International Women’s Day

I wish I had time to write more about this very important day of celebration around the world. If you are from the United States, you may have never heard of it.  Hopefully in time it will become as known and as important as it already is in the non-western world. 

March 8th of every year is International Women’s Day. 

Not Mother’s Day.  Not Valentine’s day.  Women’s Day.  International.

Around the globe on this day people recognize the importance and contribution of women to the societies in which we live.  Not for being good mothers or good wives, but for being women:  for their intelligence, hard work, creativity and ingenuity, fortitude, character and equality in all areas of life.   And for some women around the world, that celebration and recognition only happens once a year, on March 8th.

I’ve experienced two truly International Women’s Days – the first while in Moscow and the second while in Kyrgyzstan.  On no other day of the year, including Valentine’s Day, have I ever seen as many flowers being sold along streets and in city squares as on I did on those two days.  Men buy flowers for their wives, daughters, sisters, mothers, employers, neighbors… the women in their lives who have made them the man they are proud to be.  And not just flowers, but words of appreciation, acts of kindness, notes of encouragement and gratitude.  It’s the one day a year when, in many countries, men will cook and clean and care for the children and daily household needs, while the women have their yearly “day off.”  At least in Russia and Kyrgyzstan, women are given the day off even from their employment, or more commonly perhaps, their place of employment closes entirely as if to celebrate a national holiday. 

If you’re from the northern western hemisphere and if you’re a man, I know what you’re thinking.  I can hear the sarcasm in your voice as I write.  “Women get this throughout the year.  They don’t need a special day just for them.  They have it easy and just like to complain.”  Perhaps in some places; but not in most.   Certainly most women in the poorer countries around the world do not get treatment such as this, and even in the west, you might be surprised to know how unappreciated the women in your life feel on a daily basis.  Except for on March 8th, and even then, only if they’re lucky. 

“When is International Men’s Day,” you ask?  Every day.  If you don’t see that happening around the globe right now, then you could stand to do a little international homework. 

So mark it on your calendar.  Celebrate the women in your life on Thursday, March 8th this year.  Do something special.  Give a flower, send a note, make a call, do something nice… something that demonstrates your gratitude for those women in your life who make your life as special as it is.  And consider the truly harsh conditions in which the women in the rest of the world are living.

And for good measure, here’s the link to the official website, if only just to say, “I’m not making this stuff up!”

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/about.asp