International Women’s Day 2024: History, Importance, & Theme

“DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality” has been declared the theme of International Women’s Day 2024 to highlight the significance of technology in bringing gender issues to light.

International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on the 8^th of March to celebrate womanhood, acknowledge the struggles that led the world that is today towards gender equality and the empowerment of women, and also create a better future by promoting a better society that is free of gender bias.

On this day, the acts of bravery of women in the past are acknowledged, and the issues still prevailing in society all over the world are addressed to create a safer, better, and more accepting world not just for girls or women but for all of humanity and life on earth.

History

International Women’s Day, according to UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), arose from the labour movements in Europe and North America in the Twentieth Century.

In the US, on February 28, 1909, the first National Women’s Day was observed, in honour of the garment workers’ strike in 1908 in New York.

In 1908, 15,000 women marched through the city of New York to protest against harsh working conditions and demand higher pay, shorter working hours, and the opportunity to vote.

Clara Zetkin, a communist activist and women’s rights supporter came up with the suggestion of declaring the day a worldwide holiday in 1910 at a conference for working women in Copenhagen. 100 women from 17 different nations who were present there unanimously agreed to the proposal.

In 1945, the United Nations Charter became the first international agreement that confirmed the principle of equality between women and men.

Later, in the International Women’s Year, that is, 1975, on March 8^th, the first official Women’s Day was observed by the UN. In 1977, following the adoption of a resolution by the UN General Assembly, International Women’s Day turned out to be a mainstream holiday.

The member states were invited to announce March 8 as an official UN holiday for world peace and women’s rights.

The Colors of International Women’s Day

No, none of them is pink; instead, the colours are purple, white, and green.

These colours are said to have originated with the WSPU (Women’s Social and Political Union) in 1908 in the UK.

The WSPU was founded in 1903 in Manchester by Emmeline Pankhurst and was considered the militant wing of the British suffrage movement. They, along with NUWSS (the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies), worked for the right to vote for women in a country that, in 1832, had explicitly denied women suffrage.

The colour purple signifies dignity, honour, and justice. Hope and optimism are symbolised by the colour green. The colour white signifies purity.

International Women’s Day Celebrations Around the World

In many countries, including Russia, the day is considered a national holiday.

A lot of women in China usually receive a half day off from work on March 8, according to the state council’s recommendation.

In Italy, on March 8, Festa della Donna is observed by exchanging mimosa blooms. Even though the exact beginning of the custom is considered unknown, it is believed that it began in Rome following World War II.

In the US, March is recognised as Women’s History Month. Every year, the accomplishments of women are honoured in the presidential proclamation.

The Theme For 2024

“DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality” has been declared the theme of International Women’s Day 2024 by the UN to highlight the significance of technology in bringing gender issues to light.

The Reason Behind This Theme

• A WEF (World Economic Forum) report suggested that by 2050, 75% of jobs will be related to areas of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). To name just one example, women hold only 22% of positions in artificial intelligence globally. The major reason behind this is the underrepresentation of women in STEM education.
• According to a gender snapshot report in 2022, a study of 51 countries exposed that around 38% of women had personally experienced online violence.
• A global analysis of 133 AI systems across different industries revealed that 44.2% of them demonstrated gender bias.
• A survey of women journalists across 125 countries exposed that 73% of women had suffered online violence in the course of their work.
• According to a report by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union), by 2022, 63% of women had used the internet, compared to 69% of men.

The widespread threat of online gender-based violence, paired with the lack of a legal route, forces women and young girls out of the digital space.

Nevertheless, the digital age represents an unmatched opportunity to eradicate all forms of inequality and disparity. Digital technology has opened new doors for the global empowerment of girls, women, and other marginalised groups.

This year on International Women’s Day, it is a call on the activists, governments, and private sector to create their influence and increase their efforts in making the digital world an inclusive, equitable, and most importantly, a safer place for everyone.