International Women’s Day is celebrated globally on 8 March every year to praise the social, economic, political, and cultural contributions that women have made to society.
The purpose behind celebrating International Women’s Day is to give equal rights to women in society and to promote their participation in society. This day is celebrated in different ways in every country. Most people give flowers and gifts to women on this day. In many countries, women in schools, colleges, offices are given a holiday on this day. But there are very few people who know about the history related to International Women’s Day, how International Women’s Day started, why it is celebrated only on March 8, etc. So let’s know all these things related to International Women’s Day.
International Women’s Day started with a protest movement. In the year 1908, on February 28, about 15,000 women took out a march in New York City, America, to protest for fewer hours in the job, equal pay to men and the right to vote. Exactly a year later, in 1908, the Socialist Party of America declared February 28 as the first National Women’s Day.
Clara Zetkin, who brought the concept of International Women’s Day, did not set any date for celebrating Women’s Day.
During the war in 1917, the women of Russia had decided to go on strike for ‘bread and pieces’ i.e. bread and clothes. This strike was also historic as the women’s strike forced Emperor Nicholas to resign from his post. After that, the interim government gave women the right to vote. At that time the Julian calendar was used in Russia and the Gregorian calendar was used in the rest of the world. The date the women started this strike was 23 February. This day was March 8 in the Gregorian calendar (according to the Julian calendar of Russia). At that time the Gregorian calendar runs all over the world. Therefore, since then, International Women’s Day started being celebrated on 8 March.
