From being able to legally vote and continuing to combat discrimination in the workplace, women have come a long way within the past century, making their voices heard and forging toward the future with independence, strength, compassion, and wisdom.
International Women’s Day is all about appreciating and honouring all the women that have contributed to the progression towards gender equality from the past, present, and even the future, as we continue blazing a trail for the generations of women to come.
This International Women’s Day, Acorn Stairlifts celebrates all of the amazing women in the world who have made a difference, not just from their multiple contributions throughout the course of history, but through the ways in which they touch peoples’ personal lives on a daily basis as well.
Read on to learn about the history behind International Women’s Day and how you can join in on celebrating all of the wonderful women in your life and all over the world.
When is International Women’s Day?
International Women’s Day is on 8 March every year.
This year, in 2024, International Women’s Day falls on a Friday.
What is the Theme for International Women’s Day 2024?
Every year in December, the theme for International Women’s Day is determined by UN Women.
The theme for International Women’s Day 2024 is “Invest in women: Accelerate progress.”
Revolving around achieving gender equality for a more prosperous future for all, the theme stresses the importance of investing in our women, increasing gender-equality measures, and implementing gender-responsive financing.
These are the five targeted areas of interests that require our joint action and attention, as stated by the UN:
- Investing in women, a human rights issue: Time is running out. Gender equality is the greatest human rights challenge, benefiting everyone.
- Ending poverty: Due to the COVID pandemic and conflicts, 75 million more people have fallen into severe poverty since 2020. Immediate action is crucial to prevent over 342 million women and girls living in poverty by 2030.
- Implementing gender-responsive financing: Conflicts and rising prices may lead 75% of countries to cut public spending by 2025, negatively impacting women and their essential services.
- Shifting to a green economy and care society: The current economic system disproportionately affects women. Advocates propose a shift to a green economy and care society to amplify women's voices.
- Supporting feminist change-makers: Despite leading efforts, feminist organisations receive only 0.13% of official development assistance.
Some ways that you can participate in the IWD celebration this year include donating to a charity that invests in the funding of gender equality or supports a better world for women, showing the women in your life how much you support and appreciate them, and promoting gender equality and raising awareness by participating in #InvestInWomen.
How Did International Women’s Day Start?
Although the first official International Women’s Day was declared and recognised by the UN in 1975, the history behind International Women’s Day actually goes back much further.
In fact, it originated back in 1908 in New York City during a women’s rights march where 15,000 people advocated for better wages and voting rights. This led to the recognition of the first Women’s Day in the United States in 1909.
German advocate for women’s rights, Claire Zetkin, saw a global vision of what this day could be, suggesting that the commemorated event be taken to the 1910 International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen.
Other countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany followed suit in celebrating this day in 1911 when they joined in on the occasion as well.
Now, every year on March 8, International Women’s Day is celebrated on a global scale.
Get Inspired—Words of Wisdom from Women
If we’ve learned anything throughout history, it’s that when a woman talks, you should be listening.
Get inspired by the wise words of these strong, influential women that exemplify the beauty and empowerment of what it means to be a woman.
International Women’s Day Quotes
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”
“The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me.”
“There’s something so special about a woman who dominates in a man’s world. It takes a certain grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness, and the nerve to never take no for an answer.”
“Women and girls have always faced hurdles. But that’s never stopped us. We’ve sacrificed, fought, campaigned, succeeded, been knocked back, and succeeded again. In a race for justice. we’ve leapt over countless obstacles to win our rights.”
“As women, we may not be a minority, but there is a bond that we all share. It is not a bond of geography. Or religion. Or culture. It is a bond of shared experience - experiences that only women go through and struggles that only women face.”
“We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead.”
“I raise up my voice – not so I can shout, but so those without a voice can be heard… we cannot succeed when half of us are held back.”
“I say, It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me.”
-Maya Angelou
To read Maya Angelou’s full poem of “Phenomenal Woman,” click here.
To learn more about the history of women’s rights, the contributions that women have made throughout history, and more about the influential women themselves, check out these resources:
https://www.theguardian.com/money/us-money-blog/2014/aug/11/women-rights-money-timeline-history
https://www.history.co.uk/article/british-women-who-changed-the-world
https://interactive.unwomen.org/multimedia/timeline/womensfootprintinhistory/en/index.html#front1
https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2021/3/compilation-women-leaders-we-admire