Is International Women's Day still important today?
Festive event with international guests on 8 March, 5.30 pm, Pentagon 3
On International Women's Day - Wednesday 8 March - Pia Hamann, Equal Opportunities Officer for the City of Chemnitz, is inviting numerous guests, including women from Iran, Poland, Israel and Afghanistan, to a festive event at Pentagon 3.
The event is not open to the public. Representatives of the media are welcome.
The current question is: How important is International Women's Day today? As long as equal rights for women and men only exist on paper and have not been realised in all areas of life, International Women's Day has its justification as a "day of struggle". The day is not there to give women flowers and champagne, as was the custom in the factories of the GDR, for example, but to draw attention to the inequalities that still exist between the sexes.
"Here in Germany, we have achieved a lot in the past 100 years. Women have the right to vote and stand for election, the right to choose their own profession, the right to a self-determined life. That's a lot, but we are still a long way from equality," says Pia Hamann.
Women make up barely a third of members of parliament at federal, state and local level, women do over 50 per cent more care work than men and stereotypical role models are still widespread. On average, women earn less than men (the gender pay gap is currently 18 per cent) and therefore have a lower pension.
But what is the situation of women in other parts of the world? Here are a few examples:
- In Iran, women were able to live freely and pursue any profession they wanted until 1979. When Khomeini came to power and a so-called "theocracy" was established, women lost everything and were forced to wear the hijab and burqa. Since the assassination of Mahsa Amini by the "morality police" on 14 September 2022, however, resistance has been stirring in the country, particularly among women.
- Our neighbour Poland is only ranked 50th in the world in terms of equality. The Catholic Church and regressive structures see equality policies as an attack on tradition. When it comes to abortion, for example: Both women and performing doctors are threatened with prison sentences. The cynical thing about this is that there are hardly any contraceptives available in the country.
- In Israel, women have had equal rights in all areas, at least on paper, since the state was founded in 1948. Compulsory service in the army and complete equality in the socialist-influenced kibbutz movement characterise the external image of emancipated "strong" women. However, political life is strongly influenced by orthodox men, who encourage women to act as the centre of family life and bring as many children into the world as possible, for religious or traditional reasons as well as for demographic reasons.
- In Afghanistan, since coming to power in August 2021, the Taliban have enforced policies that deny the basic rights of women and girls and suppress freedom of expression, Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2023. The Taliban's wholesale disregard for human rights has contributed to their global isolation, exacerbating the economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. In March 2022, the Taliban finally reneged on their promise to reopen secondary schools for girls. Most of these schools had been closed after the takeover.
"The women of these countries and all countries where war, poverty and oppression prevail need our undivided solidarity," says Pia Hamann.