What is it?
A celebration that started off as a focal point of women’s workers rights and then was taken a flagship issue by the communists to showcase the importance of women in the workplace (also to contrast themselves from capitalist nations). The point was equal pay, reproductive rights and equal rights as men.
How do Romanians celebrate it?
Well, other than offering flowers and gifts to the important women in your life other than that nothing really happens. Sometimes politicians and leaders makes speeches to focus on the importance of women. Police officers stop women in traffic to give them flowers. Kids are asked by their teachers to write letters to their moms, high chances of misty eyes.
Stats
Romania had one of the lowest unadjusted gender pay gaps in the European Union in 2020, namely 2.4%In terms of domestic violence from an intimate partner it is 14th in Europe
According to the latest WHO data published in 2020 life expectancy in Romania is: Male 72.0, female 79.3 and total life expectancy is 75.6.
5.1% unemployment rate for women in Romania, one of the top 6 unemployment rates in Europe.
Romanian women that did cool stuff:
Elisa Leonida Zamfirescu (1887-1973) – First woman engineer in Europe and first chemical engineer in the world. Was not allowed to apply to study in Romania and in Germany faced discrimination from teachers and colleagues but succeeded. During World War 1 volunteered for the Red Cross. Her work was linked to geology and mineral research producing 85.000 analysis sheets published in the Geological Institute of Romania.
Herta Muller (1953-p) – Nobel Prize in literature winner 2009. Born in Romania then moved to Germany in 1987. Her work was rooted on her minority status as a German speaker in communist Romania and the level of vulnerability and persecution one could experience in those harsh times.
Maria Mihaiescu (1885-1968) – Nicknamed “Mita Biciclista” she was the first lady to ride a bike in Bucharest. A lot of rumors behind her personal life were brought up but what we know for sure is this: she was easy on the eyes, she hit a police officer for whistling at her for wearing inadequate clothing for the swimming pool and enjoyed a life of luxury (even though at one point it wasn’t attainable). What we should remember her by is breaking the norms for everyone to enjoy a bike ride.
Queen Maria of Romania – She was a remarkable figure that championed for women’s rights, promoted Romanian culture, served as a nurse in the war and played a key role in the peace treaty negotiations after World War I. She was a gifted writer and artist that transcends any words that Dracula can put on paper.
The lessons that Dracula thinks all of us should learn: Don’t stop people from achieving their dreams and hard work is involved to get the results you always dreamt of.
Dracula's Guide to Romania 
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