The 15 quiz questions
Question 1 : In what year did the UN officially designate March 8 as International Women's Day?
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Explanation: The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution in 1977 proclaiming March 8 as International Women's Day.
Question 2 : What event on March 8, 1917 is often considered the origin of this day?
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Explanation: On March 8, 1917, women workers in Petrograd began a massive strike demanding bread and peace, triggering the February Revolution in Russia.
Question 3 : What major world conference on women's rights was held in 1995?
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Explanation: The 4th World Conference on Women was held in Beijing in 1995. It produced the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark text for gender equality.
Question 4 : Which country was the first to grant women the right to vote in 1893?
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Explanation: New Zealand became the first country to grant women the right to vote on September 19, 1893, thanks in particular to the activism of Kate Sheppard.
Question 5 : In what year did French women vote for the first time?
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Explanation: French women voted for the first time on April 29, 1945, during municipal elections. The right to vote had been granted to them by ordinance on April 21, 1944.
Question 6 : In France, since what year can a woman open a bank account without her husband's permission?
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Explanation: The law of July 13, 1965 reformed matrimonial regimes, allowing women to open a bank account and pursue a profession without their husband's authorization.
Question 7 : Who was the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize, in 1903?
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Explanation: Marie Curie received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 with her husband Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel. She would receive a second Nobel (Chemistry) in 1911.
Question 8 : Which female politician championed the law legalizing abortion in France in 1975?
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Explanation: Simone Veil, then Minister of Health, defended the law on voluntary termination of pregnancy before the National Assembly. The Veil Law was enacted on January 17, 1975.
Question 9 : Who was the first woman to travel to space, in 1963?
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Explanation: Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space on June 16, 1963, aboard Vostok 6. She orbited Earth 48 times in nearly 3 days.
Question 10 : Which activist received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her fight for girls' education?
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Explanation: Malala Yousafzai received the Nobel Peace Prize at age 17, becoming the youngest laureate. She has been advocating for the right to education since surviving a Taliban assassination attempt in 2012.
Question 11 : What international treaty adopted in 1979 is often called the 'bill of rights for women'?
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Explanation: CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) was adopted by the UN in 1979. It has been ratified by 189 countries.
Question 12 : In what year did France enshrine the principle of equal pay between men and women into law?
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Explanation: The law of December 22, 1972 established the principle of 'equal work, equal pay'. Despite this law, the average pay gap remains around 15% in France in 2024.
Question 13 : In which country did the #MeToo movement gain worldwide momentum in 2017?
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Explanation: The #MeToo movement exploded in October 2017 in the United States after the revelations against producer Harvey Weinstein. The hashtag, created by Tarana Burke in 2006, went viral worldwide.
Question 14 : What is approximately the percentage of women in national parliaments worldwide in 2024?
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Explanation: According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, women represent about 27% of parliamentarians worldwide in 2024. Rwanda holds the world record with over 61%.
Question 15 : Which author published 'The Second Sex', a foundational work of modern feminism, in 1949?
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Explanation: Simone de Beauvoir published 'The Second Sex' in 1949. Her phrase 'One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman' became a symbol of global feminism.
