International Women’s Day: A Celebration of Achievements and a Call for Equity
Every year on March 8th, International Women’s Day is celebrated to honor women’s accomplishments, raise awareness of gender disparities and discrimination, and promote global support for women. The day has a rich history that dates back to 1909 when the first National Women’s Day was celebrated in the United States.
The idea of a worldwide International Women’s Day was proposed by Clara Zetkin, an advocate for women’s rights, and leader of the Women’s Office of the German Social Democratic Party. In 1911, the first International Women’s Day was celebrated, in which over a million people participated in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland.
Since 1975, International Women’s Day has been recognized and celebrated by the United Nations, which encourages more countries to recognize the role of women in their communities and countries. While there is an International Men’s Day, it is not recognized by the UN.
The symbol of International Women’s Day is a female gender symbol, accompanied by the colors purple, green, and white. Purple stands for dignity and justice, green for hope, and white for purity. In different countries, the day is celebrated in a variety of ways, from a day of protest to promoting gender equality. It is even celebrated as a national holiday in some countries.
Russia has a particular connection to the day, as in 1917, Women’s Day played a crucial role in giving women the right to vote. Russian women went on strike to protest World War I and campaign for gender equality. Despite facing opposition, their protests led to the abdication of the tsar and the granting of voting rights to women.
Each year, International Women’s Day has a theme, and this year the official theme is #EmbraceEquity. The focus is on how gender equality must be part of every society’s DNA, and equitable action is necessary for true inclusion and belonging. The UN’s theme is “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality,” which aims to raise awareness of the importance and contribution of digital technology in uncovering gender inequality and discrimination.
International Women’s Day is an opportunity for the world to come together and celebrate women’s achievements while recognizing the work that still needs to be done to achieve equity. It is a call to action for everyone to work towards a more inclusive and equitable world.