5 facts you need to know about International Women’s Day

Web Desk

08th Mar, 2023. 12:58 pm
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The commemoration of Women’s Day in Russia in 1917 earned them the right to vote.
The International Women’s Day symbol is a female gender symbol.
Some see it as a day of protest, while others see it as a way to promote gender equality.

International Women’s Day is observed every year on March 8 to commemorate and honor women’s achievements, raise awareness about gender inequities and discrimination, and promote global support for women.

But how well do you know IWD? We’ve come to answer five crucial questions.

How long has International Women’s Day been celebrated?

The then-active Socialist Party of America commemorated the first National Woman’s Day on February 28, 1909, in honor of the 15,000 women who demonstrated in New York against terrible working conditions and lower wages.

Clara Zetkin, a women’s rights campaigner and the chairwoman of the Social Democratic Party’s Women’s Office in Germany, introduced the notion of a global International Women’s Day in 1910.

The inaugural International Women’s Day was observed on March 19, 1911, with over 1 million people participating in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland.

The United Nations did not acknowledge and begin honoring International Women’s Day until 1975. (IWD). Since then, the United Nations has served as the event’s primary sponsor, pushing more countries to commemorate “acts of courage and resolve by ordinary women who have played an outstanding role in the history of their countries and communities.”

And for those who are curious and feel left out (get over it), there is an International Men’s Day, which is observed on November 19 in over 80 nations worldwide, including the United Kingdom. It has only been observed since the 1990s and is not recognized by the United Nations.

What is the color and symbol of International Women’s Day?

The International Women’s Day symbol is a female gender symbol. It is typically paired with the colors purple, green, and white.

Purple represents dignity and justice, green represents hope, and white represents purity, according to the International Women’s Day website. “The colors originated from the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the UK in 1908.”

Is it a holiday?

The purpose of the day differs by country. Some see it as a day of protest, while others see it as a way to promote gender equality. International Women’s Day is an official holiday in various nations.

Afghanistan, Armenia, Belarus, Cambodia, Cuba, Georgia, Laos, Mongolia, Montenegro, Russia, Uganda, Ukraine, and Vietnam have declared IWD a national holiday.

Women’s Day and Mother’s Day have been combined in several countries, including Albania, Macedonia, Serbia, and Uzbekistan, to emphasize the importance of women as mothers.

Many women in China are given a half-day off work, while the Italian Festa della Donna is marked with the distribution of mimosa blossoms.

Why is it a historical celebration in Russia?

The commemoration of Women’s Day in Russia in 1917 earned them the right to vote.

Women in Russia honored the day that year by going on strike for ‘food and peace,’ protesting World War 1 and advocating for gender equality. Tsar Nicholas II was furious and gave General Khabalov of the Petrograd Military District the authority to shoot any woman who refused to stand down. They did not back down, and the protests continued, eventually leading to the Tsar’s abdication. As a result of their protest, the interim administration granted women the right to vote.

What’s the theme this year?

Each International Women’s Day has had an official theme since 1996.

The United Nations’ first theme, “Celebrating the Past, Preparing for the Future,” was adopted in 1996.

Last year’s International Women’s Day theme was #Breakthebias, which highlighted the challenges women experience as a result of gender bias.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is #EmbraceEquity, according to the website. According to the website, 2023 focuses on how gender equity must be ingrained in every society: “It is crucial to distinguish between equity and equality. The goal of the #EmbraceEquity campaign topic for IWD 2023 is to have people talking about why equal opportunities aren’t enough. Individuals come from varied backgrounds, thus meaningful inclusion and belonging necessitate equal action.”

The visuals associated with this year’s IWD all contain the hugging motion, encouraging a warm embrace for equity.

Another highlight of this year is the UN theme, ‘DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality,’ which aims to raise awareness of the importance and role of digital technology in exposing issues of gender inequality and discrimination. IWD will investigate the impact of the digital gender gap on inequality for women and girls, as the UN estimates that women’s lack of access to the online world will cost low and middle-income countries $1.5 trillion in GDP by 2025 if nothing is done.

“From the earliest days of computing to the present age of virtual reality and artificial intelligence, women have made untold contributions to the digital world in which we increasingly live,” the UN stated. “Their accomplishments have been against all odds, in a field that has historically neither welcomed nor appreciated them.”