International Women’s Day – Where Did It Start?

March 8, 2021

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This Monday is International Women’s Day, an important day not only for women, but for people globally. We thought we would honour this important event here at King’s Tutors by exploring its history. We will have a look at where the movement began and how it has grown to be the global event we are all familiar with today. 

The early 1900’s was a period of great civil unrest and revolution, especially amongst women. The inequality suffered by women was becoming increasingly challenged and opposed with ever louder voices, with more and more women demanding change. On the 8th March 1908, an event occurred which sparked such change: a 15,000 women strong march through New York City. The women were demanding better pay, better working conditions and hours and the right to vote. 

Fast forward one year and change was already beginning. On the 28th February the first National Women’s Day was held in the United States, and a year later, on August 10th, 1910, an International Socialist Women’s Conference was organised in Copenhagen. Then, in 1911, International Women’s Day was born. It was marked initially by over a million people in Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. There were 300 demonstrations in the Austro-Hungarian Empire alone, all comprised of women fighting for the right to equality. 

The movement quickly spread across the world, with English women marching on Trafalgar Square in 1914, and Russian women observing International Women’s Day for the first time in the same year, on the eve of the First World War. It was, in a highly divided world, a united cause across the globe, with women coming together in solidarity. 

If we fast forward again, this time to the second half of the 20th Century, we see he United Nations formally recognise International Women’s day for the first time in 1975. Just two years later in 1977, the General Assembly promoted a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace, which was to be observed and marked by individual countries in a manner and at a time which suited their traditions. Then, in 1997, the annual theme of the United Nations was chosen as “Women at the Peace Table”. This was highly significant as it was only the second year to be designated a theme, and was followed by “Women and Human Rights” in 1998, and “World Free of Violence Against Women” in 1999. 

Moving into the 21st Century, internationalwomensday.com was launched in 2001. This had the purpose of re-energising the day, celebrating and making visible the significant achievements of women, and promoting gender equality in areas that had yet to see it. Then, in 2011, the world marked the centenary of International Women’s Day. March 2011 was proclaimed by Barack Obama as Women’s History Month, calling on Americans to “mark the extraordinary accomplishments of women” in shaping the country’s history.

We hope that this blog has given you a brief insight into the history of this significant day, and that you find it as fascinating as we do!