March 8 for whom?

It is also said that the proposal was brought based on the women's one-day movement in the United States in 1909 under the leadership of the American socialist woman May-Wood-Simmons, who participated in the same conference, and its impact and achievements. American socialist women demanded freedom from slavery and the right to vote in a demonstration called 'One Day' for women.

Influenced by these experiences, the proposal was readily approved at the Second Conference of Socialist Women. Although the date has not been set, it was decided to celebrate Women's Day on one day of the year, mainly to discuss women's slavery, socio-economic exploitation, disease, hunger, poverty, and labor exploitation. This day was established as an important part of the freedom movement that was going on at that time. As a result, since 1911 in countries like Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, along with the freedom movement, the debate on women's issues also started.

At the second conference of the Communist International held in 1921, Ana Mai, a Bulgarian communist, proposed celebrating the success of women in the Russian revolution of 1917 on March 8 as International Women's Day. After that, the women of the communist, socialist, democratic camp and the country started celebrating March 8 as International Women's Day. In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly decided to celebrate this day as International Women's Day.

Clara Zetkin, the pioneer of this day, has said in interviews - 'Women are suffering from slavery, disease, hunger, violence, forced uprisings and imperialist wars, against them, it should remain as a day to raise their voices politically for women's rights.' This day should be a day for the liberation of women who have been victimized at various levels by the support that is currently being developed and the so-called democracy. Unfortunately, after the establishment of the Soviet Union, this day began to be ejaculated from the government level. After the United Nations declared it as Women's Day in 1977, it became even worse. Jamaat celebrating it as a non-political day became more visible. Although this day started with political consciousness to some extent in a country struggling for democracy, after the success of the democratic movement, the tradition of establishing this day as a women's festival became popular.

In Nepal, the tradition of celebrating 'March 8' is political, especially as a strong movement of women against the Panchayat system at that time, but later it is celebrated as a Phagat festival. The slogan chosen by the government this year is 'Investment in women: the beginning of a civilized and advanced society'. We have a government of left-wing, socialist, socialist-democratic parties writing a socialist-oriented constitution. Unfortunately, this government brings such a slogan on a day like March 8 to develop political consciousness. Comparatively, ``investment'' has been increased to address women's issues. But violence against women has not decreased, women have been brought to decision-making positions, but they do not have the right to make decisions. Although the law says that no labor is informal, there are dozens of women who work in informal sectors such as domestic, agriculture, construction, and entertainment, but they are not considered workers. Sex workers are criminalized due to social/political beliefs that women's bodies should be under the control of men. Even if we look at the recent decision made by the Cricket Association of Nepal, the difference in the salary of male and female cricketers has openly defied the constitution and the law. These are only representative cases that appear on the surface.

Are women from Palestine or Afghanistan? Are they from Burma or from Manipur? All are influenced by imperialist, patriarchal, capitalist patriarchy. Even if we look inside Nepal, women affected by sexual violence during the conflict or now judges, cricketers, professors, fathers, husbands, lovers, all of them have to protest for justice. From the local level to all levels of leadership, women have the same complaint. We were elected because of provisions in the constitution, but the leadership does not accept us. There is no equality in pay, the working environment is not safe. Women are forced to spend their lives in shame when they go to work abroad or after returning. Patriarchy asserts itself by controlling three areas of women – identity, production and the body/sexuality. Now in our country, the patriarchal structures in government, political and social positions have controlled these three areas of women. Until this control is released, where, what, and how to increase investment in women, will a civilized and advanced society begin? Not understood.

8th March is a day to politically analyze the situation of women caused by unequal power relations between women and men and find a solution. It is a day to remind that in the current situation, increasing investment in women, holding big ideological programs on women's issues, and walking in rallies and processions will not address them. The struggle for equality will be complete only when every woman in the society is guaranteed equal rights to safety, health, education, work and opportunities. For this, it is necessary for working women to build a movement from the community to the national and international levels. For all women, including Clara Zetkin, this day was a strategic day to create conditions for women of all colors, creeds and groups to live as human beings, who were shackled by the immediate tsar, capitalism, feudalism. Now the faces of the exploiters have changed but the exploitation of women has not changed. Therefore, should we now celebrate this day as a day to start the struggle with the slogan 'Investment in women: the beginning of a civilized and advanced society' rather than as a celebration of women, 'Investment in the struggle against feudal, patriarchal, capitalist patriarchal thinking: the beginning of building a civilized and advanced society'?