MEP's give us their thoughts on International Women's Day

Kelli Mack/ March 7, 2008/ 1:05 pm/ Gender Issues
March 8 marks the date for International Women's Day. A day where women can come together in conferences and speak about where they are, how far they've come, and how far they still need to go to reach gender equality. With this day brings up several thoughts, especially the one on the fact that politics is still a male dominated kingdom. Even though the education and earnings gaps are narrowing, women still find it harder to get a job and are the first to go unemployed. However, it is hard for them to make a change because they do not hold the high government positions, men do, therefore it is a male dominated society. It is said that International Women's Day is a day where women who are usually separated by national boundaries and language can come together and fight this stereotype and celebrate the progress that has been made over the last ninety years or so and the progress that they can still make to make all societies equal when it comes to gender.
Many countries celebrate with television programs and conferences; however, there are countries that lie behind the so called "iron curtain" who do not celebrate the day as such a wonderful thing and look back on how it used to be used as a propaganda tool. With this day, many women tell how they find support from the men in their lives, and instead of seeing them as someone who is holding them back, they see the men in their life as supporters and helping them propel forward. This day gives women all over the world a chance to come together and be role models to the next generation of women coming up.
I think that it is great that there is such a day, but it is sad that it requires such a measure to bring gender relations to the forefront of political and national talks. Gender is always going to be an issue unless women get more into politics and have the opportunity to make changes in the countries they live in. I love to see women making a name for themselves and empowering other women, I just don't feel that it should need a day to make it known, it should already be known to the world that gender is an issue.

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/story_page/014-22627-066-03-10-902-20080229STO22605-2008-06-03-2008/default_en.htm