International Women's Day: When is Women's Day 2022? History, significance & more details

International Women's Day is observed every year on March 8 in a bid to celebrate the women's movement and struggle for equality. It is marked as one of the biggest events of the year and aims to highlight the achievements of women across the globe. Along with this, it also focuses on the issue of gender discrimination in society.

On this day, a lot of activities are organised worldwide with several groups coming together to celebrate every women's achievements or rally for their equality. As the celebration is around the corner, here we bring you every detail about the history and significance of International Women's Day.

History of International Women's day

The history of international women's day dates back to the early 1900s which was marked as the period of turbulence in the industrialized world and majorly witnessed the rise of radical ideologies. In the year 1908, a total of 15,000 women organised a rally through the New York city US in order to demand good pay, shorter work hours, and voting rights. The seeds for women's equality were planted in 1908, but the idea of International women's day was tabled by a woman named Clara Zetkin at the International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen.100 women there, from 17 countries, agreed to it unanimously and since then we have been celebrating the day with great enthusiasm.

Clara Zetkin initiated the idea that every year in every country there should be a celebration dedicated to the struggles of women. After which for the first time, National Women's day across the United States was observed on February 28. It was also honoured in countries like Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. The United Nations celebrated the first International Women's Day in 1975.

International Women's day 2022 Significance

International Women's Day further endorses the need and necessity to knowledge every woman in every aspect of life, be it in the household or in the public domain. This day is celebrated to advocate for gender parity and increase awareness regarding women's equality. There are certain special colours for the day. Purple, green, and white are the colours of International Women's Day. According to the International Women's Day website-

"Purple signifies justice and dignity. Green symbolises hope. White represents purity, albeit a controversial concept. The colours originated from the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the UK in 1908"

Image: Instagram@internationalwomensdayofficial