The European University (EUL) Faculty of Arts and Sciences Lecturer, Asst. Prof. Dr. Zihniye Okray gave information about March 8 due to “”March 8, International Women’s Day”.

Okray, who offered explanations regarding how the International Women’s Day came into sight, said that the first breakthrough occurred with the request of 40,000 textile workers for better working conditions and their start of the strike in a textile factory in the US city of New York, on March 8, 1857.  Okray put in mind that the police attacked the workers during the strikes and locked the workers in to the factory followed by the fire; 129 women workers died as a result of not being able to escape from the barricades set up in front of the factory.

Okray mentioned that Clara Zetkin, at an international conference held on August 26-27, 1910, gave voice to the proposal to call March 8 as International Women’s Day in commemoration of the women workers, who died in the fire of the textile factory on March 8, 1857, by remarking that this proposal was accepted unanimously.  Okray, who also said that International Women’s Day is being celebrated with various activities in Turkey since 1921, meant that United Nations General Assembly accepted March 8 to be commemorated as “International Women’s Day” on December 16, 1977.

“Developing Femininity is Evolving Humanity.  Imagine! Ensure that!”

Okray depicted that “International Women’s Day is celebrated in order to protect political and social rights of women and girls, develop their social and political consciousness and their support economic, political and social achievements on the basis of human rights.  She announced that the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is determined by the United Nations as “Developing Femininity is Evolving Humanity.  Imagine! Ensure that!”.   In Particular, Okray who emphasized that this theme has many meanings in this period in which violence against women and the murder of women has reached an inconceivable rate, remarking that the various activities are organized to raise awareness and create social awareness about violence at EUL.