Before the Offers: The Forgotten History of Women’s Day
In 2026, as the United Nations extended the call for this year’s International Women’s Day decided on the theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls”, do ALL women and girls actually feel that IWD is for them, too?
As we brace for the Women’s Day offers, a trip down the lanes of history shows that the celebration began not as a generic celebration of women for mere sake of existence, but as a movement rooted in the struggles of economically disadvantaged women for a better work place.
Neither was it celebrated on March 8 as we do today, but the first version of what we now recognise as a women's day was celebrated on February 28, 1909. After women from Europe and North America commemorated a day for women while protesting against long hours, poor wages, and unsafe working conditions, activist-politician Clara Zetkin proposed that a day be commemorated as ‘Working Women's Day’, which was approved at the 1910 International Socialist Women's Conference in Copenhagen. At the time no particular date was decided for the celebration.
Over time, International Women’s Day gradually evolved into a broader occasion celebrating women’s achievements in many fields. Today it is often marked with discounts, marketing campaigns, and social media greetings celebrating women. In a country like ours, with extreme digital divides, income inequalities and wage gaps, this often means such celebrations are accessible mainly to women who have access and money to pay.
In 2026, as the United Nations extended the call for this year’s International Women’s Day decided on the theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls”, do ALL women and girls actually feel that IWD is for them, too?
While society over time has become more enthusiastic about acknowledging and celebrating the day, many wonder if it is relevant anymore, unless followed up with steps necessary to make life easier for women.
