U.N
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 8th MARCH 20008
15,000 women marched through New York City in 1908 demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. 100 years on, the pertinence of this event is honored through IWD's 2008 global theme 'Shaping Progress'.
Around the world, websites link to this site. Add your own IWD events and news.
There are currently 603 IWD 2008 events listed from 52 different countries !!
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In just three years time, 2011 will see IWD's Centenary - 100 years of women's united action for global equality and change. Organizations around the world have already commenced planning for their IWD Centenary celebrations. The first International Women's Day was launched on 8 March 1911 in Copenhagen by Clara Zetkin, Leader of the'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany. This followed many years of women's campaigning dating back to British MP, John Stuart Mill, the first person in Parliament calling for women's right to vote. On 19 September 1893 New Zealand became the first self-governing nation in the world to give women the right to vote.  | |||
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A GLOBAL DAY OF CELEBRATION | ||||
| LATEST IWD EVENTS (currently 603 events listed in 52 countries) Each year on 8 March, thousands of International Women's Day events occur all around the world from Alaska to Zambia. IWD events range from small random informal gatherings to large-scale highly organised events that have been planned for many months ... more | ||||
| TOP COMPANIES SUPPORTING WOMEN & IWD Many progressive global corporations clearly understand the importance of supporting women's advancement. They provide strong corporate leadership and social responsibility in actively developing and advancing female talent. Read about HSBC, Deloitte, Cisco and other progressive companies ... more | ||||
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GLOBAL IWD PICTURE GALLERY Check out the sensational pictures of IWD celebrated globally by women everywhere ... more | ||||
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IWD LOGOS FOR DOWNLOAD Develop your own International Women's Day materials and resources using the various logos available for public download and royalty-free usage across all mediums ... more | ||||
OFFICIAL IWD COLOURS Purple, green and white are the official international women's colours.The introduction of the colour gold representing 'a new dawn' has been commonly used to represent the second wave of feminism ... more | ||||
FEATURED ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING IWD For many years, a number of organisations around the world have provided leadership in supporting and coordinating high-impact International Women's Day initiatives ... more | ||||
FEATURED GOVERNMENTS SUPPORTING IWD Governments around the world view International Women's Day as an important opportunity to address the social, economic and political barriers, as well as achievements, of women ... more | ||||
| FEATURED UNIVERSITIES SUPPORTING IWD Many universities arund the world have conducted important and insightful research into women's advancement and have used International Women's Day as a platform to provide useful events and opportunities to remind society of the facts about women's equality ... more | ||||
FEATURED MEDIA ORGANISATIONS COVERING IWD Annual coverage of International Women's Day is significant, ranging from small editorials in provincial and regional newspapers through to large-scale indepth global specials and features ... more |
International Women's Day is celebrated on 8 March each year. It aims to promote positive change and raise awareness about problems women face in their everyday lives and is also a chance to celebrate the achievements of women.
There are many things to celebrate and there are many things that still need changing. That is why the International Women's Day celebrations in Cambridge focus on what a difference a day makes.
International Women's Day is the story of ordinary women as makers of history; it is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men.
This date is also commemorated at the United Nations and is designated in many countries as a national holiday, when women on all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, come together to celebrate their Day.
There are celebrations taking place throughout March. You can also download the events leaflet.
Other links
- International Women's Day website
- Equalities and Human Rights Commission
- The Women's Library
- The Premier Search Directory for Women Online
- Cambridge Women's Resources
- Womankind
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Useful links
Inspirational women are making a difference - help share their stories
It's a fact that you're more likely to be poor if you're a woman - 70 per cent of the world's poorest people are women and girls.
Yet, investing in women and girls is the cornerstone of making poverty history – increasing both their life chances and those of their children.
To celebrate International Women's Day (8 March), we're sharing inspirational stories of women in the world's poorest countries who are working against the odds to make a difference.
Watch and listen to stories of women in poor countries who are transforming people's lives
Because of campaigning by people like you, Liberia received debt relief in 2005 and has since been able to provide free primary education. This has given the poorest people, especially girls who were previously less likely to receive an education, the opportunity to go to school.
Now we need you to keep on campaigning by helping us spread the word about how women in developing countries are fighting back against poverty.
Thank you,
INTERNATIONAL DAYS - BY THE U.N
LISTED BELOW ARE THE DAYS AND
WEEKS OFFICIALY RECOGNIZED BY
THE UNITED NATIONS :
21 FEBRUARY Mother Language Day.
8 MARCH International Women's Rights
and International Peace .
21 MARCH Week of solidarity with the people
Struggling against
Racism and Racial Discrimination .
22 MARCH World day for water .
7 APRIL World Health Day.
15 May International day of families.
25 May Week of Solidarity with the
People of all Colonial
Territories fighting for freedom,
Independece and Human Rights.
4 June International day of in support
of victims of torture.
11 July World Population day.
3 September International day of Peace.
1 October International day of Older Persons.
2nd Wed. International day for Natural Disasters
October
16 October World Food day.
17 October International day for the Eradication
of Poverty.
4 th Wed. Universal Children's day ( Australia)
October
24 October United Nations day.
20 November Universal Children's day.
25 November Iternational day for the Elimination
of Violence against Women.
1 December World Aids day.
A poem for the U.N
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Koffi Ata Anan Koffi Ata Anan African World Leader of UNO In his relentless effort To tackle world political And religious crisis Be commended highly For a glaring legacy Left behind in pursuit Of the World peace. There can be differences But not leading to mass destruction Of numerous lives and property By a reasonable people Rendering the very rich into wretched beggars There's something wrong somewhere Seek it find it Resolve it Live in peace joy and solidarity All of God's creation The earth one big global village With mankind her citizens God's earth WICO , my earth Your earth, our earth Mah Fese (Mrs. Ruth Fese Enie) WICO |
WORLD WATER DAY
U N I T E D N A T I O N S 
N A T I O N S U N I E S
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
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MESSAGE ON WORLD WATER DAY
New York, 22 March 2008
This year, World Water Day coincides with the International Year of Sanitation, challenging us to spur action on a crisis affecting more than one out of three people on the planet.
Every 20 seconds, a child dies as a result of the abysmal sanitation conditions endured by some 2.6 billion people globally. That adds up to an unconscionable 1.5 million young lives cut short by a cause we know well how to prevent.
Poor sanitation combines with a lack of safe drinking water and inadequate hygiene to contribute to the terrible global death toll. Those who survive face diminished chances of living a healthy and productive existence. Children, especially girls, are forced to stay out of school, while hygiene-related diseases keep adults from engaging in productive work.
Leaders who adopted the Millennium Development Goals in 2000 envisioned halving the proportion of people living without access to basic sanitation by the year 2015 – but we are nowhere near on pace to achieve that goal. Experts predict that by 2015, 2.1 billion people will still lack basic sanitation. At the present rate, sub-Saharan Africa will not reach the target until 2076.
While there have been advances, progress is hampered by population growth, widespread poverty, insufficient investments to address the problem and the biggest culprit: a lack of political will.
With the right resolve, there are many steps that members of the international community can take. The Commission Sustainable Development in 2005 outlined a series of measures aimed at securing meaningful progress, holding Governments of affected countries primarily responsible. It also called for international support through a conducive policy environment, financial resources and the transfer of technology to countries in need.
If we take up the challenge, the positive impact will reverberate far beyond better access to clean water. Every dollar invested in water and sanitation yields an estimated seven dollars worth of productive activity. And that comes on top of the immeasurable gains in cutting poverty, improving health and raising living standards.
World Water Day offers a chance to spotlight these issues, but this year let us go beyond raising awareness – let us press for action to make a measurable difference in people’s lives.