We celebrate International Women's Day!

March 8th is a significant day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the world. However, International Women's Day is not just a day of celebration, it is also a day to remember the struggle for equality and the historical development of women's rights.

History of International Women's Day

The origins of International Women's Day lie in the struggle to improve working conditions for women workers. First, on March 8, 1908, more than 15,000 women workers marched in New York to demand better working hours, equal pay, and the right to vote. Following this event, in 1910, Danish socialist leader Clara Zetkin proposed that International Women's Day be celebrated all over the world, and this proposal was accepted.

The United Nations officially recognized March 8 as International Women's Day in 1977. Today, March 8 is commemorated with events and awareness campaigns highlighting the advancement of women's rights around the world.

Historical Development of Women's Rights in Türkiye

The struggle for women's rights in Türkiye began in the late Ottoman period. With the Tanzimat period, issues such as women's right to education and participation in social life came to the fore, and the first women's workers' organization in the Ottoman Empire was established in 1913. However, the real major changes occurred with the declaration of the Republic.

• 1923: The Women's People's Party was founded under the leadership of Nezihe Muhiddin, but the party's activities were not officially approved.
• 1926: The Turkish Civil Code was adopted. This law granted women the right to official marriage, monogamy, the right to divorce, and equality in inheritance.
• 1930: Women were given the right to vote in municipal elections.
• 1934: Women were granted the right to vote and be elected as MPs. Turkey acted earlier than many European countries that granted women this right.
• 1985: Turkey signed the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
• 2004: With the amendment to the Constitution, gender equality was more strongly guaranteed.

Although these developments have brought great progress in women's rights, there is still work to be done in terms of gender equality.

Women's Rights and Equality

The struggle for women's rights continues around the world. Issues such as equal pay for equal work, women's representation in business life, equal opportunities in education and protection against violence are among the most important issues of today. In Türkiye, various legal regulations are being made on these issues and civil society organizations are actively working.

Women's participation in economic life plays a major role in the development of countries. Studies show that if more women participate in the workforce, there will be significant increases in the GNP of countries. In addition, women's greater involvement in management and decision-making processes ensures the formation of more just and balanced societies.

International Women's Day is not only a day of celebration, but also an opportunity to raise awareness. As individuals and institutions, we:

• We can raise awareness about women's rights.
• We can contribute to projects that support greater participation of women in business life, education and social life.
• By supporting women entrepreneurs and producers, we can encourage them to contribute to the economy.
• We can provide voluntary support to civil society organizations that support gender equality.
  

March 8th International Women's Day is a symbol of women's struggle for freedom, equality and rights. Although women are in a stronger position today thanks to these struggles throughout history, there is still work to be done. We must continue to raise awareness and support women's empowerment to create a more equal and fair world together.

On this special day, we celebrate March 8, International Women's Day, to all women!