We put together a list for you, including resources available on the vast About network. You'll want to start on the International Women's Day website, but that's not the only place to find ideas. Don't miss Jone Johnson Lewis's site: Women's History, Linda Lowen's site on Women's Issues, and our list of 10 Paper Topics Concerning Women.
Whether you're the teacher or the student, we hope our list will make your decisions a little easier. I'm guessing you're likely a woman if you're reading this. Happy International Women's Day to you!
1. The First International Women's Day
It was 1908, more than 100 years ago, that women finally stood up and demanded better working conditions and the right to vote. We think of the 60s as the decade of feminism, but the first feminists were grandmothers by then. Honor those women by writing about their initial efforts toward equality for all women.Resources:
2. The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum
Each year, organizers choose a theme for International Women's Day. The 2013 theme is Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum. Is there a war on women? A gender agenda? Is it only just beginning? This paper topic is gigantic, with many, many topics embedded in it. Choose one or give an overview of the war on women.This is not hard and fast. Communities around the world often choose their own theme based on the most relevant issues they're facing.
This is a fascinating paper topic. Look at the history of themes and how they mirror global history. Examine how the various themes around the world in a single year and how they reflect what's happening globally.
Can you predict what might be the themes of the future?
Resources:
3. International Women's Day Events
Women around the world plan special events to recognize International Women's Day. Highlight some of those events, or even better, plan one of your own in your community or at your school, and write about it!On the International Women's Day site, you can search for events in countries around the world and review the many diverse event ideas. They're creative and fascinating! This list will definitely get your creativity flowing.
Resources:
4. Expressing International Women's Day Through the Arts
As I'm sure you can imagine, International Women's Day is a perfect opportunity for expression through the arts: writing, painting, dance, any creative expression! This is a perfect topic for art students to not only write about, but to express in their own medium.Resources:
5. Global Communication of International Women's Day
Journalism students might be interested in writing about how news of International Women's Day has continued to spread around the globe, how women in different countries communicate with and support each other, or how the sharing of ideas has changed over the decades, especially with the lightning-speed development of social networks.It might even be fun to develop a communication of your own in your school or community via a newsletter, website, or app. Be creative!
Resources:
- Quotes About Womanhood
- From Joanne Fritz, a list of organizations that support International Women's Day
