Marhaba (\u0645\u0631\u062d\u0628\u0627) ! Today, I would like to say congratulations (\u062a\u0647\u0627\u0646\u064a) to every woman (\u0625\u0645\u0631\u0623\u0629) on the glorious (\u0645\u062c\u064a\u062f) occasion of \u2018International Women\u2019s Day (IWD)\u2019 (\u0627\u0644\u064a\u0648\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a \u0644\u0644\u0645\u0631\u0623\u0629). Every year on March 8, women from the around the globe celebrate this day by taking stock of the different social (\u0627\u062c\u062a\u0645\u0627\u0639\u064a\u0629), political (\u0633\u064a\u0627\u0633\u064a\u0629) and economic (\u0627\u0642\u062a\u0635\u0627\u062f\u064a\u0629) achievements (\u0627\u0644\u0625\u0646\u062c\u0627\u0632\u0627\u062a) made since 1909. Some historians even trace this holiday back to 1857, when a group of female workers in the textile (\u0646\u0633\u064a\u062c) industry decided to collectively stage a protest (\u0627\u062d\u062a\u062c\u0627\u062c) in New York City against devastating working conditions (\u0638\u0631\u0648\u0641 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0645\u0644 \u0627\u0644\u0633\u064a\u0626\u0629) and low wages.<\/p>\n
International Women\u2019s Day originally began as a Socialist (\u0625\u0634\u062a\u0631\u0627\u0643\u064a) political event, largely involving countries from Eastern Europe. In fact, IWD was first observed on February 28, 1909 in the United States of America following a historic declaration by the Socialist Party of America. More importantly, in 1977, the UN officially recognized IWD as a day for women\u2019s rights (\u062d\u0642\u0648\u0642 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0631\u0623\u0629) and world peace (\u0627\u0644\u0633\u0644\u0627\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a). Like other UN Holidays<\/a>, the United Nations designates International Women\u2019s Day as a day of social and political awareness (\u0648\u0639\u064a) that introduces every human being to the constant struggles of women at home, the workplace or in society at large.<\/p>\n Every year the UN celebrates IWD based on a certain theme. For 2013, the UN theme for IWD is \u2018a promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women.\u2019 (\u0627\u0644\u0648\u0639\u062f \u0647\u0648 \u0627\u0644\u0648\u0639\u062f: \u0627\u0644\u0648\u0642\u062a \u0644\u0644\u0639\u0645\u0644 \u0645\u0646 \u0623\u062c\u0644 \u0625\u0646\u0647\u0627\u0621 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0646\u0641 \u0636\u062f \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0631\u0623\u0629). In turn, the IWD have their own yearly theme and for 2013 it is: The Gender Agenda:<\/a> Gaining Momentum. Due to the extreme importance of IWD, in some countries, such as Armenia, Cambodia, Cuba, Georgia, Russia and others, IWD is an official public holiday (\u0625\u062c\u0627\u0632\u0629 \u0639\u0627\u0645\u0629). While in other countries, like Romania, Serbia and others, IWD is not a public holiday.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Countries in the Middle East and North Africa are no exception to honoring and celebrating International Women\u2019s Day. From Egypt to Saudi Arabia to Lebanon and Afghanistan, many women make use of this holiday and other days throughout the year to voice their dissatisfaction with political and social systems that deny (\u062a\u0646\u0643\u0631) them their basic human rights.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since 2011 with the advent of the Arab uprisings (\u0627\u0644\u0627\u0646\u062a\u0641\u0627\u0636\u0627\u062a \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0631\u0628\u064a\u0629) and many years before these momentous changes that swept across the Middle East and North Africa, women in the Arab world are struggling to shake the foundations of archaic patriarchal systems that segregate (\u062a\u0641\u0635\u0644) men and women in public places and provide unequal treatment to women in their workplaces, judicial and religious courts (\u0627\u0644\u0645\u062d\u0627\u0643\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u062f\u064a\u0646\u064a\u0629), and at home. Women feel as if they are being treated as second class citizens and are collectively voicing their concerns by staging protests throughout different Arab cities.<\/p>\n Regardless of their different cultural, social or religious backgrounds, all women around the world gather to remember and recognize their struggles across the years in achieving their equal social and political rights. They know that their path to achieving their goals is an uneasy one and will undoubtedly face several hurdles. Nevertheless, their resilience and determination will allow them to persevere and one day achieve what they have been fighting to gain since a very long time. In a nutshell, the struggle is about achieving basic and equal human rights. It is not a dream and should not be perceived as one. Starting with my wife, I ask every lady following this blog to inform and remind both her male and female friends of this important day through dedicating some time to discuss, read more or learn more about the different and noble struggles of women across the years.<\/p>\n