International Women’s Day 2022

On March 8 2022, it was International Women’s Day (IWD). It was a day for acknowledging and celebrating women all around the world. It was a day of reflection and discussion about the work that still needs to be done in creating a world where women everywhere are equally respected, treated and valued. It is time to #breakthebias in the workplace and within the community.

The History of International Women’s Day

In 1908, 15,000 women took to the streets of New York to protest for shorter hours, better pay and voting rights due to the poor working conditions and exploitation they experienced. The Socialist Party of America celebrated a National Women’s Day in 1910 to recognise the strikers and activists of that time that, as a result, gained global attention. In 1911, the first International Women’s Day was held with more than one million people attending rallies throughout Europe advocating for social justice, equality and fair working conditions.

It took until the year of 1975 which was the International Women’s Year for the United Nations to adopt International Women’s Day on 8 March which is the day we continue to recognise this important event.

Is International Women’s Day Still Relevant?

In the year of 2022, we can find ourselves wondering why this would still be important to us. Aren’t women in the workplace? Women have the right to vote now, so why is it still important for us to continue acknowledging this day?

Because there is still so much work to be done. Globally.

Here are some examples as quoted from the IWDA official website (2022) as to why:

”Despite domestic violence laws, public awareness and access to legal protections, Australian men are still killing women partners or exes at the rate of one a week.
Reproductive rights are a political football. Here in Australia access varies by state, and in some parts of the United States laws have passed making terminations inaccessible, no matter the reason behind the woman’s decision.
Climate change is increasing violence against women and girls, according to a major report in 2020. Case studies included domestic abuse, human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against women environmental rights defenders.”

These points are just a brief snapshot into the reality for many women around the world.

As we can see, social justice is a complex and multifaceted issue, but together, we can make the change, just like the women who have gone before us have accomplished through their persistence, dedication and determination in creating a fairer world for us all.

Due to our passion for creating an inclusive world, the Quinn Art & Film team had the pleasure of celebrating women from many different cultures at the Zonta IWD event that we photographed in regional NSW. Following on from here, we are working on a series which will feature the stories of women from all over the world, so please continue following our journey as this unfolds.

Here is some of the vibrant colour displays, the fashion, the fun, and the visual stories we captured from the evening!

Together, we make the change.

If you too are passionate about making a difference for women around the world, be sure to have a look at Zonta’s website and find out more about how you can become a member of this fantastic organisation who help women all around the world.