International Women's Day March 8th

Just a few things to be concerned about (or if you don't really get why we have International Women's Day):

• The UK has a 17% gap for full time workers and is one of the highest in Europe. Overall European women earn 15% less than men. In the USA, it's around 20%. Malta has the smallest pay gap between men and women in the EU. Malta!
  
• World Health Organisation estimates that 70% of all female murder victims are killed by male partners.
  
• Many countries still do not recognise marital rape as a crime. And those who do have incredibly low conviction rates.......

Brief history:
1909 - Nation Women's Day observed in the USA on February 28th.
1910 - The Socialist International met in Copenhagen and s Women's Day was established. Over 100 women from 17 countries supported the act but no date was fixed.
1911 - International Women's Day celebrated on March 19th in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. On March 25th, 140 working girls were killed in the Triangle Fire, having an impact on labour legislations.
1913 - In the months before WW1, Russian women held their first International Women's Day in February. Other countries in Europe protested the war and expressed solidarity with women in Europe on or around March 8th.
1917 - Russian women chose the last Sunday of February to strike for 'bread and peace'. Four days later the Czar abdicated and the provisional goverment granted Russian women the right to vote. That Sunday was 23 February on the Julian calendar but March 8th on the Gregorian calendar.

Great Links: International Women's Day