Women and Children’s Day: June 1
Women and Children’s Day is a public holiday in Mongolia.
In Mongolia on June 1, both Women’s Day and Children’s Day are celebrated, and the day is an official holiday in the country.
History of Women and Children’s Day in Mongolia
Women’s Day has its origins in a protest that occurred in New York on March 8, 1857. On that day, women marched through the city, demanding better working conditions and better wages. The women went on to create their own labor union two years later. Afterwards, numerous other women’s protests occurred on March 8.
The first international women’s conference was hosted in Copenhagen in 1910, instituting an International Women’s Day. Observances spread in Europe, and then in the West in the first part of the 20th century, and then waned until the feminist movement of the 1960s took hold.
As for Children’s Day, it was first celebrated in October 1953, sponsored by the International Union for Child Welfare (Geneva). In 1954, The United Nations General Assembly adopted the idea of a Universal Children’s Day, which at present takes place annually on November 20th. On that very same day, in 1959, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration for the Rights of the Child.
On November 20, 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child was signed, the convention being accepted by 191 countries since then. International Children’s Day, however, is recognized by UNICEF and is celebrated on June 1 each year, with exceptions in certain countries.
Mongolia’s Women and Children’s Day Traditions, Customs and Activities
Mongolia honors both women and children on June 1 of every year. UNICEF estimates that as of December 2007, 36 percent of the population of Mongolia is under the age of 18. This makes Mongolia a relatively young nation. Additionally, UNICEF says that “[t]here is anecdotal evidence that violence against children and women, abuse and exploitation of children including trafficking is on the rise” in Mongolia.
This day allows Mongolians to spread awareness of the underlying issues that affect the women and children of the country. Through speeches, conferences, television programs, and marches, the people of Mongolia celebrate women and children and draw attention to the challenges that face them in a rapidly modernizing Mongolia.
Other interesting posts:
- International Children’s Day Observed in Many Parts of the World
- Mongolia Remembers the Creation of Its Constitution
- International Women’s Day Celebrated Around the World
- Mozambique Celebrates National Women’s Day
- South Africa National Women’s Day
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