INTERNATIONAL WOMAN'S YEAR

THE UNITED NATIONS DESIGNATED 1975 AS THE INTERNATIONAL WOMAN'S YEAR.THE PURPOSE BEING TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE PROBLEMS CONCERNING WOMEN ALL OVER THE WORLD.FIRST A WORLD CONGRESS WAS HELD IN MEXICO UNDER U.N. PATRONAGE AND THEN ANOTHER CONGRESS WAS HELD IN BERLIN. WOMEN DELEGATES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD ATTENDED TWO CONFERENCES  AND THE WOMAN'S QUESTION WAS DISCUSSED IN DETAIL. WOMAN'S EXPLOITATION IN THE MAN- DOMINATED SOCIETY  WAS STRESSED AND EQUALITY ,FAIR PLAY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE WERE DEMANDED.THE MAIN STRESS OF INTERNATIONAL WOMAN'S YEAR WAS ON SEEKING MEANINGFUL EQUALITY IN SOCIAL RIGHTS,EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK AND ELIMINATIONS OF DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT, ONE OF BASIC POLICY OBJECTIVES IS UNIVERSAL EDUCATION OF WOMAN, THE LACK OF WHICH TENDS TO PERPETUATE THE UNEQUAL STATUS QUO. AS IT IS RIGHTLY SAID,''EDUCATE A MAN,AND YOU EDUCATE AN INDIVIDUAL; EDUCATE A WOMAN AND YOU EDUCATE A FAMILY.''
                  THE CELEBRATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMAN'S YEAR SERVED ITS PURPOSE.IT SUCCEEDED IN STRESSING THE BACKWARDNESS OF WOMAN ALL THE WORLD OVER. IT MADE THE PEOPLE REALIZE THAT THE PRINCIPLE OF SOCIAL EQUALITY,OF EQUAL RIGHTS FOR BOTH MAN AND WOMAN,MERELY REMAINS EMBODIED IN THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE WORLD AND IS NOT IMPLEMENTED IN PRACTICE. IT RESULTED IN MUCH RE-THINKING AND HEART SEARCHING. IT WAS FELT THAT CHANGES IN SOCIAL ATTITUDES ARE NECESSARY, IF WOMAN IS TO COME OF HER OWN. THEREFORE THE DECADE 1975-86 WAS DECLARED INTERNATIONAL  WOMAN'S DECADE.IT WAS DECIDED THAT DURING THIS DECADE THE GOVERNMENT ALL OVER THE WORLD WOULD DO THEIR BEST TO IMPROVE THE CONDITION OF WOMAN. IN 1986 i.e AFTER TEN YEARS,THERE WOULD AGAIN BE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS TO REVIEW THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE DURING THIS PERIOD AND TO SUGGEST LINES OF FURTHER ACTION.