It all started over 100 years ago.

In 1909, women marched on the streets of New York on regular basis, hoisting banners calling for shorter work hours, better pay and voting rights.

Women around the world have stopped running away from past struggles and are now looking ahead to all the opportunities that await them.

March 8 is International Women’s Day (IWD). The theme for 2010 is “Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all.”

Each year at this time, Canadians and women in other countries celebrate progress toward equality for women and their full participation, reflect on current challenges and consider future steps in achieving equality for all women, in all aspects of their lives.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees, The University of New Brunswick Women’s Studies, International Women’s Center, and many other organizations gathered at Renaissance College in downtown Fredericton to celebrate International Women’s Day.

“I think it’s really important for us to remember that we have made progress and that we can make progress by working together,” said Jo-Anne Elder, a part time Women’s Study professor at Saint Thomas University.

“There are people doing all kind of things all over Canada and the world to help support women’s equality.”

Kathleen Heaney is the co-vice chair of the University of New Brunswick Women’s Center. She said the Day is an occasion to review how far women have come in their struggle for equality, peace and development.

“We are celebrating what women have accomplished in the past few decades. And we are also here to discuss different struggles that we have to overcome not just in our community but internationally,” she said.

The CUPE NB Women’s Committee and many other organizations in the province are engaged in many fronts to deal with all the challenges facing women today.

“The majority of the world’s 1.3 billion absolute poor are women,” said Elder.

The Coalition for Pay Equity estimates that women receive between 30 and 40 per cent less pay than men earn for the same work.

Elder said women continue to be victims of violence, with rape and domestic violence listed as significant causes of death among women worldwide.

The continuing cuts to women’s advocacy groups, and the ignoring of the plight of Aboriginal women and children are the most significant challenges that we still need to overcome today, said Maureen Michaud, the CUPE Equality Representative speaking to a big crowd at the college.

The celebration of Women’s Day is a protection of each woman’s health and human rights. And to embrace it even more, St. Thomas University hosted a public lecture on “Women and the Recession” by Monica Townson  on Monday night.