UN recognises Aba women’s riot on World Women’s Day

The UN Women has recognised the Aba women’s riot of 1929
as a noteworthy women-led demonstration, which ignited the
revolution in the defence of women’s rights in
Nigeria.

“Incensed by their social standing under colonial rule, the Igbo
women send palm leaves, similar to today’s Facebook invite , to
their fellow sisters across Southeastern Nigeria.

“Together they descend in the thousands to ‘sit on’ or make ‘war
on’ undemocratically appointed chiefs by publicly shaming them
through singing, dancing, banging on their walls and even tearing
down roofs.

“Although the backlash against protests turn deadly, it
eventually forces the chiefs to resign and market tax impositions
on women to be dropped,” the UN Women said.

Marked annually on March 8, and under 2018 theme, “Time is Now:
Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women’s Lives”, events
around the world capture the vibrant work of women activists and
their mobilisation for change.

The first International Women’s Day in 1911 amassed more than
one million people across Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland
for women’s suffrage and labour rights.

According to UN Women, in its early years, the Day became a
mechanism to protest World War I.

Most notably, in Russia, a large women-led demonstration breaks
out demanding “bread and peace!” and four days later, the Czar
abdicated.

Now a Russian national holiday, the Day is what some historians
believe ignited the Russian Revolution.

Similarly, in 1920s in Egypt, a first Doctors stand up against
female genital mutilation (FGM) started, UN Women recalled.

In the first known campaign of its kind, the Egyptian Society of
Physicians went against tradition by declaring the negative health
effects of FGM, UN Women said.

A practice that at least 200 million women and girls alive today
have undergone, it took until the late 20th Century before the term
FGM was globally adopted and the practice explicitly classified as
a form of violence, it noted.

“Today, the UN, grassroots women’s movements, civil society and
others are working together to put an end to the practice, the UN
women’s agency said.

The UN Women has recognised the Aba women’s riot of 1929
as a noteworthy women-led demonstration, which ignited the
revolution in the defence of women’s rights in
Nigeria.

“Incensed by their social standing under colonial rule, the Igbo
women send palm leaves, similar to today’s Facebook invite , to
their fellow sisters across Southeastern Nigeria.

“Together they descend in the thousands to ‘sit on’ or make ‘war
on’ undemocratically appointed chiefs by publicly shaming them
through singing, dancing, banging on their walls and even tearing
down roofs.

“Although the backlash against protests turn deadly, it
eventually forces the chiefs to resign and market tax impositions
on women to be dropped,” the UN Women said.

Marked annually on March 8, and under 2018 theme, “Time is Now:
Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women’s Lives”, events
around the world capture the vibrant work of women activists and
their mobilisation for change.

The first International Women’s Day in 1911 amassed more than
one million people across Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland
for women’s suffrage and labour rights.

According to UN Women, in its early years, the Day became a
mechanism to protest World War I.

Most notably, in Russia, a large women-led demonstration breaks
out demanding “bread and peace!” and four days later, the Czar
abdicated.

Now a Russian national holiday, the Day is what some historians
believe ignited the Russian Revolution.

Similarly, in 1920s in Egypt, a first Doctors stand up against
female genital mutilation (FGM) started, UN Women recalled.

In the first known campaign of its kind, the Egyptian Society of
Physicians went against tradition by declaring the negative health
effects of FGM, UN Women said.

A practice that at least 200 million women and girls alive today
have undergone, it took until the late 20th Century before the term
FGM was globally adopted and the practice explicitly classified as
a form of violence, it noted.

“Today, the UN, grassroots women’s movements, civil society and
others are working together to put an end to the practice, the UN
women’s agency said.