By Megan Jungwi

Guatemala is a third world country holding some of the poorest women in Central America. Most Guatemalans live on $2.00 a day and women still suffer from gross inequalities. However, Mother’s Day is recognized in Guatemala and every year mothers throughout the country are celebrated by the nation.

In 1968 Guatemala’s Congress formally declared May 10^th as Mother’s Day. Decree 1794 stated that ‘the mother is the foundation of the family and from her come the morals and spiritual norms that extend to all civilized people’. The decree also explained that the purpose of Mother’s Day was to recognize the importance of mothers, ‘exalting her before the whole Republic, in order to strengthen in the conscience of Guatemalans her high spiritual significance…as a source of perpetual inspiration”. In addition to acknowledging the importance of mothers Congress also declared that mothers who work for the State and for certain companies would be able to take the day off with pay.

Today, many children also get time off from school in order to celebrate Mother’s Day and wish their mother a “Feliz día de las madres”. On Mother’s Day morning children wake up and go their mother’s room to give her gifts. Some families will visit grandmothers throughout the day, having breakfast with one and dinner with the other. Some families will invite many mothers to their home, play games, exchange gifts and give advice. 

Guatemala certainly took a step in the right direction in creating Mother’s Day and acknowledging the importance mothers play to society. However, many mothers are too worried about poverty, malnutrition, and the burdens of prejudice to be able to truly celebrate their day. Respect for women and mothers is still not as pervasive throughout Guatemalan society as it must be.

So on your Mother’s Day take a moment to reflect on the plight of Guatemalan women and other women throughout the world whose rights are still being compromised or denied.

“Feliz día de las madres”

By Megan Jungwi

From a “Western” point of view, Saudi Arabian women are not up to par with most of the world when it comes to women’s rights.  Yet, Mother’s Day is celebrated by many in Saudi Arabia as they profess a long tradition of respect for women.

Mother’s Day in Saudi Arabia is celebrated on March 21^st every year, although it is a celebration that is approached with mixed feelings.  On this day many Arabs give their mother gifts of flowers, gold, a card, or even just some kind words to demonstrate their love. However, while some in the country support the holiday others are opposed to setting aside a special day for such a celebration.

The predominant faith in Saudi Arabia is Islam and the people try their very best to adhere to Islam’s tenets. Islamic scholars all say that Islam teaches people to have the highest respect for their mothers. Indeed, the Prophet Muhammad once said that “paradise is at her feet”.

However, Sheikh Asem Al-Hakim, Imam of Jaafar Al-Tayyar Mosque , says that “Islam as a religion shows more respect and love for women and mothers than any other religion in the world”. Al-Hakim claims that celebrating Mother’s Day would not be celebrated by the Prophet Muhammad, nor is March 21^st a special day for Muslims or Arabs. Rather, celebrating the holiday is like imitating other cultures and religions.

The main issue is not whether women and mothers should be respected, but whether one day a year should be set aside for them. Many Arabs feel that it is important to be loyal and show respect to one’s parents everyday and  that  gifts can be given throughout the year. 

Although Arabs throughout the country have different feelings about Mother’s Day, many enjoy setting aside some time to celebrate their mothers wishing them “Eid omm sa’eed.”

Princess Sultana’s Daughters - A Shocking View Of The Joy And Pain Of Motherhood In The Veiled Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia

By Ilana Schreiber

On March 8^th, International Women’s Day is celebrated as an official holiday around the globe. In countries such as Italy, Russia, Poland, Macedonia, Vietnam, Australia, China, and many more, thousands of events take place in celebration of women and their achievements, and in creating awareness of the need for women’s rights in nations around the world. International Women’s Day is about honoring and inspiring women through the appreciation of women as the makers of history, honoring the age-old struggle of women to garner equality to men in order to be able to fully participate in society.

International Women’s Day came into existence in the early 1900’s, born out of the political and social unrest dominating the industrialized world. In 1908, the United States celebrated the first National Women’s Day upon a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. Women in the United States continued to celebrate National Women’s Day on the last Sunday of February until 1913. Meanwhile, in 1910, Copenhagen hosted the second ever Conference of Working Women. At this conference, over 100 women from 17 countries assembled, representing unions, socialist parties, and working women’s clubs. By the end of the gathering, the proposal of a Women’s Day, to be celebrated on the same date each year to help garner support for women’s rights, was unanimously supported.

On the 19^th of March, 1911, following the decision in Copenhagen, International Women’s Day premiered in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. Over one million women and men took part in International Women’s Day rallies, pressing for women’s suffrage and women’s rights to work, to be trained, to hold public office and in overall efforts to end discrimination. This time, however, became marked with tragedy when six days later, the devastating Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (“Triangle Fire”) in New York City took the lives of 146 women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants.  As these deaths occurred because of unsafe working conditions and bolted exit doors, this disaster called attention to working conditions and labor laws in the United States, which later became a focal point of International Women’s Day events.

As World War I began, International Women’s Day became a means to campaign for peace. On the last Sunday in February, 1913, Russian women marked their first International Women’s Day. It was then agreed upon to begin to hold International Women’s Day on the 8^th of March, and that date continues to be the global date for International Women’s Day today. In 1914, much of Europe joined in as countless women held rallies to protest the war and to demonstrate women’s solidarity. A few years later, in 1917, with the death toll at 2 million Russian soldiers, Russian women overcame fierce political opposition and led a monumental strike for “bread and peace” as part of what is known as the February Revolution. The uprising succeeded in forcing the Czar (Czar Nicholas II) to abdicate the throne and in garnering the right to vote for Russian women. Though this strike took place on Sunday February 23^rd on the Julian calendar in use in Russia at the time, the historic Sunday fell on the 8^th of March on the Gregorian calendar that all other countries were using at the time.

Though the United States commemorated International Women’s Day during the 1910’s and 1920’s, the celebrations soon faded away. During the women’s movement in the 1960’s, the holiday was somewhat revived, though without its socialist ties. It became officially sponsored by the United Nations in 1975. The United States began holding “Women’s History Week” in various states at this time, and in 1987, March was officially and nationally declared “Women’s History Month,” which the U.S. marks each year rather than federally recognizing International Women’s Day.

Since its rise out of the socialist movement, International Women’s Day has emerged as a day of appreciation and celebration throughout both developed and developing countries across the globe. The holiday has been strengthened throughout the years by the progress of the international women’s movement, and reinforced by four global United Nations women’s conferences. In short, International Women’s Day is an annual global holiday which historically and currently creates awareness of the need for change and growth in women’s rights and equality, and generates large-scale events bringing people together in celebration and commemoration of women’s advancement and the many women who have played tremendous roles in achieving these successes.

The Woman’s Book of Courage: Meditations for Empowerment & Peace of Mind

By Aunindita Bhatia

Mother’s day is a celebration that is carried out throughout the world as a tribute to mothers for all the support and love they always give. Mother’s day traditions vary from one country to another, depending on the origin of this celebration in that particular country.

Many countries celebrate Mother’s day during May, on the second Sunday of the month. But others don’t. Indonesia for example, celebrates Mother’s Day on the 22nd of December of every year. It seems that the origin of the ‘Hari Ibu’ is not in any way dependent on the American or European traditions.

Mother’s day or the ‘Hari Ibu’ in Indonesia, does not only celebrate mothers, but also all women in general, and this festivity owes its origins to the first All-Indonesian Women’s Congress that was held on the 22nd December in 1928.

This congress was very important in the history of Indonesia, since it helped in achieving the country’s independence from the Dutch. Apart from this, the meeting’s intention was to put women in a better position in society, and give them freedom from the shackles that were keeping them strained during the colonial period.

This is the reason why the ‘Hari Ibu’ in Indonesia is a special celebration that is unique in its origins, and celebrated in a different manner from other countries around the globe. ‘Hari Ibu’ is about the all-important theme of freedom and democracy for women. It is about empowering the women that will build a stronger society in the future.

Although it is customary to send gifts of flowers and cards, Indonesians recognize the key function fo the mother/woman in the family. Many seminars and meetings are organized on Mother’s Day which celebrates women’s development in the modern world and women’s empowerment.

Hari Ibu!