International Women's Day 2010

International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated every year on March 8th. The day was created in 1911 in order to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, IWD is a national holiday.

BCCIC, in partnership with the Working Group to End Global Poverty and a number of different organizations in British Columbia, will be celebrating IWD on Saturday, March 6th with a public rally and conference called "Women's Voices at the Table".

The half-day kicks off with a noon rally at the Vancouver Art Gallery where participants will be treated to live musical performances and messages of solidarity from both local and international women speakers. The “Women’s Voices at the Table” conference follows at 1:30 pm in the Alice McKay Room of the Vancouver Public Library. Conference attendees will discuss a wide variety of issues related to women’s rights and gender equality, culminating in proposals that local women want heeded when Canadian leaders meet with their world counterparts at the G/8 and G/20. “We have made great strides towards gender equality here in Canada,” say conference organizers, “but there are needs yet to be met, so women want our voices heard at the table when important issues that impact us are discussed.”

Topics to be addressed at the “Women’s Voices at the Table” conference include: access to justice, labour rights, indigenous women, and climate change & food security, among others. There will be refreshments and live music at the conference.

Learn more at www.iwdvancouver.ca/ and be sure to join BCCIC this Saturday, March 6, to show your support for women around the world.