International Women’s Day
has been celebrated around the world for nearly hundred years, although it has yet to receive
significant attention here in the United States. The holiday was conceived to aid
the international movement for women's suffrage, and more generally to raise awareness of
women's struggles for equality. Today, International Women's Day is celebrated in
most developed countries, filled with special celebrations, activities for schoolchildren,
flowers and tributes to women. For the last few years, Beata Pozniak, the founder of Women’s Day USA, has
worked with the Mayor of Los Angeles, Governor of California, and California Congresswoman
Maxine Waters for political recognition of this important day. In 1994, at
Beata’s suggestion, Congresswoman Waters introduced and arranged for passage of the
first bill in the history of the U.S. for national recognition of the holiday (H.J. Res.
316), designating March 8th, 1994 as “International Women's Day”.