In favour of equal rights for women and men

On Tuesday, 8 March at 7.30 pm, an exhibition will be opened at the Lila Villa Women's Centre, Kaßbergstraße 22, to mark International Women's Day. The Equal Opportunities Officer of the City of Chemnitz and the Chemnitz Women's Initiatives have jointly organised the exhibition.
Twelve women from Chemnitz, the surrounding area and from Chemnitz's twin cities Lodz, Usti nad Labem and Tampere have created the picture exhibition entitled "Through the eyes of women". How do women see the world, why do they choose this or that motif, which techniques do they choose and what motivates them to express themselves artistically in this way? The pictures on display express the diversity of the women's views on life and the world.

Due to the current Corona regulations, participation in the exhibition opening is by invitation only. However, in order to be able to present the pictures and statements of the artists to a large audience, a video with the pictures and statements of the artists will be available on the website of the city of Chemnitz and on YouTube from 8 March.

The "Fairtrade Town Chemnitz" group is planning another campaign for International Women's Day.
As last year, the steering group will combine two important things: recognising the local commitment of women and raising the profile of fair trade in cut flowers. This will involve saying thank you to women who, like fair trade, are committed to aspects of sustainable development.

A large proportion of all roses sold are produced in East Africa, where, according to Fairtrade Germany, "many women work as pickers in the greenhouses or in the packing stations of the rose farms. There is often a lack of occupational health and safety. This is enshrined in the Fairtrade standards, as are fixed employment contracts, social benefits, trade union freedom and maternity protection ." www.fairtrade-deutschland.de

The Chemnitz trade union women are also launching a campaign on 8 March under the title "What moves women - yesterday, today, tomorrow": at 10 a.m. , they are hosting a round table discussion with, among others, Elke Teller, a long-standing trade unionist and former equal opportunities officer for the city of Chemnitz, at the Gewerkschaftshaus, Augustusburger Straße 31.
There will be a tribute to the first female strike leader in Germany, Ernestine Minna Simon, at 1 p.m. at her place of work, the former stock spinning mill and now university library. The memorial plaque "Frauenorte" for Minna Simon is located in the entrance area.

Representatives of the media are cordially invited to the events.

Background

The United Nations officially established 8 March as International Women's Day in 1921. But even before that, there were initiatives in several countries to establish this public holiday. The idea came from the German socialist Clara Zetkin, who proposed the introduction of an International Women's Day at the Second International Women's Conference in 1910. A specific date was not yet set at the time. The introduction of International Women's Day was intended to draw attention to the fact that women in many countries were fighting for their rights and that as many people as possible should show solidarity with them. (Source: RP ONLINE)

"Women's persons may not attend the assemblies and meetings of political associations", was stated, for example, in Section 9 of Prussia's New Associations Act of 1870. Since then, "women's persons" have fought for many rights: the right to vote, the right to choose their own profession, the right to a self-determined life.

Nevertheless, no real equality of opportunity has been achieved to this day, emphasises Pia Hamann, Equal Opportunities Officer for the City of Chemnitz. The levers of power in the world are still predominantly wielded by men. "Politics, business, media and culture are largely controlled and dominated by men," says Pia Hamann.

"So far, philosophers have only interpreted the world in male terms. However, it is important to interpret it in a female way in order to be able to change it in a human way."

This quote by Chemnitz-born writer Irmtraud Morgner is just as valid today as it was 50 years ago.

That is why International Women's Day is still important and right. Not only to draw attention to the oppression of women in many parts of the world, but also to point out the "small" differences and celebrate what has been achieved.