International Women's Day

International Women’s Day has roots in the labour and women’s rights movements of the early twentieth century. Women workers in Europe and North America were campaigning for safer working conditions, political representation and voting rights. At the 1910 International Socialist Women’s Conference, Clara Zetkin proposed an annual women’s day, and the first broad observances were held in several European countries in 1911. The date of 8 March became closely associated with women’s protests during the Russian Revolution in 1917. The United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day in 1975, during International Women’s Year, and a 1977 General Assembly resolution encouraged member states to observe a day for women’s rights and international peace. Today the day both celebrates women’s achievements and draws attention to continuing inequalities in law, education, work, health, safety, leadership and economic opportunity.

International Women's Day is intended to build public awareness and encourage attention to its associated global issue.