March 8th is celebrated as International Women’s Day all over the world. This occasion is marked each year to celebrate women’s achievements in all spheres. The theme for International Women’s Day 2023 is DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality and the hashtag is ‘#EmbraceEquity’.It is in line with the theme of the upcoming 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, ‘Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls’.
International Women’s Day goes back as early as 1909. It originated in New York by the Socialist Party of America on 28 February, 1909. It surfaced as a result of fifteen thousand women working in a garment factory raising their voice against the unjust conditions that they were made to work in.
Further to this, the following year, Clara Zetkin, a communist activist, suggested that it be celebrated as a worldwide holiday. This was proposed at a women’s conference in Copenhagen, attended by 100 women from 17 nations. And hence began the celebration of International Women’s Day as a worldwide holiday.
Here is a list of themes for the past Women’s Days
Year | International Women’s Day Theme |
2021 | Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 |
2020 | I am generation equality: Realizing women’s rights |
2019 | Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change .. |
2018 | Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women |
2017 | Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030 |
2016 | Planet 50–50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality .. |
2015 | Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture it! |
2014 | Equality for Women is Progress for All .. |
2013 | A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women |
International Women’s Day has emerged over the years, and since its inception, it has surpassed a regular holiday. It gives women an opportunity to express their concerns and become an integral part of the change-making process. A few of the many problems that have been addressed include gender violence, pay inequalities and inadequate healthcare facilities. In fact, a nation’s progress today is marked by the development of women’s rights.
Purple, white and green are the colours that represent International Women’s Day. These colours were chosen by the Women’s Social and Political Union in the United Kingdom in 1908. Each of these has a deeper meaning associated with it.
There is a vulnerable section of society that does not get to exercise the rights that others do. The purpose of International Women’s Day is to identify their problems and solve them while bridging the gender disparity that has curtailed women’s development.
Furthermore, it’s a platform to recognise the efforts of those women who have made a mark for themselves in the social, economic, cultural and political fields.
Each individual celebrates International Women’s Day in a manner that they prefer.For some it’s about ensuring women equality, and for others it is about celebrating their successes. Many people also simply choose this as an occasion to party.