A group of deputies proposes at the legislative level to define March 8 as the International Day for the Protection of Women's Rights, and May 8 as a day off instead of May 9.

Corresponding bill No. 9009-1 (on amendments to Article 73 of the Labor Code of Ukraine on the establishment of holidays) was registered in the Rada on February 28.

"March 8 is celebrated annually in the world as the day of struggle for women's rights. The United Nations has been celebrating this day since 1975 as International Women's Day, and since 1975 also as the International Day of Struggle for Women's Rights and International Peace. In Ukraine, on the one hand, March 8 is celebrated with women's marches and events dedicated to women's rights and equality, however, on the other hand, according to an outdated Soviet tradition, a certain part of society perceives this day as a "holiday of spring and beauty". In our opinion, this perception is stereotypical and levels the social and political nature of this holiday," the explanatory note says.

At the same time, deputies pay attention to the fact that May 8, the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, is celebrated in most European countries as a symbol of victory over Nazism in World War II. Therefore, they propose to define May 8 as a holiday (day off) in the Labor Code of Ukraine. At the same time, the traditional events that take place on May 9, according to the bill, will take place on a working day. In addition, if necessary, the specifics of awarding on May 9 in the future can be determined at the level of the decree of the President of Ukraine.

The co-authors of the legislative initiative were more than a dozen deputies, in particular Maryna Bardina, Yevhenia Kravchuk, Yuriy Kamelchuk (all from Servant of the People party), Inna Sovsun and Yaroslav Yurchyshyn (Holos faction).