环球英语 — 306：Girl Power

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Hello. I’m Marina Santee.

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And I’m Peter Laverock. Welcome to Spotlight 1. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

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Have you heard the saying, ‘girl power?’ It was very popular at the time of the Spice Girls. This music group was the first of many successful all girl groups in the late nineties. People began to speak of ‘girl power.’ Most people just used the name in a fun way. But empowering women is also a very real and serious issue. It is an issue that people think about particularly during this month of March. March the eighth is International Women’s Day. In today’s ‘Spotlight’ we begin by looking at some of the history behind this international event.

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Women’s Day began at a time of great social crisis 2, in the early nineteen hundreds. At this time, women started to enter paid work. They worked mainly in cloth factories. The women worked for low pay. And the working conditions were very poor. At this time trade unions were developing. Soon industrial disputes 3 began. In much of Europe the early signs of a revolution were there.

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At the same time, women in the United States were also claiming the right to vote. The Socialist 4 Political Party formed a women’s national committee. This group called for the party to give one day each year to women. On this day, women would work to improve the conditions for women. National Woman’s Day began the following year, in 1909. By this time, there were mass strikes in protest 5 of the poor treatment of women factory workers.

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In the year 1910, many American women joined in the protests 6 of Women’s Day. Later that year, chosen women went to the International Conference of Socialist Women in Copenhagen in Denmark. They planned to suggest that Women’s Day become an international event.

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But women in other places were also pushing against the political restrictions 7 around them. They fought for a right to vote. In Europe, two of the main activists 8 for this were Clara Zetkin and Alexandra Kollontai. These women played an important part in the history of International Women’s Day.

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Clara Zetkin was a German socialist leader. She already had a proposal 9 to put to the Conference of Socialist Women. She proposed 10 that women throughout the world should unite in the struggle for their rights. They should do this on a particular day each year. Over 100 women from 17 countries attended the conference. They approved the idea. The result was International Women’s Day. Many countries celebrated 11 the first International Women’s Day on March the eighth, 1911. The day centred on a universal right for women to vote.

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Much later, in 1975, the United Nations began celebrating March the eighth as International Women’s Day. Two years later, they urged countries to set aside a day to encourage women’s rights and international peace.

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Every year countries hold different events to celebrate the successes of women. Different groups and organisations support the day. Communities and governments also give their support. Here are just some of the ways that countries celebrate Women’s Day.

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In Mali, women have the day off work. Women’s groups organise 13 debates on women’s issues. These include women’s rights, conflicts and education. Throughout the day, television shows talk about women’s issues. At night, people celebrate with parties.

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In Kenya, all through the day women attend different conferences. Women’s groups aim to give more economic power to women. Women successfully manage projects. These include water projects, farming and small businesses. The newspapers report stories of successful women. These women are people who have made a difference in the country in some way. They may have influenced the countries politics or economy. Or they may have had a good effect on people through their jobs.

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People use two signs to celebrate International Women’s Day - bread and roses. This seems like an unusual combination 14. A kind of flower, a rose - and bread! The bread represents women’s struggle for economic equality. It represents freedom from hunger. And the roses represent women’s continuing efforts for a better quality of life.

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One person working hard to gain a better quality of life for women is Dr. Musimbi Kanvoro. People all over the world know this woman for her public speaking and writing. She works 15 to train people on issues that affect young women. She is the General Secretary of the World YWCA - Young Women’s Christian 16 Association 17. This international organisation 12 works in over one hundred countries. The group is founded on its Christian faith. They put this faith into action. They call for justice, women’s rights and peace.

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Each local YWCA is a community-based group. Women manage different projects to help the community and their families run them.

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One of the local projects in Egypt is an education-based programme for girls. The aim is to teach the local women of Assuit to read and write. The YWCA of Assuit developed the project. They did this after discussions 18 with the local women. The training programme includes health care, family planning and education.

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YWCA programmes change to meet the needs of the women in their particular community. The work of the YWCA group can include training, housing 19 for the homeless and shelter for victims of violence. They work in countries all over the world. The YWCA of America states as one of its purposes,

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‘The movement, grounded in the Christian faith as known in Jesus, seeks to react to the barrier-breaking love of God in this day. The association brings together into responsible membership 20 women of different experiences and faiths.’

‘Together they join the struggle for peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all people.’

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The YWCA and others struggle for justice and peace throughout the year. On International Women’s Day, they call for other women to stand with them in their struggle. They call for people to take every chance to work for peace. They believe that together, they will succeed.