Women worldwide participated in International Women’s Day, taking part in strikes, marches and demonstrations that underscored efforts to combat discrimination and accelerate the drive for gender parity. FILE - Women shout slogans as they gather to mark International Women’s Day in Montevideo, Uruguay, March 8, 2023.
International Women’s Day is a global celebration — and call to action — marked by demonstrations, mostly of women, around the world, ranging from combative protests to charity runs. Some celebrate the economic, social and political achievements of women, while others urge governments to guarantee equal pay, access to healthcare, justice for victims of gender-based violence and education for girls.
While the idea behind a women’s day originated in U.S. with the American Socialist Party in 1909, it was a German feminist who pushed for a global commemoration during an international conference of socialist women held in 1910 in Copenhagen. The following year, events across Europe marked the day, and during World War I, women used it to protest the armed conflict, which lasted from 1914 to 1918.
The U.N. began commemorating the holiday in 1975, which was International Women’s Year, and its General Assembly officially recognized the day two years later.Women talk during a demonstration as part of the International Women’s Day, March 8, 2023 in Paris. Women across the world will demand equal pay, reproductive rights, education, justice and other essential needs during demonstrations marking International Women’s Day on Friday, March 8, 2024.