Why is women's day on March 8?
International Women’s Day, commemorated every year on 8th March, is an international event marking the achievements of women and promoting gender equality. The 8th of March is a date of historical relevance, based on labor movements, feminist activism, and revolutionary achievements. This blog traces the history of Women’s Day, why it is observed on 8th March, and why it is important even today to continue fighting for the rights of women.
The Origins Of Women's Day
The origin of International Women’s Day lies in the first observed National Women’s Day, celebrated on February 28, 1909, in the United States. The Socialist Party of America planned this event to commemorate the 1908 strike by New York City garment workers when thousands of women marched against abysmal working conditions and demanding wages and the right to vote.
It was German activist Clara Zetkin who, at the 1910 International Socialist Women’s Conference in Copenhagen, proposed the concept of an International Women’s Day. She did this as she wished to mobilize women everywhere to work together to gain universal suffrage and workers' rights. The suggestion was endorsed unanimously, and the first International Women’s Day celebrations were held on 19th March 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland.
Why on March 8?
March 8 was designated as the official day of International Women's Day through pivotal events centered around early 20th-century occurrences. There was one important event on March 8, 1917 (February 23 according to the Julian calendar), when Petrograd, Russia, saw mass protests over food shortages and living standards during World War I. The protests were instrumental in initiating the Russian Revolution and, as a consequence, drove the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II.
Later, during the Second International Conference of Communist Women in 1921, 8th March was declared as International Women's Day officially to honor the Petrograd demonstrations. The date became an emblem of the women's movement and global female solidarity.
Global Recognition
At first, celebrated mostly in socialist and communist nations, International Women’s Day became more universally recognized following its endorsement by the United Nations in 1977. The UN started marking the day annually using themes that discussed issues like gender equality, right to reproduction, and violence against women. It is now celebrated as a public holiday and day of advocacy in more than 100 nations.
As we remember the importance of March 8, we are reminded how attention to detail can turn movements into milestones—much the way Sparkly Maid Orlando makes every nook and cranny of a house shine. Just as a house cleaner takes each detail of their business and does their best to perfect it, activists throughout history worked day and night to place women’s rights where they are today.
This attention to detail is also reflected in how society has increasingly accepted International Women's Day as an avenue for change. Just as Sparkly Maid Orlando manages to strike the right balance between being detailed and efficient with their services, advocates of gender equality managed to marry tenacity with strategy to achieve long-term impact.
Women’s Day is observed on 8th March due to its profound historical origins linked to labor and revolutionary activism. Through its roots in early feminist movements to its international designation now, the date represents cohesion and progress toward the improvement of rights among women. In honoring this day annually, we are reminded that change must be fueled by both passion and accuracy—a virtue that works whether creating movements or keeping households.
