Celebrate International Women’s Day (March 8, 2011)

I am proud to be a woman. There are many accomplishments to be proud of with regard to developments on women’s rights but at the same time, there are still a lot more issues to address especially in other parts of the world, where these rights are still oppressed. Being a woman, and having two daughters, I feel so strongly about these rights. I believe we are lucky to be living in this period of time where women have achieved so  much and are well-respected in a lot of aspects in life. Women who lived long ago weren’t so lucky. 

It is for that reason that I think we should do what we can to continue to protect and uphold these rights for the sake of the future generation of women. This is exactly what the International Women’s Day is all about. It is held every year on March 8 all around the world in order to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women. This year’s United Nationa’s theme is Equal Access to Education, Training and Science and Technology: Pathway to Decent Work for Women. Each celebrating country may have a different theme and may celebrate in any way they want. For more information on the participating countries and on their various events click here.

Here in the Philippines, various women’s groups will be celebrating this occasion with the following events, as copied from the International Women’s Day website:

Date & time: 04 March 2011 18.00 to 19.00

Event: PACO PARK PRESENTS

About:

Every Friday at 6pm. Free Admission. March is Women’s Month. Featured Performers: March 4 – Kamalapina Women in Media Theater Collective; March 11 – Syrinx Flute Quartet; March 18 – “Kundiman Night with Peping de Leon and Eddie Suarez”; and March 25 – “Singer, poet, teacher and artist Marlene Aguilar, In Focus”.

Venue:

Historic Paco Park in San Marcelino, Manila, Manila, 1000

National Parks Development Committee: A government agency, under the umbrella of the Department of Tourism, which is primarily tasked to maintain the country’s premiere national park – the Rizal Park, Paco Park and Pook Ni Mariang Makiling in Los Banos, Laguna.

Date & time: 06 March 2011 18.00

End date: 27 March 2011 18.00

Event: CONCERT AT THE PARK

About:

A Free concert every Sunday at 6pm. March is Women’s Month with the following performing artists/groups paying tribute to women: March 6 -Hiyas ng Bulacan Provincial Band with Chito Sacdalan, conductor; March 13 – “Sais Anos” (A celebration of Traditional and Choreographed Philippine Dances)featuring Sanlahi Pangkat Mananayaw of the Perpetual Help System Dalta Las Pinas City; March 20 – Calamba City Band, under the music direction of Prof. Hermie Ranera; and “Dolls” featuring the Vella Damian School of Ballet performers.

Venue:

Rizal Park Open-Air Auditorium, Rizal Park, Manila, Philippines, Manila, 1000

Organisation:

National Parks Development Committee: A Philippine government agency, under the umbrella of the Department of Tourism, which is tasked to maintain the country’s premiere national park – the Rizal Park, Paco Park and the Pook ni Mariang Makiling in Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines. The present Executive Director is Ms. Juliet H. Villegas.

Date & time: 07 March 2011 5.30 to 8.00

Event: WOMEN’S JOGGING EVENT FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

About:

An activity aimed to accentuate the need for the Reproductive Health to be passed into law. This will take the form of a jogging event to emphasize that reproductive health is a part of our right to health as it is anchored on reproductive rights

Venue:

Avenida Rizal to Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila

Organisation:

KAISA KA (Unity of Women for Freedom): Transformational,internationalist, grassroots-based, multi-sector women’s organization working for the emancipation of Women and for societal change.

Date & time: 08 March 2011 9.00 to 12.00

Event: WOMEN’S MARCH

About:

Various women’s organizations gathered by the World March of Women-Philippines will march different women’s issues in the Philippines. The theme is KKK (initials in Pilipino of issues as security, health atnd control over women’s bodies) not PPP (initials of government’s neo-liberal program)

Venue:

March from the corner of Blumentritt St. and Espana to the part of the street called Mendiola in front of the Presidential Palace, Manila

Organisation:

World March of Women-Philippines: Part of the international organization with its center in Brazil. in the Philippines, members are women’s organizations for gender equality, advancing women’s rights and social change.