International Women's Day

Essays | Rhea Nandwani | Mar 8th, 2022.

International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on March 8th to recognize the strides women have made in promoting equality, honor achievements, and recommit ourselves to the fight for equality for women around the globe. 

The first IWD was celebrated on February 28, 1909, to honor women in the garment in the 1908 garment workers' strike in New York City. At the very first IWD, women demanded improved working conditions, the right to vote, and better wages. Today, the fight for equality continues as women rally for universal child care, equal pay, and reproductive rights. 

The theme for International Women’s Day 2022 is #BreaktheBias. The theme underscores the persistent unconscious and conscious biases that hinder equality and inclusivity. The IWD campaign this year challenges all of us to explore the underpinnings of our world views and shed the biases that can distort reality and prevent us from truly leveling the playing field between women and men. 

How can you celebrate International Women’s Day? 

• Support women-owned businesses 

• Celebrate important women in your own life 

• Read books about the history of feminism and women’s rights 

• Spend time reflecting on your own biases about gender and equality