Break the Bias with Durham Region in International Women’s Day event from Whitby HQ

Durham Region will be taking part in the International Women’s Day next week with a live virtual event to “celebrate the achievements of women and the contributions they continue to make.”

International Women’s Day is celebrated around the world every March 8 to honor the accomplishments of women everywhere. The holiday’s roots stretch back to the earliest women’s suffrage movements at the turn of the twentieth century, with the first Women’s Day held in New York City in 1909.

The holiday spread throughout Europe in the following decades, largely through left wing movements and socialist governments. It was adopted by the global second-wave feminist movements of the 1960s as the fight for equality turned from suffrage and legal barriers to larger cultural obstacles.

The United Nations formally recognized International Women’s Day in 1975, their International Women’s Year, marking March 8 as the official date. The day is now observed as an official holiday in nearly 30 countries and widely observed in many more.

Each year carries a theme to raise awareness for Women’s Rights. Previous examples include “I am Generation Equality” and “Women in Leadership.” In 2022 that theme is “Break the Bias,” promoting, “A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.”

Durham Region will be taking part a little earlier than the official day. The Region is holding a virtual event on March 7, hosted by their International Women’s Day Committee.

This committee was formed through a partnership with Durham Region, the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, the Durham chapter of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, the Oshawa/Whitby chapter of the Congress of Black Women, Hispanic Canadian Alliance of Durham, Womxn of Colour Durham Collective, Women’s Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham and YWCA Durham.

Numerous women from the Region will be featured as performers in the event, which will also feature a keynote address from Mississaugas of Scugog Island Chief Kelly LaRocca.

The Regional event starts at 7 p.m. on March 7 and will run for an hour-and-a-half. Residents will not be required to register in advance, but will need access to Microsoft Teams. Durham will provide a link to the event nearer the date.

The event, “aims to raise awareness against bias and empowers us to take action to create a gender equal world. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias,” said the Region.