Will the day off on March 8 be canceled in Ukraine: what was decided

International Women's Day, celebrated annually on March 8, originated in the early 20th century during mass protests for women's rights held in the United States. Back then, women demanded shorter working hours, higher wages and the right to vote.

In August 1910, Clara Zetkin, an activist of German Social-Democrats, proposed the establishment of an International Day for the Struggle for Women's Equality and Emancipation at a conference in Copenhagen. The following year, in 1911, this day was first celebrated in Germany, Austria-Hungary, Denmark and Switzerland, but no specific date was established.

Only in 1975, the UN General Assembly declared March 8 a day to celebrate women's achievements.

Read also: Happy upcoming March 8 holiday! Beautiful pictures and greeting cards for colleagues

Meanwhile, Ukraine decided to cancel the day off on March 8. Initially, a number of people's deputies of the Verkhovna Rada came forward with such an initiative. They registered a draft law on amendments to the Labor Code of Ukraine regarding the establishment of Ukrainian holidays.

With this document, the deputies plan to abolish the celebration of International Women's Day on March 8 at the state level. Elected officials plan to establish a new holiday dedicated to women on February 25 - they propose to celebrate the Day of the Ukrainian Woman on this day..

"So far, March 8, the so-called "International Women's Day" established by the occupying Moscow regime to popularize their view on the role and place of women, is still defined as a day off at the state level. It was introduced on the initiative of Clara Zetkin in 1921, with reference to the beginning of the February Revolution in Russia in 1917. We consider it more appropriate to celebrate "the Day of the Ukrainian Woman" on the birthday of the famous Ukrainian writer and civil activist Lesya Ukrainka, namely February 25, and in March, it is necessary to celebrate the memory of Great Kobzar Taras Shevchenko on his birthday, March 9," the draft law says.

In particular, the bill proposes to amend the Labor Code of Ukraine to establish Ukrainian holidays, viz:

• February 25 - the Day of the Ukrainian Woman (Ukrainian Woman's Day) (Ukrainka Day) - Lesya Ukrainka's birthday;
• March 9 - Shevchenko Day - Taras Shevchenko's birthday;
• the second Sunday of May is Mother's Day.

The other day, the "Diia" app even launched a vote on whether to cancel the day off on March 8. As the Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, said, "there are two options - to leave it as an official day off or to make it a working day."

The poll will last until March 6. Everyone can vote. Users are asked to choose:

• This day should be a working day
• Keep it a day off
• Can't decide

The results will be available after the voting is complete.

How to vote: you need to log in to the "Diia" app, select the "Services" category and click "Poll". Instructions are here.

Note that this year, March 8 will be a regular working day, as martial law has been declared in Ukraine.

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