Liputan6.com, Jakarta - International Women's Day (IWD) is a global observance celebrated every March 8th to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women around the world.
It also serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for gender equality and women's rights.
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This celebration highlights crucial issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and efforts to address violence and harassment against women.
IWD is not just an annual ceremony, but a moment of reflection and commitment to ensuring that gender equality goes beyond mere slogans.
It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements regardless of differences, whether nationality, ethnicity, language, culture, economics, or politics.
International Women's Day: From the Labor Movement to UN Recognition
The history of International Women's Day has deep roots in the labor movement of the early 20th century in Europe and North America, marking the beginning of a long struggle for women's rights.
In 1908, approximately 15,000 women demonstrated in New York, USA, demanding shorter working hours, better wages, the right to vote, and the abolition of child labor.
In response to these demonstrations, the Socialist Party of America declared the first National Women's Day on February 28, 1909.
The idea to make this observance international emerged in 1910 at the Second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Clara Zetkin, a leader of the German Social Democratic Party, proposed International Women's Day.
Her proposal to hold annual celebrations in every country on the same day to urge the fulfillment of women's rights was supported by more than 100 women from 17 countries.
The first International Women's Day celebrations were held on March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland.
Millions of people participated in demonstrations demanding women's rights to work, vote, and an end to discrimination in the workplace.
March 8th became more closely associated with the women's movement after a major demonstration by women in Petrograd, Russia, on March 8, 1917 (February 23rd according to the Julian calendar).
Since then, March 8th has been officially designated as International Women's Day.
The United Nations (UN) began celebrating International Women's Day in 1975, and in 1977, the UN officially recognized March 8th as International Women's Day to champion women's rights and achieve world peace.
The first annual theme adopted by the UN in 1996 was "Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future."
International Women's Day 2026 Theme: Rights, Justice, and Collective Progress
The International Women's Day campaign (internasionalwomensday.com) carries the theme "Give To Gain" for 2026.
This campaign theme highlights the importance of mutual support and collective progress.
"Give To Gain" encourages people to give in various forms, such as donations, sharing knowledge, providing resources and infrastructure, offering visibility and advocacy, or supporting women through education, training, mentoring, equal pay, justice, opportunities, safety, and time.
The theme "Give To Gain" emphasizes that women's empowerment creates broader social progress.
These campaigns tend to emphasize celebration, community engagement, and organizational participation, helping to broaden engagement with IWD.
The Meaning and Purpose of International Women's Day
International Women's Day has a profound meaning and broad purpose, extending beyond just an annual celebration.
It is a day to recognize and appreciate women's contributions in various aspects of life, from the home to the public sphere, as well as in the development of nations and the world.
The colors associated with International Women's Day are purple, green, and white.
Purple symbolizes justice and dignity, as well as loyalty to the cause.
With cooperation and commitment from all levels of society, the dream of a world where every woman and girl can reach their full potential without the barriers of discrimination can be realized.
This commemoration is a call to action, to fight, and to celebrate the spirit of women around the world.