EBN–International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March each year in many countries around the world. It is a global day which recognises the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action to advancing gender equality in every dimension of human life.
The day has been observed since the early 1900s with the first gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. Today, celebrations continue to be a powerful platform globally that unifies tenacity and drives action for advancing gender equality, while celebrating the social, cultural, economic and political achievements of women. The day means different things to different people, but the global focus on equality and celebration is clear.
In Spain, several women’s associations and movements have called for demonstrations to celebrate this day, in an attempt to combat any form of violence against women. The number of people taking to the streets of Spanish cities is increasing, according to the Spanish newspaper El Pais.
The United Nations officially declared this day fifty years ago.
The newspaper pointed out that last year, about 30,000 people gathered in Madrid for the first demonstration and 4,000 for the second, according to data from the government delegation. As is the case every year, new attendance records are expected to be broken and the feminist struggle is expected to fill the Spanish streets.
In the Spanish capital, one of the demonstrations will start at 12 noon from the Atocha station exit towards Plaza de España. On the other hand, during the afternoon of March 8, the women’s movement in Madrid organized a march that will start from Cibeles at 6 pm and will also end in Plaza de España.
In Barcelona, the rally will start at 6pm in the University Square on Gran Via, while the Barcelona women’s movement 8M has organised another march from Plaza Catalunya to Plaza Sant Jaume. In Lleida, the event will also take place at 6pm from Plaza 8 de March. In Girona, a march will start from Plaza de Independencia and end at Plaza del Vino.
