How did it start, and what can we do from here?
March 8 was International Women’s Day, sparking social media posts about women’s rights and accomplishments all around the world. Many posts from organizations, schools, and governments brought light to influential women who have contributed to the world in a meaningful way. But what is International Women’s Day really about, and where did it come from?
According to the modern International Women’s Day campaign, it is a “global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender equality.”
The idea for an annual day dedicated to women’s rights was proposed in 1910 at the International Conference of Working Women. It was initiated at this conference by German political leaders Luise Zietz, Clara Zetkin, and Kate Duncker. Over 100 female delegates in attendance from 17 different countries voted in agreement. As a result, the first International Women’s Day was celebrated in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. Over one million people rallied for women’s rights to vote, work, hold public office, and live and work without discrimination. However, the following week, a huge fire took the lives of almost 150 working women, mostly immigrants, in New York City, causing working conditions to become a major focus for future International Women’s Days.
The day ending up on March 8 was cemented by the women of Russia. After declaring International Women’s Day on March 8 in 1913, women in St. Petersburg went on a strike. The 1917 “Bread and Peace” strike took place during World War I, urging for peace in the war and within the country. The women’s strike catalyzed other mass strikes and political movements. In recognition of what their women did for the country, Russia proclaimed International Women’s Day as a non-working holiday and Russian women were given the right to vote.
Sparked by revolution, further rallies occurred across Europe, striking against the war and in support of women. Meanwhile, it was mostly communist countries and organizations that spread the recognition of March 8. In 1949, China began giving working women a half-day in the office on the day.
It was years later, in 1975, when Canada began celebrating International Women’s Day along with the United Nations (UN). That was only 51 years ago. In 1977, the UN declared International Women’s Year, and continually attempted to assign a theme of different women’s rights such as “Women at the Peace Table” and “World-Free of Violence Against Women” for each year thereafter.
The day was not mainstream until 2011, 100 years after the first celebration, when former United States president Barack Obama declared March to be Women’s History Month. That year, many activists across the world ran events in the name of women.
In the modern age, views about women’s rights and equality have shifted, divided, and altered. After all the progression throughout history, many may believe that equality has been reached, and that people of all genders have the same rights. But that is not the case. In 2026, the UN found that women and girls have 64 per cent of the legal rights that men have worldwide.
According to the UN, World Health Organization, Save the Children, and the International Labor Organization, 133 million girls across the world are still banned from access to proper education, and the global pay gap is around 17 per cent to this day. 60 per cent of women across the globe do not have social protection at work, and 32 million girls live in countries with high child marriage rates. Every day, around 712 women die from pregnancy and childbirth. And every 10 minutes, a woman or girl is killed by a partner or family member.
For 2026, the theme of International Women’s Day was “Give to Gain,” which focuses on how giving and supporting women and girls is to contribute to the gain of all people. For this Women’s History Month, and future International Women’s Days, it is especially beneficial for a person wanting to contribute to stay educated, share, and speak up, towards campaigns for women’s rights.