International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on March 8 to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women. It is also a focal point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
The theme for 2022 is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.”
In the early 1900s, women were experiencing pay inequality, a lack of voting rights, and they were being overworked. In response to all of this, 15,000 women marched through New York City in 1908 to demand their rights. In 1909, the first National Women’s Day was observed in accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America.
In August 1910, Clara Zetkin, a German suffragist, proposed that an annual Women’s Day should be organized globally. International Women’s Day was honored the following year in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, with more than one million attending the rallies.
On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified and white women were granted the right to vote in the U.S. in the 1960s, the liberation movement took place and their efforts led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act, allowing all women the right to vote. When the internet became more commonplace, feminism and the fight against gender inequality experienced a resurgence. Now we celebrate International Women’s Day each year to recognize the achievements of women toward creating a completely equal society.
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