International Women's Day 2022: The History, Significance, And Theme This Year

Every year on March 8, International Women's Day is commemorated to raise awareness about gender equality and to recognise the accomplishments of women in all disciplines. In 1975, during International Women's Year, the United Nations commemorated the first official International Women's Day on March 8. Purple is a colour that is used to symbolise women's day across the world.

Date

International Women's Day is celebrated across the world on March 8.

Theme for 2022

The theme for International Women's Day in 2022, according to the United Nations, is "Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow". The theme honours the contributions of women and girls around the world who are leading the charge in climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response in order to create a more sustainable future for everyone.

The United Nations also released a video, titled "It's not too late: Climate action for women, by women".

Watch the video here:

History and significance

During the 1908 labour movement in New York, thousands of women garment workers marched through the streets demanding shorter working hours, higher pay, and the opportunity to vote. National Women's Day was first observed in the United States the next year. The International Conference of Working Women then worked on an idea to make the day into a global movement in 1910. Clara Zetkin, a German campaigner and socialist, was at the forefront.

In 1917, in Russia, women protested for "bread and peace" on the last Sunday in February (which was March 8 at that time as per the Gregorian calendar). The country was then in turmoil due to war and food shortages. A few days later, the Czar abdicated, and the interim administration granted women the right to vote.

There are numerous ways in which International Women's Day can be celebrated — organising events, running campaigns, reporting on accomplishments, donating to a women-centric charity, among others.

When it comes to gender parity, it's important to remember that there's still a lot of work to be done, and we can all help.