International Women’s Day: 8th March
About International Women’s Day
Every year on the 8th of March, International Women’s Day is celebrated. The day was previously known as International Working Women’s Day. As the name suggests, International Women’s Day is to celebrate the achievements, appreciate the efforts, and success of women in the society.
Each part of the world celebrated it differently, wherein some regions, the political and social achievements of women are honoured and in other regions, people appreciate their love and affection towards women in their lives.
The celebration first began as a socialist political event in New York City in the year 1909, and in the year 1917, the day was declared to be treated as a national holiday in the Soviet Union.
And the years that followed, the day became globally renowned, spreading its wings into eastern countries of the world as well.
One of the most notable International Women’s Day celebrations was the Icelandic Women’s Strike, in the year 1975, which resulted in the election of the first woman president in the whole world: Vigdis Finnbogadottir.
The United Nations took it as an initiative to promote women’s rights and celebrate their achievements by highlighting and promoting the same each year on International Women’s Day. Every year, a unique theme is adopted and followed for this special day.
For the year 2017, the theme is Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030. The theme for 2016 IWD was Step It Up For Gender Equality.
Similarly some of the popular themes of previous years include, Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture It! (2015), Equality for Women is Progress for All! (2014), etc.
For awareness programmes, many people choose to wear purple ribbons with their outfits specifically on the International Women’s Day. In India too the day is celebrated with much joy, to promote gender parity and acknowledge all women for their achievements in life, be it in their social, political or other important spheres of life.