International Women’s Day(IWD) is an annual global event to celebrate the achievements of women in social, cultural, economic, and political spheres, as well as acknowledge the need for more work to achieve gender equality.
Officially recognized by The United Nations in 1977, International Women’s Day has been observed worldwide for almost 50 years.
Before the UN observance, the day originated with revolutionary, socialist movements that advocated for working women. Socialist women in America began a National Women’s Day in 1909, which led to activism to commemorate women laborers worldwide. March 8 ultimately became the official date for International Women’s Day following a revolution of Russian workers in 1917.
The 2024 International Women’s Day campaign theme is ‘Inspire Inclusion,’ focusing on “breaking down barriers, challenging stereotypes, and fostering environments that value and respect women.”
The campaign emphasizes the importance of diversity and empowerment across various sectors of society and underscores the role of inclusion in advancing gender equality. The goal is to inspire a more inclusive world for women, promoting a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.
“When we inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion, we forge a better world,” states the IDW website. “And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment. Collectively, let’s forge a more inclusive world for women.”
One key pillar of the ‘Inspire Inclusion’ theme is promoting diversity in leadership and decision-making positions. Women, particularly those belonging to underrepresented groups, face significant barriers to leadership positions. According to the official IWD website, investing in inclusion can help organizations and communities make better decisions and innovate by bringing together diverse perspectives.
“When women aren’t present, we must ask: “If not, why not?” When women are discriminated against, we must call out poor practice. When the treatment of women is not equitable, we must take action. And we must do this each time, every time.”
This year, Google is commemorating the day with a special Google Doodle. The Google Doodle for International Women’s Day, created by Sophie Diao, aims to capture the “cozy, comfortable feeling of older generations sharing wisdom and quality time with younger folks.”
The Doodle features two younger people sitting across from an older woman. It is meant to highlight the importance of spending time with people from different generations and learning from their experiences. The women are within a quilt meant to emphasize that the progress made by women over the years is a result of the courageous acts of those who came before them and paved the way.
“In order to truly include women, we must acknowledge their diversity of race, age, ability, faith, body image, and identity. Women must be embraced across all fields of endeavor globally,” according to IWD organizers.
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