International Women's Day is a celebration and call to action. Beware the flowers and candy (2024)

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Women across the world will demand equal pay, reproductive rights, education, justice, decision-making jobs and other essential needs during demonstrations marking International Women’s Day on Friday.

Officially recognized by the United Nations in 1977, International Women’s Day is commemorated in different ways and to varying degrees in places around the world. Protests are often political and, at times, violent, rooted in women’s efforts to improve their rights as workers.

Demonstrations are planned from Tokyo to Mexico City, and this year’s global theme is “Inspire Inclusion.”

Here is what to know about the March 8 global event:

WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY?

International Women's Day is a celebration and call to action. Beware the flowers and candy (1)

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.

It is an official holiday in more than 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Ukraine, Russia and Cuba, the only one in the Americas.

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Like in other aspects of life, social media plays an important role during International Women’s Day, particularly by amplifying attention to demonstrations held in countries with repressive governments toward women and dissent in general.

WHEN DID IT START AND WHY DOES IT FALL ON MARCH 8?

International Women's Day is a celebration and call to action. Beware the flowers and candy (5)

International Women's Day is a celebration and call to action. Beware the flowers and candy (6)

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.

International Women’s Day is observed on March 8 after a massive protest in Russia on Feb. 23, 1917, that led to the country’s eventual withdrawal from the war. At the time, Russia had not adopted the Gregorian calendar — named after Pope Gregory XIII, who introduced it in 1582 – and still used the Julian calendar – the brainchild of Julius Caesar and still used by Orthodox churches for religious rites.

“On Feb. 23 in Russia, which was March 8 in Western Europe, women went out on the streets and protested for bread and peace,” said Kristen Ghodsee, professor and chair of Russian and East European studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Demonstrators included widows, wives and mothers of men who died or were injured during the war. “The authorities weren’t able to stop them, and then, once the men saw that the women were out on the streets, all of the workers started coming and joining the women.”

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.

ARE FLOWERS AND CHOCOLATES WELCOME?

International Women's Day is a celebration and call to action. Beware the flowers and candy (7)

It depends on the time and place.

Women in Eastern Europe have long received flowers on March 8 — and sometimes even gotten the day off from work. But chocolates and candy can come across as a belittling gestures, showing a lack of understanding of the struggles driving women to protest, particularly in regions where protests have been combative.

In Turkey, women last year braved an official ban on an International Women’s Day march in Istanbul, and protested for about two hours before police used tear gas to disperse the crowd and detain dozens of people. And in Mexico City dozens of people were injured during a March 8 demonstration in 2021, after protesters battled police in the main square with rocks, bottles, metal poles, spray paint and streams of flame from lit aerosol cans.

Online retailers, meanwhile, have long used International Women’s Day to sell sweatshirts, greeting cards, sticker packs, cloth totes, jeopardy games, cupcake toppers and myriad other March-8-themed, purple-heavy items for the event.

The internet also offers plenty of guides for businesses to tap into the occasion, from cupcakes and appreciation emails for employees to product bundles and social media offers for existing or future customers. Companies, however, have had varying degrees of success with these efforts.

McDonald’s in 2018 flipped its golden arches to a “W” on its social media accounts and even the sign at a store in California, a marketing ploy that was criticized online as an empty gesture and led to calls on the company to improve the working conditions of workers instead.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR MARCH 8?

International Women's Day is a celebration and call to action. Beware the flowers and candy (8)

International Women's Day is a celebration and call to action. Beware the flowers and candy (9)

Ghodsee said commemorating International Women’s Day is now more important than ever, as women have lost gains made in the last century, chiefly among them the 2022 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a nationwide right to abortion, which ended constitutional protections that had been in place nearly 50 years.

“I think women around the world before (Donald) Trump became president, — when Hillary Clinton was running for president, Sheryl Sandberg was writing “Lean In” and it was all girlboss feminism – we didn’t know how quickly all of that could be taken away,” she said.

The U.S. decision on abortion has reverberated across Europe’s political landscape, forcing the issue back into public debate in some countries at a time when far-right nationalist parties are gaining influence.

France on Monday became the only country to explicitly guarantee abortion as a constitutional right, a historic move proposed by President Emmanuel Macron and hailed by women’s rights activists worldwide.

The vote during a special joint session of France’s parliament drew a long standing ovation among lawmakers.

“We have a moral debt to women,” French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal told lawmakers in the lead-up to the vote Monday.

International Women's Day is a celebration and call to action. Beware the flowers and candy (2024)

FAQs

What does International women's Day mean to you answers? ›

International Women's Day is a day of unity with all women across the world celebrating each other. There is a lack of appreciation and acknowledgement across all societies for the impact women have made and continue to make in the world, and International Women's Day is a chance to celebrate those achievements.

What is the meaning of the flower for International women's Day? ›

Mimosa flower was picked by Italian feminists as a representation of strength, sensitivity, and sensibility for Women's Day. The flower is very delicate however it is very strong and literally can grow in hostile lands just like the characteristic of being a woman!

What is the message to celebrate International women's Day? ›

Keep shining, keep smiling, and keep inspiring everyone around you." "On International Women's Day, let's honor the incredible women who pave the way for progress and equality. May your light shine brightly and guide others." "Wishing you a day of joy, empowerment, and recognition on International Women's Day.

What is celebrated during International women's Day and what is its call to action? ›

International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.

Why we celebrate the International women's Day? ›

It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. Since those early years, International Women's Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike.

Why is it important to celebrate women's Month? ›

March is recognized worldwide as International Women's Month. It is a time to celebrate the remarkable contributions of women across the globe and to raise our voices to advocate for gender equality and women's rights.

What flower symbolizes a woman? ›

Roses, pink lilies, azaleas – whichever you choose, they represent femininity in all its glory. The mimosa flower, for instance, is a symbol of International Women's Day, a global event held on March 8th each year to celebrate women's social, economic, cultural and political achievements.

What do flowers represent? ›

What Do Flowers Symbolize? With their colorful and beautiful blooms, flower meanings are often synonymous with joy and pleasure. However, different types and colors of flowers bring unique meanings. Some flowers are seen as symbols of friendship and purity, while others are tied to forgiveness and death.

Why is it purple on women's day? ›

It says that: "Purple signifies justice and dignity. Green symbolises hope. White represents purity, albeit a controversial concept". These colours were used by the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), a group set up in the UK in 1903 to fight for women's votes.

What is the theme for 2024 International women's Day? ›

The 2024 Day will focus on the theme, 'Count Her In: Accelerating Gender Equality Through Economic Empowerment'. The theme aligns with the priority theme for the UN 68th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 68) and will examine pathways to greater economic inclusion for women and girls everywhere.

What is the slogan for International women's Day 2024? ›

IWD: International Women's Day 2024 campaign theme is 'Inspire Inclusion'

Why is mimosa the flower for International women's day? ›

In Italy, the tradition of gifting yellow mimosa flowers began in 1946. Activists Rita Montagnana and Teresa Mattei introduced this practice. They chose mimosas for their early bloom. This timing and resilience symbolized the women's movement.

What does the mimosa flower symbolize? ›

When it comes to flowers, few hold as much significance as the mimosa. Widely known to represent the sun, traditionally, mimosa also shares the meaning of sensitivity and safety, too. Now, many relate the mimosa branch with the annual celebration of International Women's Day on March 8th.

What is the meaning of the gladiolus flower? ›

The Meaning of Gladiolus

The gladiolus flower typically symbolizes honor and remembrance, but it has many other meanings too such as: Strength of character. Faithfulness, sincerity, and integrity. Infatuation. Never giving up.

What is the meaning of the magnolia flower? ›

The magnolia flower meaning is attached with the symbols of nobility, perseverance, and love of nature. Soft and subtle in color yet strong in appearance, the flower is representative of the beauty encompassing femininity and gentleness.

References

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