Imphal: Bharat Vikas Parishad (BVP), Manipur Prant observed the International Women’s Day 2021 on the theme “Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world” Monday at Nexa, Chingmeirong, Imphal.
Superintendent of Police, Bishnupur District, Priyadarshini Laishram, National Vice-President, BVP Dr S Rajendra Singh and Medical Superintendent, 50 Bedded Ayush Hospital, Lamphel Dr Ng Mema Devi attended the observance as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.
Delivering the keynote address, H Joybi Devi said that 100 years ago, women had no place in society and even in family. They didn’t have the right to vote. They did not hold any post both in the government and private sector. There was a huge agitation in 1907 at USA for women’s right.
BVP Manipur Prant is rendering many activities particularly for the welfare of women and children of the state. It has organised a series of Awareness and Free Medical Camps in different areas of Manipur starting from February 2020 and poster campaigns on Anemia free Manipur, she added.
As part of the observance, Oinam Laibi Devi of Pangei Bazar, ImphaL East was felicitated for her courageous service as a lady Auto Driver. Oinam Laibi Devi dropped a COVID-19 (negative) patient to her home at Kamjong, Ukhrul District when most of the male drivers were reluctant to do so due to COVID-19 pandemic.
It may be mentioned that after the Socialist Party of America organized a Women’s Day in New York City on February 28, 1909, German delegates Clara Zetkin, Käte Duncker, Paula Thiede and others proposed at the 1910 International Socialist Woman’s Conference that “a special Women’s Day” be organized annually. After women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia in 1917, March 8 became a national holiday there. The day was then predominantly celebrated by the socialist movement and communist countries until it was adopted by the feminist movement in about 1967. The United Nations began celebrating the day in 1977.
