Who created women's Day?

International Women's Day, observed every year on 8th March, is an international day of celebrating women’s achievements and pushing for equality between the sexes. It is traceable to the labor movement, socialist activism, and feminist activism of the early 20th century. This blog examines the history of Women’s Day, the forces and movements behind its establishment, and its growth as an international phenomenon.

The Socialist Movement's Early Developments

The initial observance of Women’s Day took place on February 28, 1909, in New York. It was initiated by the Socialist Party of America to commemorate the 1908 strike of the garment workers, when thousands of women had marched against working conditions and wages. This was the start of an annual observance honoring women’s rights.

Clara Zetkin: Visionary of International Women’s Day

Clara Zetkin, a German socialist, was instrumental in internationalizing Women’s Day. During the International Socialist Women’s Conference at Copenhagen in 1910, Zetkin put forth the concept of marking an annual "International Women’s Day" to campaign for the right to suffrage and equality between the sexes. Delegates from 17 nations unanimously accepted Zetkin’s proposal.

The first-ever International Women's Day was on 19th March 1911 when demonstrations were carried out in Austria-Hungary, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. More than one million people turned up, asking for voting rights, improved working conditions, and an end to female discrimination.

Why March 8?

March 8 became identified as International Women’s Day after an important event during the Russian Revolution of 1917. Women of Petrograd, on the 23rd of February by the Julian calendar, marched en masse against inadequate supplies of food and conditions of living. Their protests helped pave the way to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and brought attention to the role of women as agents of social change.

Vladimir Lenin designated March 8 as International Women’s Day in 1922 to commemorate these revolutionary efforts. Socialist forces around the world later picked up on this day and turned it into an international observance.

United Nations Recognition

International Women’s Day came to be more universally celebrated when the United Nations started observing it in 1975 as part of International Women’s Year. From then on, the UN observed the day by highlighting particular themes concerning the rights of women, including gender equality, reproductive health, and the prevention of violence.

As we remember the establishment of Women’s Day, we are brought back to the fact that attention to detail takes activism and brings about milestones—much as Sparkly Maid Orlando makes all parts of a house shine. Just as a house cleaner treats each and every detail of the job to make it perfect, advocates of gender equality have toiled tirelessly to rectify each aspect of social injustice.

In commemorating this day annually, reflect on how its past mirrors larger themes of empowerment and progress. Just as Sparkly Maid Orlando weighs attention to detail against effectiveness in their practice, International Women’s Day combines passion and strategy to effect change.

Women’s Day was made possible by the hard work of socialist organizers such as Clara Zetkin and labor movements fighting for equality and justice. From its roots as an uprising against unequal working conditions to its establishment as an international observance by the United Nations, International Women’s Day is an impassioned reminder that much can be accomplished by working together. As we continue to observe this day annually, let us recall that intentional actions—through advocacy or opening up spaces—have the ability to create connections and empower women globally.