History & Significance of International Women’s Day - Know Everything About IWD

Celebrated every year on the eighth day of March, International Women’s Day is a global event that memorializes and glorifies womanhood and their achievements – from the political to the social – while blowing the trumpet for gender equality.

Its root lies in the early 1900s when despotism and inequality were soaring. The brutality stirred women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. In the year 1908, around 15000 women marched through New York City demanding their right to vote, the removal of the glass ceiling and shorter working hours.

One year later, the first National Woman’s Day was observed in the US on 28 February by a declaration by the Socialist Party of America.

How Did It Spread Across The World?

In the International Conference of Working Women held in Copenhagen in 1910 which was attended by over 100 women from 17 countries, Clara Zetkin – leader of the ‘women’s office’ for the Social Democratic Party in Germany proposed the idea of International Women's Day. Her suggestion was given unanimous approval thereby giving birth to International Women's Day.

Over a million women and men gathered from across the globe and marched demanding for gender equality and women's rights to vote, work, hold public office and end discrimination.

Later, in the year 1913, International Women’s Day was accredited to March 08 and since then; IWD has been celebrated on the same day. However, the United Nations gave recognition to IWD in 1975 and every year after that made it a theme-based celebration.

What Anniversary Are We Celebrating This Year?

As the first official IWD is accounted to the year 1911, this year will be the 108th Anniversary. With each passing year, the awareness about International Women's Day and its objective has grown manifolds. People appreciate the women in their lives by acknowledging their countless efforts, and sending them gifts for Women’s Day.

What Theme Are We Celebrating This Year?

Each year, the UN decides the theme for IWD. The theme for IWD 2017 campaign is #BeBoldForChange. You can give your support to the campaign by submitting your #BeBoldForChange action via the IWD website.

Why should we celebrate it?

Women have been denied their rights for long. Even to date, the original motive of the day of achieving gender equality has not been accomplished in its true sense. There is still a need to celebrate International Women’s Day because gender discrimination persists and despite completing 105 years of demanding the same, women are not considered at par with men in society. This International Women’s Day, let’s take a pledge to be bold for change and remove gender barriers.