to lobby, campaign
and educate ourselves and others about obtaining meaningful equity both here
and abroad.
To find out about IWD events near you, please go to:
www.internationalwomensday.com and search for events in Canada.
