International Women’s Week, also known as International Women’s Day, has its origins in the early 20th century and has since evolved into a global celebration of women’s achievements, progress, and ongoing struggles for gender equality.
The precursor to International Women’s Day was the National Women’s Day, which was first observed in the United States on February 28, 1909, following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. This day was intended to honor the 1908 garment workers’ strike in New York, where women protested against working conditions.
The idea of an International Women’s Day was proposed at the International Conference of Working Women held in Copenhagen in 1910. Clara Zetkin, a German socialist and advocate for women’s rights, suggested the idea as a way to promote equal rights, including suffrage, for women worldwide. The conference attendees, consisting of over 100 women from 17 countries, unanimously approved the proposal.
The first International Women’s Day was observed on March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. More than a million men and women attended rallies campaigning for women’s rights to work, vote, and hold public office, as well as for an end to discrimination.
In 1913, March 8 became the official date for International Women’s Day, and it has been celebrated on this date ever since. This change was made to commemorate a strike by female textile workers in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg) on March 8, 1917, which marked the beginning of the Russian Revolution. The strike played a significant role in the overthrow of the Russian monarchy and eventually led to the granting of voting rights to Russian women.
During the 20th century, International Women’s Day became an important rallying point for women’s movements around the world. It provided a platform for advocating women’s rights, including the right to vote, work, receive education, and hold public office. The day also served as an occasion to celebrate women’s achievements in various fields, from politics and science to arts and culture.
In 1975, the United Nations officially recognized International Women’s Day and began celebrating it as International Women’s Year. Since then, the UN and many governments and organizations worldwide have used the day to highlight gender equality issues and promote women’s rights.
Today, International Women’s Day is celebrated in numerous countries with events such as rallies, conferences, marches, art exhibitions, and performances. Each year has a theme that focuses on specific aspects of gender equality and women’s empowerment, reflecting the ongoing struggle for women’s rights around the world.
WOMEN’S DAY SPECIAL QUOTES
Everything we see in the world is the creative work of women. – Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Women are more powerful than they think. A mother’s warmth is the essence of motivation. If we could liquefy the encouragement, care and compassion we deliver to our children it would surely fill an expanse greater than the Pacific – Louise Burfitt-Dons
There is equality in the office but not on the street. – Louise Burfitt-Dons
“The empowered woman is powerful beyond measure and beautiful beyond description.” – Steve Maraboli
“A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture, and transform.” – Diane Mariechild
“Women are the real architects of society.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe
“The strength of a woman is not measured by the impact that all her hardships in life have had on her; but the strength of a woman is measured by the extent of her refusal to allow those hardships to dictate her and who she becomes.” – C. JoyBell C.
“A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.” – Melinda Gates
“A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“The best protection any woman can have is courage.” – Elizabeth Cady Stanton
“Where there is a woman, there is magic.” – Ntozake Shange
“The history of all times, and of today especially, teaches that… women will be forgotten if they forget to think about themselves.” – Louise Otto-Peters
“A woman in any form shall be celebrated and honored, be it, a sister or a wife or a mother or any other form.” – Amitabh Bachchan
