If you’re looking for a special gift to celebrate the amazing women in your life this International Women’s Day then look no further! Our gorgeous paper flowers put a fresh spin on the time-old tradition of giving blooms on 8 March. Each expertly handcrafted by women affected by domestic abuse, they directly support women rebuilding their lives through employment and new opportunities.
Before that, though, here’s a brief recap on how International Women’s Day came to be - and why flowers make the perfect present! You can also order our exclusive International Women's Day Bouquet here
The History of International Women’s Day
The seeds for today’s International Women’s Day were sown on 28 February 1909, when the Socialist Party of America organised a march through New York City to commemorate the previous year’s garment workers’ strike. Calling for better pay, improved workplace conditions, as well as the right to vote, it was called ‘National Women’s Day.’
The following year in Copenhagen, the International Conference of Working Women agreed to an international day for women to serve as a platform for rights spanning work, the vote, and ascension to public office. To that end, in 1911, the very first International Women’s Day was marked in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland!
Although still without a fixed date, the movement was gathering pace. On the first day of the Russian Revolution - 8 March, 1917, according to the yet-to-be-adopted Gregorian calendar - women in the capital of Petrograd held marches and strikes protesting food shortages. Days later, the provisional government put in place after the overthrowing of the tsar gave women the right to vote.
International Women’s Day quickly spread to predominantly Communist countries. Take China, where it landed in China in 1922, and, on the Communist Party’s ascent to power in 1949, became a national holiday for women, who still enjoy a half day off work today.
By the 1960s, International Women’s Day was being adopted throughout the Western world by Second-wave Feminists, who campaigned against ongoing inequalities faced by women from reproductive rights and divorce laws, to domestic violence.
It was against this backdrop in 1975 that the United Nations officially observed International Women’s Day during what was International Women’s Year, paving the way for today’s global celebration of women and our rights.
International Women’s Day Today
In 2022, the theme for International Women’s Day is Break the Bias. it’s a day to celebrate the undeniable progress made in terms of women’s rights - but also take stock of the significant hurdles and discrimination yet to overcome.
The UK is no exception. In particular, violence against women both at home and in public is ongoing. According to statistics shared by Refuge, a UK charity supporting women and children who have experienced various forms of violence, almost one in three women aged between 16 and 59 will suffer domestic abuse in her lifetime. More tragic still, two women are killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales every week.
As well as celebrating the inspiring women in our lives, March 8 marks an opportunity to kickstart positive action at all levels. That includes government, workplaces, schools, and at home. What more can be done to protect women’s fundamental right to safety, as well as challenge attitudes that condone continued violence against women and girls?
How countries and individuals mark International Women’s Day varies enormously. But regardless of protests or marches, hashtags or holidays, or even commercial activities, one simple step we can all take is to support women-focused businesses, social enterprises, and organisations.
If that’s not reason enough to check out our bloomin’ beautiful selection of International Women’s Day flowers, all of which are handcrafted by women rebuilding their lives after domestic violence, then read on to discover why flowers are an ideal gift this March.
Flowers for International Women’s Day
Giving flowers for International Women’s Day is a long-held tradition in several parts of the world. In Russia in particular, as well as the constituent states of the former Yugoslavia including Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia, bosses will present roses to female employees, boys to their teachers, and children to mothers.
And elsewhere, in Italy, the Festa della Donna is marked by the exchange of mimosa flowers: identified by Italian feminists as a symbol of strength and sensitivity in the aftermath of World War 2, anecdotally, they’re also the first flowers of Spring to bloom.
Why Page & Bloom?
Page & Bloom is proud to put a new spin on giving flowers for International Women’s Day. Our paper flowers aren’t only a beautiful token of admiration for the amazing ladies in your life, they also support women who have experienced precisely the abuse the day aims to highlight, address, and stop.
A social enterprise, we support women affected by domestic abuse through employment. On leaving a refuge, women are referred to us by the domestic abuse charities with whom we work. We provide free training to our makers, who are then paid to make the beautiful blooms we sell. We also run regular flower making workshops for residents of domestic violence shelters. If you would like more information about accessing our training, experience and employment opportunities, you can email training@pageandbloom.com
We have a special range of paper flowers just for International Women’s Day, each one made from books by inspirational women writers. Look out for them soon on Instagram - and why not get in touch to let us know which writers you think we should be featuring this year?
This March, support women and speak out against domestic abuse by giving flowers for International Women’s Day.
Take a look at our special edition International Women's Day bouquet here.
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