Why International Women’s Day is celebrated and why it is observed on March 8

Summary

• It recognizes women’s achievements across society
• It pushes for equal rights and gender justice
• March 8 is linked to women led protests in Russia in 1917
• The United Nations later helped establish it as a global observance

Every year on March 8, the world marks International Women’s Day (IWD), a day that’s as much a celebration of women’s achievements as it is a call to action for equality. But this isn’t just another calendar holiday. Its roots go back to powerful protests, labor movements and historic moments that shifted global awareness about women’s rights, and that legacy still fuels today’s movements for justice and inclusion.

What Is International Women’s Day?

International Women’s Day is an annual observance on March 8 that:

• Highlights women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievements

• Shines a spotlight on persistent gender inequality, including pay gaps, education access, violence against women, leadership representation and more

• Offers a platform for activism, accountability and global momentum toward gender justice

In essence, it’s both a celebration and a pressure point, meant to be visible, vocal and forward-looking.

Where it all began

The origins of International Women’s Day are rooted in early 20th century labor and suffrage movements in the U.S. and Europe:

• Women workers demanded better conditions, fair wages and voting rights in rapidly industrializing societies. Activists organized strikes and demonstrations that laid the groundwork.

• In 1910, German feminist Clara Zetkin proposed an international day dedicated to women’s rights, and the idea caught fire among socialist and labor groups in Europe.

But the reason March 8 became the formal date ties to an event four years later.

March 8 and the 1917 protests

In 1917 Petrograd (now Saint Petersburg, Russia), with World War I causing shortages and hardship, women textile workers took to the streets demanding “bread and peace.”

Their protest sparked wider unrest that contributed to the Russian Revolution. Soon after, the provisional government granted women the right to vote. March 8 became symbolic of women’s struggle for rights and justice, and it eventually stuck as the date for International Women’s Day.

When the United Nations got involved

Although women’s groups had observed March 8 for decades, it was the United Nations that elevated it to a global observance. The UN began formally celebrating International Women’s Day in 1975, and has used it to champion women’s rights, development goals and international peace.