Women’s Equality Day 2023: Date, history, significance and celebrations

Women’s Equality Day commemorates the historic moment in the United States when the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution was officially certified in 1920, granting women the right to vote and marked a significant milestone in the struggle for women’s rights and gender equality. Amendment XIX prohibits any US state and the federal government from denying the right to vote to any American citizens on the basis of sex.

Date:

Women’s Equality Day is observed on August 26 each year.

History:

American women in the early 19th century, couldn’t inherit property and earned half a man’s wages in any available job. This led to a demand for requisite political rights and representation for women.

By early 20th century, other countries including Finland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom had legalised voting for women as this movement swept across the world.

The 19th Amendment to the Constitution was first introduced in 1878 in the US but failed to gain traction at the time. It was only after women’s involvement in World War I effort that their contributions truly came to light and the women’s suffrage movement began gaining support.

Women’s rights groups also pointed out the discrepancy in the rules as on one hand, a fight for democracy in Europe was taking place, while rights were being denied to women on the other side of the world, in US.

A Constitutional amendment requires an approval from two-thirds of the states, hence 36 of them had to ratify the 19th amendment before its passage. The deciding vote came from Harry T. Burn in the Tennessee legislature, whose mother’s plea to support the amendment became a deciding factor.

On the 50th anniversary of the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment in the Constitution, the National Organisation for Women (NOW) had organised a nationwide ‘strike for equality’. Congresswoman Bella Abzug, also known as Batteling Bella, had then designated August 26 as Women’s Equality Day, following this strike.

The day was first celebrated in 1973, after Congress approved HJ Res 52. It stated, “the President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation in commemoration of that day in 1920 on which the women in America were first guaranteed the right to vote.”

Significance:

Women’s Equality Day commemorates the passage of women’s suffrage and reminds us of all the hurdles heroic women have overcome despite facing violence and discrimination in order to propel the women’s movement. It serves as a reminder of the hard-fought battle that suffragists waged for decades to secure voting rights for women and celebrates the progress made in advancing gender equality and women’s rights while reflecting on the ongoing challenges and work that remains to be done.

Celebrations:

On Women’s Equality Day, various events, seminars and discussions are organised to promote gender equality, women’s empowerment and to raise awareness about the importance of women’s participation in all aspects of society including politics, the workforce and leadership roles. It is also a time to acknowledge the contributions of women throughout history and in contemporary society.