he organization of women in the early 20th Century led to the establishment of International Women's Day (IWD). Between 1909 and 1911, working women in the United States organized strike activities through the National Women's Trade Union League and other concerned groups to protest against low wages, lack of protective legislation, and poor working conditions. These demonstrations were in response to the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City in March 1911, which killed over 140 working girls, mainly Italian and Jewish immigrants. The observance of IWD subsequently invoked the inhumane working conditions and unfair labor practices that led to the disaster.
In Europe, the Socialist Women's International, led by Clara Zetkin, demanded that March 8th be recognized as International Women's Day, celebrated annually to recognize the contributions of working women worldwide. This celebration has since inspired significant historical events, including the general strike that sparked the Russian Revolution in St. Petersburg in 1917 when 10,000 women textile workers demonstrated.
Thanks to the history of women organizing globally, IWD was officially recognized by the United Nations as a day to celebrate women's contributions to all societies.
In the Philippines, the Women's Month Celebration highlights women's achievements and addresses ongoing and emerging issues related to women's empowerment and gender equality. The celebration focuses on concrete activities that align with national and international instruments and treaties, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Platform for Action, the Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development (1995-2025), the Framework Plan for Women, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Legal Manedates
The celebration of National Women's Month is supported by the following legal mandates:
Proclamation No. 224 s. 1988, signed by former President Corazon C. Aquino on March 1, 1988, declared the first week of March as Women's Week and March 8 of every year as Women's Rights and International Peace Day. This proclamation demonstrated our solidarity with the United Nations and recognized Filipino women's contributions to the struggle for national independence, civil liberties, equality, and human rights.
Proclamation No. 227 s. 1988, signed by President Aquino on March 17, 1988, provided for the observance of the Month of March as "Women's Role in History Month." This proclamation reinforced the earlier one by highlighting the role of Filipino women in social, cultural, economic, and political development throughout our history. It mandated a month-long nationwide observance with appropriate ceremonies and activities to be spearheaded by the Commission.
R.A. 6949 s. 1990, signed by President Aquino on April 10, 1990, declared March 8 of every year as a special working holiday to be known as National Women's Day. This law further strengthened the impetus for the celebration by enjoining employees from the government and private sector to participate in activities conducted by their offices.
2023-2028 Theme
The 2023 National Women's Month Celebration marks a significant turning point in the fight for women's rights, as it introduces a new recurring theme that will run from this year until 2028: "WE for Gender Equality and Inclusive Society." This theme serves as a call to action and renews our commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment. It builds on the gains achieved during the 2016-2022 theme, "WE Make CHANGE Work for Women," which emphasized the importance of collaboration and networks to achieve gender equality and women's empowerment.
The recurring theme is also aligned with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, which seeks to achieve deep economic and social transformation and to create more job opportunities while reducing poverty. The plan recognizes the importance of inclusive growth and aims to create an environment that provides equal opportunities for all Filipinos and equips them with the skills necessary to participate fully in a competitive global economy.
As we embark on this new era of the National Women's Month Celebration, we do so with hope and ambition, knowing that WE are all for gender equality and WE are all for an inclusive society.
WE support women and all people and emphasize the role of women themselves and all people in the pursuit of gender equality. KITA also means women's empowerment, which can only be achieved when institutions, mechanisms, institutions, private partners and duty bearers from national to local levels offer equal rights and opportunities to women and women use these opportunities to develop themselves. With women and everyone working together, WE can achieve gender equality.
gender equality. Gender equality is the first part of GEWE's commitment and a top priority when we defend women's rights. The theme therefore is a call for urgent action to redouble efforts to achieve this absolute goal. According to the Global Gender Gap Report, at the current level of progress, closing the global gender gap is only 68.1%, it will take 132 years to achieve global gender equality, a significant difference from the 99.5 years in the 2020 report. Therefore, this means that none of us, or likely many of our children, will ever experience gender equality in our lives. But all hope is not lost, because our right to gender equality today applies to a better and more inclusive tomorrow, if not for generations to come.
The term gender equality also begins with the word "for", which means our call on women and all to vote yes, take action and promote equality and inclusion.
Inclusive society. This is a call not only for a gender-sensitive society but also for an inclusive society. A society that erases SOGIE, class, ability, generation, status and cultural differences; a society in which every individual plays an active role with rights and obligations. Equality and inclusion go hand in hand in GEWE's commitment.
In Europe, the Socialist Women's International, led by Clara Zetkin, demanded that March 8th be recognized as International Women's Day, celebrated annually to recognize the contributions of working women worldwide. This celebration has since inspired significant historical events, including the general strike that sparked the Russian Revolution in St. Petersburg in 1917 when 10,000 women textile workers demonstrated.
Thanks to the history of women organizing globally, IWD was officially recognized by the United Nations as a day to celebrate women's contributions to all societies.
In the Philippines, the Women's Month Celebration highlights women's achievements and addresses ongoing and emerging issues related to women's empowerment and gender equality. The celebration focuses on concrete activities that align with national and international instruments and treaties, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Platform for Action, the Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development (1995-2025), the Framework Plan for Women, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Legal Manedates
The celebration of National Women's Month is supported by the following legal mandates:
Proclamation No. 224 s. 1988, signed by former President Corazon C. Aquino on March 1, 1988, declared the first week of March as Women's Week and March 8 of every year as Women's Rights and International Peace Day. This proclamation demonstrated our solidarity with the United Nations and recognized Filipino women's contributions to the struggle for national independence, civil liberties, equality, and human rights.
Proclamation No. 227 s. 1988, signed by President Aquino on March 17, 1988, provided for the observance of the Month of March as "Women's Role in History Month." This proclamation reinforced the earlier one by highlighting the role of Filipino women in social, cultural, economic, and political development throughout our history. It mandated a month-long nationwide observance with appropriate ceremonies and activities to be spearheaded by the Commission.
R.A. 6949 s. 1990, signed by President Aquino on April 10, 1990, declared March 8 of every year as a special working holiday to be known as National Women's Day. This law further strengthened the impetus for the celebration by enjoining employees from the government and private sector to participate in activities conducted by their offices.
2023-2028 Theme
The 2023 National Women's Month Celebration marks a significant turning point in the fight for women's rights, as it introduces a new recurring theme that will run from this year until 2028: "WE for Gender Equality and Inclusive Society." This theme serves as a call to action and renews our commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment. It builds on the gains achieved during the 2016-2022 theme, "WE Make CHANGE Work for Women," which emphasized the importance of collaboration and networks to achieve gender equality and women's empowerment.
The recurring theme is also aligned with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, which seeks to achieve deep economic and social transformation and to create more job opportunities while reducing poverty. The plan recognizes the importance of inclusive growth and aims to create an environment that provides equal opportunities for all Filipinos and equips them with the skills necessary to participate fully in a competitive global economy.
As we embark on this new era of the National Women's Month Celebration, we do so with hope and ambition, knowing that WE are all for gender equality and WE are all for an inclusive society.
WE support women and all people and emphasize the role of women themselves and all people in the pursuit of gender equality. KITA also means women's empowerment, which can only be achieved when institutions, mechanisms, institutions, private partners and duty bearers from national to local levels offer equal rights and opportunities to women and women use these opportunities to develop themselves. With women and everyone working together, WE can achieve gender equality.
gender equality. Gender equality is the first part of GEWE's commitment and a top priority when we defend women's rights. The theme therefore is a call for urgent action to redouble efforts to achieve this absolute goal. According to the Global Gender Gap Report, at the current level of progress, closing the global gender gap is only 68.1%, it will take 132 years to achieve global gender equality, a significant difference from the 99.5 years in the 2020 report. Therefore, this means that none of us, or likely many of our children, will ever experience gender equality in our lives. But all hope is not lost, because our right to gender equality today applies to a better and more inclusive tomorrow, if not for generations to come.
The term gender equality also begins with the word "for", which means our call on women and all to vote yes, take action and promote equality and inclusion.
Inclusive society. This is a call not only for a gender-sensitive society but also for an inclusive society. A society that erases SOGIE, class, ability, generation, status and cultural differences; a society in which every individual plays an active role with rights and obligations. Equality and inclusion go hand in hand in GEWE's commitment.