“Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.” This is this year’s theme for the United Nations’ observance of International Women’s Day on March 8th.
The United Nations first recognized March 8th as International Women’s Day in 1975. They began having annual themes for the day in 1996. This year’s theme stems from how women are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change compared to men. A key reason for this trend is that women make up the majority of the world’s lower class and are more dependent on natural resources, which are threatened the most by climate change.
The UN wants to empower women to have a voice and be active in making decisions relating to climate change because a sustainable future is not possible without gender equality.
How Did International Women’s Day Begin?
The fight for women’s rights began in February 1908 in New York City. Women were becoming more vocal and active in going against gender inequality. There were 15,000 women who marched throughout New York City campaigning for shorter working hours, better pay, and equal voting rights.
In 1909, the Socialist Party of America celebrated the first National Woman’s Day on February 28th. National Woman’s Day was celebrated on the last Sunday of February until 1913.
In 1910, a leader of the Women’s Office for the Social Democratic Party in Germany named Clara Zetkin suggested the idea of an International Women’s Day where women every year in every country should advocate for women’s rights and share their demands.
The first International Women’s Day was held for the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland on March 19, 1911.
Finally, in 1913, there was an agreement for International Women’s Day to officially take place on March 8th to be in line with Russian women who celebrated the day on the Gregorian calendar’s February 23rd.
Russia had one of the most notorious International Women’s Day despite it not being their first. On February 23 1917, the equivalent to our March 8th, Russian women held a protest that directly led to gaining the right to vote. Many other countries looked to Russia as an example of what women could change for themselves.
#BreakTheBias
In 2001, the International Women’s Day website was launched to help with organizing the day by creating annual themes, campaigns, and events. For 2022, the theme is #BreakTheBias. This theme calls for people to imagine a world without stereotypes and bias to create a diverse world where differences are valued and celebrated. This way, we can move forward towards women’s equality.
On social media, the hashtags being used are #BreakTheBias and #IWD2022. Alongside these hashtags are people posing by crossing their arms to symbolize an “x” in solidarity.
What To Do For International Women’s Day
Bias makes it harder for women to move ahead and gain gender equality. So to follow the theme of this International Women’s Day, learn to address any deliberate or unconscious bias you have and actively call out gender bias, discrimination, and stereotyping when you see it to fuel gender equality.
The International Women’s Day website also lists out events for all around the world that people can participate in such as the “Celebrating Arts & Women in Tech Live VR” in New York or the “Diversity-Equity-Inclusion” event in Hellerup, Denmark.
You can also wear the colors of International Women’s Day! Traditionally, purple is worn on this day. Green and white are also considered the colors of International Women’s Day due to the roots these colors have in the United Kingdom’s Women’s Social and Political Union.
Regardless of it being International Women’s Day, make sure to work on your gender biases and advocate for a sustainable future with gender equality!
Citations:
Haynes, S. (2021, April 29). Why international women’s day is March 8: A radical reason. Time. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://time.com/5187268/international-womens-day-history/
History of international women’s day. International Women’s Day. (n.d.). Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Activity/15586/The-history-of-IWD#
In Focus: International Women’s Day. UN Women – Headquarters. (2022, March 1). Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/in-focus/2022/03/in-focus-international-womens-day
IWD 2022 campaign theme: #BreakTheBias. International Women’s Day. (n.d.). Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Theme
Mayorquin, O. (2022, March 7). #breakthebias: What to know about international women’s day and the theme for 2022. USA Today. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2022/03/07/international-womens-day-2022-theme/9413398002/
United Nations. (n.d.). International Women’s Day. United Nations. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day
By: Amanda Aber
Written On: March 7, 2022
