Women's Equality Day 2023: History Of The Day, Why It Is Celebrated

Women's Equality Day is celebrated on August 26 to highlight the achievements made by women in various fields. The day also aims to bring to the fore the struggles women have faced to win equal rights.

Date

Women's Equality Day is marked primarily in the US on August 26 annually. It was on this day in 1920 when women in the US were granted the right to vote after decades of hardships and advocacy.

History

Women's Equality Day was first celebrated on August 26, 1971. Since then, it has been proclaimed each year by the president of the US. Richard Nixon was the first US President to issue an official proclamation.

The idea to mark the day stems from the years of protests and demonstrations by women to achieve equal rights in terms of social status and opportunities. The first such protest by women for equal rights was held at the world's first Women's Rights Convention in 1848 in New York State.

In 1971, a bill was introduced by women's rights activist and United States Congress Representative Bella Abzug to declare August 26 as Women's Equality Day. This had come after the ‘strike for equality' protest by women to mark the 50th anniversary of the 19th Amendment.

The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted in 1920 giving all American women the right to vote. It prohibits the US states and federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens on the basis of gender.

In 1973, the 37th President of the United States Richard Nixon formally recognised August 26 as Women's Equality Day.  

US President's proclamation

“This year, we also mark the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the Equal Rights Amendment.  It is long past time to definitively enshrine the principle of gender equality in the Constitution, and I will continue to fight for the Equal Rights Amendment as I have throughout my career,” said US President Joe Biden. 

“Together we can and must build a future where our daughters have all the same rights and opportunities as our sons, where all women and girls have a chance to realise their God-given potential, and where we can finally realise the full promise of America for all Americans.  May we be a Nation worthy of the abilities and ambitions of our women and girls,” the president added.

Significance

Women's Equality Day is observed to remind us of the journey that women have covered to win equal opportunities and status. It not only commemorates the Nineteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution but also aims to highlight the remarkable feats women have achieved in various fields including science and technology, arts, and law, among others. The day also serves as an opportunity to raise awareness about several issues including women empowerment, education of women, gender-based violence, and abortion rights.