International Women's Day: UN Decries Violence Against Women Gender Inequality; US Celebrates Women's Impact On Economy

International Women's Day, an annual celebration of women and their rights, was observed Wednesday by millions of people worldwide.

Activists in certain nations recognized achievements. Some condemned tyranny in countries like Afghanistan and Iran and underlined the continued battle to protect the rights of women and girls who face sexual and domestic abuse globally.

Last week, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said women's rights were "abused, threatened, and violated" worldwide and that gender equality won't be realized for 300 years at the present rate, AP News reported.

The UN proclaimed International Women's Day in 1977. The day is observed in diverse ways and to differing degrees in different nations.

Japan's women's rights activists organized a tiny gathering to reiterate their call for the government to permit married couples to use separate surnames.

According to the country's 1898 civil law, a couple must take "the surname of the husband or wife" at the moment of marriage.

In Manila, Philippines, hundreds of women's rights organizations protested for better pay and employment.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan has been labeled by the UN as the most oppressive country in the world for women and girls since the Taliban took power there in 2021.

The UN mission claimed Afghanistan's new leadership was imposing measures that keep most women and girls virtually confined in their residences.

They've outlawed women's access to public venues like parks and gyms and stopped females from continuing their education beyond the sixth grade. They are forbidden to work for national and international nonprofit organizations.

US Celebrates Return of Women's Power to the Workforce

Meanwhile, in the United States, despite increasing interest rates and inflation, American women are returning to work.

US Women have gained more jobs than males for four consecutive months, including in January's hiring spike, boosting women to hold more than 49.8% of all nonfarm positions, the Wall Street Journal reported.

In late 2019, women outnumbered men on US payrolls, but the pandemic displaced roughly 12 million women and 10 million men.

Housekeepers, nurses, and daycare teachers were hit hard by Covid-19 and social-distancing policies in early 2020. Once schools became remote, many white-collar moms quit tending to their kids.

In March 2021, roughly 1.5 million fewer moms were working than in February 2020 due to childcare issues and health concerns. For some economists, the longer women remained out of the workforce, the more difficult it would be for them to get back in.

Although increasing interest rates and inflation threaten a recession, the services industry is being boosted by women returning to work.

As companies compete for a scarce workforce, women's wages are rising, supporting consumer spending.

Workforce shortages may be mitigated if more women participate in the labor force. In January, the jobless rate dropped to 3.4%, the lowest level in 53 years. The Federal Reserve's aim of cooling inflation may be achieved by increasing the labor supply.

Embrace Gender Equity

The theme for this year's International Women's Day is "#EmbraceEquity," according to the official website. Embedding gender equality into the fabric of every community is a central theme of 2023, as stated on the campaign's website: "It's crucial to acknowledge the difference between equity and equality."

Moreover, this year's theme also highlights 'DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality', which emphasizes the important role of digital technology in advancing women's rights and addressing discrimination and gender inequality in society, per Euronews.

Tags

Women's rights, United States, Human rights, Politics, Women