International Womens Day

Name: International Womens Day in International
Start: 20250308T00:00:00+00:00
End: 20250309T00:00:00+00:00
Location: PLACE

Category: Human Rights

Human Rights

International Womens Day around the world in 2025 — Image from Envato Elements. Royalty Free

About International Womens Day

How long until International Womens Day?
International Womens Day .
Dates of International Womens Day
2026 Various Mar 8 ColombiaSun, Mar 8Not A Public Holiday United NationsSun, Mar 8Not A Public Holiday 2025 Various Mar 8 ColombiaSat, Mar 8Not A Public Holiday United NationsSat, Mar 8Not A Public Holiday 2024 Various Mar 8 ColombiaFri, Mar 8Not A Public Holiday United NationsFri, Mar 8Not A Public Holiday 2023 Various Mar 8 ColombiaWed, Mar 8Not A Public Holiday United NationsWed, Mar 8Not A Public Holiday 2022 Various Mar 8 ColombiaTue, Mar 8Not A Public Holiday United NationsTue, Mar 8Not A Public Holiday
Summary
Women occupy only 24% of parliamentary seats worldwide.
Where is International Womens Day observed in 2025?
ColombiaMar 8 United NationsMar 8

When is International Women's Day?

International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8th.

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History of International Women's Day

International Women's Day was first established at the 1910 International Socialist Women's Conference in Copenhagen. German women's rights activist and Marxist theorist Clara Zetkin was the one who tabled the idea.

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Denmark celebrated the holiday for the first time on March 19th 1911, with the Soviet Union the first to make it a public holiday in 1917 The date of 8th March was adopted internationally in 1921.

In 1977, the United Nations declared 8th March as International Women's Day, a day each year when the world should celebrate, recognize and remember women and the accomplishments they have made to society. Each year has a theme:

2022: #BreakTheBias
2021: Choose To Challenge
2020: I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women's Rights.
2019: #BalanceforBetter; a call-to-action for driving gender balance across the world.
2018: #PressforProgress
2017: "Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030"
2016: "Pledge for Parity"

It is often said that the date chosen for International Women's Day marks a mass protest that took place in New York on March 8th 1857, when women from sewing and shoe factories demonstrated for the same rights as men. Men had recently won a 10-hour workday, but women had been overlooked in the legislation and left on a 16-hour workday. As as a result, 8th March became a traditional day for regular demonstrations in the US and Europe.

However, recent reports have cast doubt on whether this event ever took place, with newspapers of the time not reporting any such march.

Given how the holiday began in Russia, a more plausible source for the date is 1917 when Russian women marched to protest for 'Bread and Peace' on the last Sunday in February (which was March 8th in the Gregorian calendar in use in the rest of Europe). This march contributed to the Czar abdicating four days later and the new government granted women the right to vote. It would be three years later before women in the US had the same rights.

International Women's Day Quiz

Test your knowledge of International Women's Day and the inspiring women who have shaped history. Discover new facts about the incredible achievements of women around the world. From trailblazing aviators to pioneering performers, this quiz is sure to inspire and educate. So grab a cup of coffee and take a break from your day with our International Women's Day quiz!