International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8. It celebrates women’s right to equality and liberation along with equal opportunities. Special attention is given on this day to issues focused on women, such as gender equality, reproductive rights and violence and abuse of women.
The history and significance of International Women’s Day
The origins of International Women’s Day can be traced back to labor movements that arose in Europe and North America in the early 20th century. One of the first reported Women’s Day celebrations dates back to February 28, 1909, organized by the Socialist Party of America in New York.
It was the communist activist and politician Clara Zetkin who actively proposed the celebration of “Working Women’s Day”. Without a set date, it was approved in 1910 at the International Socialist Women’s Conference in Copenhagen. The following year, the concept gained more attention when the first International Women’s Day demonstrations and commemorations took place in Europe.
The first International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 19, 1911 by over a million people in Austria-Hungary, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. As concepts such as gender discrimination in the workplace and women’s suffrage came to the fore, Russia celebrated International Women’s Day for the first time in 1913 at the end of February. International Women’s Day was first celebrated in Germany on March 8, 1914.
Subsequently, the first head of government of Soviet Russia, Vladimir Lenin, declared March 8 as International Women’s Day in 1922. This decision was taken to commemorate the role of women in the 1917 Russian Revolution. Subsequently, the day was celebrated by socialist movements and communist countries around the world. In 1977, the United Nations lobbied for a holiday on International Women’s Day. This day is considered a public holiday in several countries.
International Women’s Day 2026 theme
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Give To Gain”. This theme highlights the power of reciprocity and support. The act of giving can take many forms, including donations, knowledge, resources, infrastructure, visibility, advocacy, resources, voice, education, training, mentoring, equal pay, equity, opportunity, safety, or time.
Highlighting measures that contribute to women’s progress, the IWD’s official website states: “Giving is not subtraction, it is intentional multiplication. When women thrive, we all rise.”
