International Women’s Day (IWD) is an annual celebration that originated as a call for social, political and economic change for women across the world. It recognizes the contributions of women to global history and embraces their right to equal rights, opportunity and respect. It is celebrated in countries across the globe, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
The Earliest International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day has its roots in 1908 when 15,000 women marched through New York City’s Lower East Side, demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights among other reforms. Although the rally was successful in gaining public attention, it ultimately failed to gain traction within the mainstream labor movement. The suffragists, however, did not give up and the event is seen by many as a cornerstone in the movement for the emancipation of women across the world.
More than a Decade Later
In 1910, just two years after the first demonstration, German economist and socialist leader Clara Zetkin proposed establishing an international women’s day at the International Conference for Working Women in Copenhagen. Her proposal was met with unanimous approval from the hundred participants in attendance, who hailed from 17 countries. Eight years later, on March 19, 1911, International Women’s Day was formally celebrated with over one million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland taking part in rallies advocating women’s rights.
International Women’s Day Differs Across the Globe
Although International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 in the majority of countries around the world, including many former Soviet states, some countries celebrate the event on different days. In Vietnam, for example, it is celebrated on August 20, the anniversary of the nation’s 1945 declaration of independence from France.
United Nations Declaration
The United Nations officially announced International Women’s Day in 1975 to mark the end of the first International Women’s Year and to pay tribute to the Dutch women’s delegates who drafted the United Nations’ Women’s Charter in 1945. The UN Charter was adopted in Vietnam 11 years later in 1966 and provided the basis for the organization’s commitment to gender equality.
Conclusion
International Women’s Day is an important event that celebrates the contributions of women to global history and their right to equal rights, opportunities, and respect. It has its roots in the suffragist movement of 1908 and gained mainstream attention in 1911 when over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland took part in rallies to promote women’s rights. Today, International Women’s Day is celebrated in countries across the globe to commemorate the achievements and progress of women.
