From France to Sweden, via Chile, Mongolia and Canada, March 8 is a date known to all. It's a day of action, awareness and mobilization dedicated to the fight for women's rights, equality and justice. It's also a day to take stock of the progress made for and by women. But where does this tradition come from, and why was March 8 chosen to symbolize International Women's Rights Day ?
To better understand the history and origins of International Women's Rights Day, we need to go back in time to the early 20th century. At that time, workers' struggles and women's demonstrations demanding the right to vote, better working conditions and equality between men and women were multiplying in several European countries and throughout the Western world.
The idea of a Women's Day was born for the first time thanks to Clara Zetkin. This German socialist activist raised the subject in 1910 at the second international conference of socialist women held that year in Copenhagen, Denmark. No fewer than one hundred women from 17 countries attended the event, unanimously approving her proposal to organize a Women's Day to promote their fight for the right to vote.
A year later, in 1911, several countries including Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland decided to celebrate Women's Day. One million women took to the streets on March 19, a date in reference to the 1848 revolution and the Paris Commune.
The initiative gained momentum elsewhere in the world, so much so that Russian women took the risk of organizing clandestine rallies on the last Sunday of February 1913. The movement continued when, on February 23, 1917 (March 8 in the Gregorian calendar), Russian women workers decided to launch a general strike in Petrograd, demanding bread and peace. These demonstrations gave rise to the beginning of the Bolshevik Revolution.
But it wasn't until the end of the Second World War that traditional Women's Day celebrations were held around the world on March 8. International Women's Day was finally officially recognized by theUN in 1977.
What about France? Several workers' struggles led by women also made headlines in the early 20th century. Such was the case of the " Penn Sardines " (literally " sardine heads " in Breton) of Douarnenez. Working in an arduous and poorly-paid profession, 2,000 of these Breton women decided to paralyze the sardine canneries by launching a major strike in November 1924, the first women's strike in France. After 46 days of struggle, the sardine workers finally won their cause: a pay rise, overtime pay and payment for night work. From then on, the " Penn Sardines " of Douarnenez became a symbol of women's class struggles.
Other major events undoubtedly marked the history of women's rights in France, such as women's right to vote and stand for election in 1944, the Neuwirth law authorizing contraception in 1967, the birth of the Women's Liberation Movement in 1970 and the abortion law in 1975. It was not until March 8, 1982, that François Mitterrand declared Women's Day, at the instigation ofYvette Roudy, then Minister for Women's Rights.
International Women's Rights Day at Paris 2024: events around March 8
International Women's Rights Day takes place every year on March 8. Here's what to expect in Paris on this day of awareness-raising for equality between women and men. [Read more]
To mark International Women's Rights Day this Friday, March 8, 2024, the Grève féministe collective and several unions are calling for a nationwide strike and demonstrations against inequality. In Paris, the procession will set off from Place Gambetta. We take stock! [Read more]
This March 8, 2024, we're celebrating International Women's Rights Day: an opportunity to shine the spotlight on women artists, thanks to numerous exhibitions to discover in Paris and the Île-de-France region. [Read more]
Every year, many female artists perform in Paris. On the occasion of International Women's Rights Day, this March 8, we unveil our selection of female singers and musicians to be seen in concert in Paris. [Read more]
International Women's Rights Day returns every year on March 8. Why not take this opportunity to discover talented women on stage, with stories that showcase women? Follow our guide to the shows you need to see (and book) to celebrate the day. [Read more]
Discover the best restaurants in Paris run by brilliant chefs. [Read more]
International Women's Rights Day at Paris 2024: events around March 8
Women's Rights Day: feminist strike and demonstration in Paris on March 8, 2024
Women's Rights Day 2024: women's and feminist exhibitions to see in Paris
Women's Rights Day 2024: concerts by female artists to see in Paris
Women's Rights Day 2024: shows to see in Paris
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