International Women’s Day takes place on March 8 every year to celebrate women’s rights and inspire people to act in the ongoing fight for gender equality.
In 2023, March 8 falls on a Wednesday.
International Women’s Day is a United Nations-sanctioned global holiday.
It celebrates women’s contributions to society, raises awareness about the fight for gender parity, and inspires support for organizations that help women globally.
According to the United Nations, International Women’s Day started in America in 1909, when the Socialist Party of America took to the streets to honor garment workers who had protested against inhumane working conditions the year before.
They called it National Women’s Day, and it took place on February 28. The following year, the Social International established Women’s Day in Copenhagen to celebrate those working for women’s rights and universal suffrage.
In 1911, Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland celebrated the first official International Women’s Day on March 19.
More than one million people attended rallies focused on suffrage, representation, education, and workers’ rights.
Over the next few years, more countries in Europe marked the holiday on March 8. It wasn’t until March 8, 1975, when, during International Women’s Year, the United Nations celebrated it as an official holiday.
Since 1975, the holiday has gained awareness around the globe as a way to recognize women.
