Latest news with #NationalWomen'sDay
The South African
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The South African
South Africa's next public holiday in THIS WEEK
While South Africans are currently enjoying a long weekend, the good news is that the next public holiday in mere days away! Those who like to diarise days off work will no doubt know that the next day off work is Thursday, 1 May. That will be Workers' Day. Originally born from the protracted struggle for workers' rights and social justice of the late 1800s, Workers' Day has been an international holiday in many countries since 1891. In South Africa, Workers' Day has been officially recognised and observed since the first democratic elections in 1994. The holiday serves both as a celebration of workers' rights and as a reminder of the critical role that trade unions, the Communist Party and other labour organisations played in the fight against apartheid. Workers' Day in South Africa holds its own cultural significance, as the public holiday has come to signify not only the sacrifices made on the long road toward fair employment standards but also the bitter battle against apartheid in which trade and labour unions played a key role. Because South Africa's working classes were those most oppressed by apartheid, the struggle for better working conditions and the struggle to overthrow systemic segregation became closely linked. Before the elections of 1994, labour and trade groups often used Workers' Day as a symbol to rally the population against the segregation and oppression of the apartheid system, organising demonstrations and encouraging widespread resistance. Although South Africans will enjoy one fewer public holiday in 2025, there will be more long weekends this year than in 2024. Mzansi had 14 public holidays in 2024. Included in that number were two 'extra' days thanks to Voting day on Wednesday, 29 May, and an observation day for Youth Day, which fell on a Sunday (16 June) this year. However, in 2025 there will only be one 'extra' public holiday for Freedom Day (Sunday, 27 April) meaning that Monday, 28 April (today) will be a holiday. There will be no Voting day (that we are aware of …) This means that South Africa will have 13 days of public holidays this year, but only 12 will be actual days off work. Of course, the fewer days off, the better for business in the country. Working South Africans will not get a day off to celebrate National Women's Day in 2025 because the public holiday falls on Saturday, 9 August. The Public Holidays Act (Act No 36 of 1994) determines that whenever any public holiday falls on a Sunday , the Monday following it will also be a public holiday. However, for public holidays that fall on a Saturday , it's just a 'normal' weekend day. The exciting news is that there are FIVE long weekends in 2025. The first was thanks to Human Rights Day on Friday, 21 March which gave South Africans 21-23 March off. The second was the Easter weekend with a four-day 18-21 April break to enjoy your chocolate. The third is thanks to Freedom Day falling on Sunday, 27 April, meaning Monday, 28 April is a holiday – and another three-day weekend. Monday, 16 June (Youth Day) will mean another three-day long weekend in mid-year, while the fifth and final long weekend in another four-day one with Christmas and the Day of Goodwill (Boxing Day) falling on a Thursday and Friday, respectively. Diarise the following public holidays in 2025 and plan your vacations accordingly! Wednesday, 1 January: New Year's Day Friday, 21 March: Human Rights Day Friday, 18 April: Good FridayMonday, 21 April: Family Day Sunday, 27 April: Freedom Day
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The power remains with the people as we speak up
Last Saturday I celebrated National Women's Day with hundreds of citizens from the Sixth Congressional District, participating in a town hall with Congresswoman Emily Randall. The community participation far exceeded the venue capacity of 300 people at the Olympic College theater, resulting in a subsequent Town Hall discussion with an additional 300 people, who were willing to wait more than an hour to participate. It's clear that the people of the Sixth Congressional District realize that there are big problems happening in the other Washington that impact everyone living here. As I listened to stories of veterans, federal employees, service members, students and retirees, the urgency in the room was palpable. Our community is gravely concerned by the immediate and future impact of decisions made by executive action and Congressional inaction. I hope that our community continues to stay engaged and willing to share stories with the power to effect change. The power of a democratic republic lies with the people, by design. I encourage my community to continue speaking up about the impact of legislative decisions before any more rights are removed. I am grateful to live in a community that cares deeply about the needs and rights of all people and hope that more elected officials will intentionally listen to citizens, here and nationally. The diversity of our voices is important. Laura Rarig Pugh, Bremerton This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Community participation in Kitsap shows power of democracy | Letters
CBS News
09-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
San Francisco Women's Day protestors express concerns with Trump administration
On Sunday, across the world, people were observing International Women's Day with protests and marches to bring light to issues facing women. But this year, in San Francisco, the concerns were for the nation in general, as the Trump administration continues its crusade to remake America. As women and their supporters marched around Union Square, the issues being forwarded this year had a broader feel than usual. A protestor named Theresa explained how the rally differed from those of the past. "The Women's March is an annual event where women come together to protest and to protect women's rights and to make certain that the world is aware of the issues going on in our democracy currently," she said. "And so, all of that is being undermined at this time and we want to make our voices heard." Most of those voices were aimed squarely at President Trump, who Sarah Allan from Sebastopol referred to, derisively, as "45." "And they need the vocal support of each of us to make as much noise as we can, and demonstrate that '45' does not have a mandate to be a dictator," she told the crowd through a bullhorn. "Now, we decide how we will respond to this existential threat to our country, to our families, to our lives." "With what's happening for women in general, National Women's Day is hugely important," said Gail Hoben from Sunnyvale. "But in the face of all of the horrific, really hateful things, destructive things, that are going on, it's even more powerful." There were those who came out to support women in their fight to preserve reproductive rights, including some men from a group called Project Jericho. "We're all brothers, we're all sons, we're all someone who has a woman in our lives," said Zacary Shuaib. "Women are dying in parking lots because they're not able to have medical treatment. It's not right." But for many, it was not so much about preserving a specific right, as saving a country. "This is what democracy looks like," roared the protestors. But not everyone was feeling hopeless. Carole Seligman said she felt the threat but took solace in the size of the crowds turning out to protest. "We're in big danger. This is an openly fascistic people running the government," she said. "But this kind of thing is going on all over the country. So, there's a groundswell of resistance and opposition. And I'm very hopeful about that." It was the younger generation that was looking at past civil rights struggles to find hope for the future. "If those movements are in the past, then this movement will eventually be in the past because, if we keep fighting, we will get through it," said 17-year-old Grey Vasconcelos from San Francisco. "I think I have a lot of hope for the future," said her friend Lila Raj, "and all of us do, especially with our generation. I have faith that we have a stake in the future and we care enough to make that change that we want to see." It seems everyone wants change but America is bitterly divided over what that should be. Half of the nation's voices belong to women and nearly half of them voted for Mr. Trump. So, the fight may not be with one man but, rather, with ourselves.
Al Arabiya
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Zelenskyy resumes US talks, Trump delays tariffs and the race to the moon
In this episode of W News presented by Leigh Ann Gerrans, we're featuring an all-female lineup in honor of National Women's Day, bringing you the biggest global stories. We'll break down Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's plan to resume talks with the US next week in a renewed effort to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war. Plus, we'll explore former President Donald Trump's decision to postpone tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China until April 2 as negotiations continue. And finally, we'll speak with a retired female astronaut on the latest developments in the US-China space race to return astronauts to the moon. Dr. Cady Coleman - Retired Astronaut
Voice of America
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Voice of America
International Women's Day to accent push for gender parity
International Women's Day, March 8, is a day not only to celebrate women's achievements but also to train future advocates of gender equality. International Women's Day also shines a spotlight on issues important to women, such as access to reproductive health care and prevention of violence against women. Celebrating women's achievements "does not mean we can lose sight of how much still needs to be done" to gain gender parity, U.N. Women spokesperson Paloma Escudero told VOA. "Women remain far from equality in almost every sphere, and we can see that in the many wars and crises the world faces,' she said. 'It is always women who are impacted first and worst." The theme this year is "Accelerate Action" — a worldwide call to share "strategies, resources and activit[ies] that positively impact women's advancement, and to support and elevate their implementation," according to the International Women's Day website. The day's events will include rallies, fundraisers, lobbying sessions, performances and more around the world. Meanwhile, efforts continue to close the gender gap — the differences between men and women in areas such as politics, education and wages. A 2024 report by the World Economic Forum found that the world has closed 68.5% of the gender gap. At that pace, the report said, it would take about five generations to achieve full equality. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said recently, "From pushback to rollback, women's human rights are under attack." Women continue to face "age-old horrors – violence, discrimination and economic inequality," Guterres said, and they are now also facing "newer threats such as biased algorithms" that are "programming inequalities into online spaces, opening up new arenas of harassment and abuse." "Instead of mainstreaming equal rights, we're seeing the mainstreaming of misogyny," Guterres said. International Women's Day emerged from the labor movement and campaigns promoting women's rights in the U.S. more than a century ago. In 1909, the Socialist Party of America held the first National Women's Day, with meetings across the country about women's issues such as better pay, the right to vote and gender equality. Inspired by their American counterparts, the International Socialist Congress held the first International Women's Day in 1911 with meetings in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, with more than 1 million men and women in attendance. The United Nations officially recognized March 8 as International Women's Day in 1977. Svitlana Prystynska contributed to this report.
