March 8 ~ International Women’s Day

What is International Women’s Day (IWD)?

Wednesday, March 8 is International Women’s Day, an annual celebration across the world that honors the achievements and contributions of women, while challenging the discrimination and oppression they continue to face. This holiday aims to honor the impact of women worldwide and encourages people to challenge gender stereotypes, discrimination, and oppression. 

Facts to Know About the Day

1. In February of 1909, 15,000 female labor activists marched in New York City for equal rights. The following year, activist Clara Zetkin called for an International Women’s Day at the Second International Conference of Working Women. It was unanimously approved, and the date was fixed as March 8 in 1913.

2.The United Nations celebrated International Women’s Day for the first time in 1975. In 2011, International Women’s day celebrated its 100-year centenary. Celebrations took place in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland; the same countries that held the first event 100 years earlier.

3.In 2023, the official International Women’s Day organization will run a campaign on the theme of #EmbraceEquity. Meanwhile, the United Nations’ official theme this year is “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.”