INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2008

March 8, 2008

Strong Women, Strong World

In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on member states to proclaim a day for women's rights and international peace. Following the United Nations' lead, Canada chose March 8 as International Women's Day.
Every year since 1977, Canadians have marked International Women's Day by celebrating progress toward women's full participation, reflecting on the challenges and barriers that remain, and considering future steps to achieving equality for all women, in all aspects of their lives. International Women's Day provides an opportunity to celebrate the collective power of women - past, present and future.
Over time, International Women's Day has grown into a week-long series of commemorative events and activities across the country.

This year, International Women's Week begins on Sunday, March 2, and culminates in International Women's Day celebrations on Saturday, March 8.

We encourage all Canadians - women and men, girls and boys - to promote International Women's Day / International Women's Week by sharing this promotional material with others. Better yet, why not organize your own International Women's Day / International Women's Week event in your community, organization, workplace or school?

THEME

Canada's theme for International Women's Day / International Women's Week 2008 is (IWD /IWW 2008) Strong Women, Strong World.
This theme draws in part from one of the fundamental beliefs underlying the modern women's movement, that "a woman's place in society marks the level of civilization of that society." This refers not only to the empowerment of women as a means to bring about positive and fundamental social change but to the critical roles that women play as leaders, policy-makers, caregivers, educators, and international peacemakers. The theme also draws from the fact that empowered women can, and do, play a fundamental role in current and future efforts to preserve and protect the world's natural environment.
As the IWD / IWW 2008 theme, Strong Women, Strong World, makes clear, when we empower women, we secure a brighter future for everyone.

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE

To assist you in organizing an IWW / IWW 2008 activity, or simply to raise awareness of this year’s theme, Status of Women Canada has prepared the following products:
Bilingual Poster, IWD / IWW 2008Strong Women: Strong World - Des femmes fortes font la force du mondeView Description of Poster in HTML (Web page)View the Poster in Acrobat® 5* (36 KB, 1 page)
Logo to create a Web linkIf you want to promote IWD / IWW 2008 on your Web site, you can create a link to this page by downloading the following logo. Simply right-mouse-click on the image and save your copy now!
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STATUS OF WOMEN IN CANADA