International Women's Day 2024
International Women's Day today on 8 March 2024, has been marked around the world. So let's celebrate today and accomplish our goals.
What is International Women's Day?
International Women's Day is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women's rights movement. IWD gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. This has been a long standing fight for women of all ages to have the equality we as an individual gender deserve.
History
On the 28th February 1909, the active Socialist Party of America celebrated the very first National Womanโs Day, consisting of the 15,000 women who protested in New York against their unfair working conditions and low pay.ย Then in 1910, Clara Zetkin, the leader of Germanyโs Womenโs Office for the Social Democratic Party, suggested the idea of a global International Womenโs Day. On 19 March 1911, the first International Womenโs Day was finally held, over 1 million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland took part in this! It took until 1975 for the United Nations to recognise and begin celebrating (IWD).
Why Do We Celebrate It?
It is a day when women are recognised for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. Since those early years, International Women's Day has became a new global dimension for women in a greater change and to make this change in other countries as well. Women's day brings to light the work that still remains to be done to this day. International Women's Day celebrates how far women's rights and gender equality has come, it's also important to recognise what still needs to be done. According to the United Nations, women make up 70% of the world's 1.3 billion people in poverty. That is by standing a huge percentage that needs tremendous improvement.
Why It Is A Holiday?
International Women's Day aims to promote unity and solidarity amongst women across the world. The day presents an opportunity for them to share experiences together, give support to each other and celebrate their collective strength to pursue equal rights for all women. This day is a reminder that gender parity is still not being achieved, even in 2023. With the World Economic Forum estimating that it will take over a century for gender equality to be attained.
Colours And Symbol Of Womenโs Day
This holiday is usually accompanied by the colours purple, green and white. According to the International Women's Day website, purple stands for dignity and justice, green for hope, and white for purity. The colours originated from the Women's Social and Political Union in the UK in 1908. Another key note is the symbol for International Womenโs Day, it is a female gender symbol with a heart in purple. Though the mimosa is the official flower of International Women's Day, you can choose to give a variety of flowers in different colours to the women you admire or that may be significant in your life as a power female figure.
Things You Could Do
If you aren't involved with our women's movement today, then why not make a start? For those of you involved in local communities there are some things you could do to raise awareness for this particular day. Such as:
- Help support girls and women in crisis.
- Teach the next generation and learn from them.
- Help others understand the importance of gender equality.
- Be a good bystander for women in need and prevention against violence.
- Volunteer and give money to those women in need of additional support.
Final Say
Today, let's celebrate the beauty, grace, and strength of women all around the world. Happy Women's Day! Happy Women's Day to all the women who are making such a huge difference in their communities and inspiring others to do so. Remember to use the hashtags #Internationalwomensday2024 #InspireInclusion #IWD2024 in your social media posts to show your social declaration for today. May you continue to break barriers and set new standards for excellence.
