Country where Women Are Flowers !-special article by Dr Dermot Hudson

March 8th is celebrated as International Women’s Day or more accurately International Working Women’s Day .International Women’s Day was initiated in 1910 by the German socialist Clara Zetkin (who was later a leader of the Communist International and Communist Party of Germany) . Throughout the world International Women’s Day will be marked . In the countries of the capitalist world the celebrations will be modest and muted . However in one country the celebrations of International Women’s Day will be big  and in fact have already begun , that country is People’s Korea.

In People’s Korea International Women’s Day, March 8th  is an official public holiday and is celebrated in various ways ; by mass meetings , by different events and sports games and by women being presented with flowers by their husband and family members. There is a hotel named the March 8th hotel in Sariwon. In People’s Korea there are even International Women’s Day greeting cards . You cannot buy such a thing in the UK !.

March 8th International Women’s Day is a meaningful celebration because in People’s Korea ,women’s equality is very real . Women are not regarded as sex objects or inferior beings but as the flowers of the country . They are also regarded as one of the two wheels of the revolution . The great leader comrade KIM IL SUNG said  “"If a society is to run normally women who account one half of the population must play their role satisfactorily if we are to revolutionize and working classize the whole of society we must also revolutionize and working classize women . Just as a wagon cannot run smoothly if only one of its wheels functions, so a society cannot develop on a sound basis when only men fulfill their duties .Only when women are revolutionized and actively participate in the revolution and construction can the whole of society be revolutionised and working classized"

Respected Marshal KIM JONG UN also stressed that  “ Even in the unfavourable subjective and objective situations prevailing now, our style of socialism is achieving a steady advance and development and the strength of our state is being built up day after day, and all these are inconceivable separated from the loyal and patriotic minds of our women including the women's union members who are pushing ahead one of the two wheels of the revolution along the road to victory indicated by the Party.”

In People’s Korea women have been liberated from the double and triple oppression On the 30th of July 1946 the Provisional People’s Committee of north Korea passed the Law on Sexual Equality which for the first time in history gave women equal rights with men , liberating women from centuries of double and triple oppression by feudalism. Among its many provisions was the stipulation that women should receive equal pay for equal work. This was 24 years before the UK adopted equal pay legislation . Even today despite legalisation in capitalist countries there still remains a big ‘gender pay gap ‘.

                               

                                                                        

Later equal rights for women in the DPRK was enshrined in the Constitution as well as further legalisation in 2010 .Article 77 of the ‘Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea ‘ states that ‘Women are accorded equal social status and rights with men.

The State shall afford special protection to mothers and children by providing maternity leave, reduced working hours for mothers with several children, a wide network of maternity hospitals, creches and kindergartens, and other measures.

The State shall provide all conditions for women to play their full roles in society.’

In People’s Korea, unlike the capitalist countries , legislation on gender equality is backed up 100 per cent by practical and substantial measures .Childcare is free of charge and there is a big network of nurseries and creches including workplace creches and 24/7 nurseries . In the UK  nurseries are very expensive  . In People’s Korea the amount of maternity leave  increased from 77 days in the 1970s to 150 days in the 1980s and a few years ago was increased to over 200 days which can be supplemented by regular and additional holidays . Women who have more than 3 children can work for 6 hours but get paid for an 8 hour day , something that is totally unheard in a capitalist society !

  Women hold important and responsible positions in the DPRK . Some are deputies to the Supreme People’s Assembly and to local people’s assemblies . When I visited the DPRK in February 2019  I was shown around the Pyongyang Ryugyong Kimchi Pickle Factory by a woman manager .It is quite common in the DPRK for women to hold positions like director , vice director or manager or head teacher.

In capitalist countries women are poorly treated .The massive and toxic ‘sex industry ‘ of the capitalist world degrades women . Also women suffer from family breakups . They also face the burden of household budgets increasing due to rising prices . In capitalist countries even motherhood itself is demonised . Women from low income strata are demonised for having children . In People’s Korea there are special benefits for mothers with big families. In recent years the title of ‘communist mother honor prize ‘ was instituted in the DPRK and there are national conferences of mothers . This is in stark contrast to capitalist countries.

In People’s Korea , thanks to the people-centred socialist system and the leadership of respected Marshal KIM JONG UN , women are truly the flowers of society .

Dr Dermot Hudson

Chairman British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea

Chairman Korean Friendship Association UK 

Hon Secretary General Global Farmy for the Study of KIM JONG UN’s people first policies.