Why Does International Women's Day Still Matter Today?

International Women’s Day, celebrated every year on March 8, is a global reminder of the importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

While many celebrate this day with messages of support from leaders, brands, and communities, it’s easy to forget that its origins are deeply rooted in the struggles and activism of women who fought for their rights.

For decades, women around the world have marched, protested, and organised to demand equal treatment, better working conditions, and political rights.

So, while it’s wonderful to see these celebrations, it’s crucial to ask: Why do we still need a day dedicated to women? Are we truly done fighting for equality, or is the battle still unfolding?

Let’s take a step back and explore how International Women’s Day came to be and why it’s still just as important today.

The origins of International Women’s Day lie in the profound struggles faced by women workers during the Industrial Revolution.

As factories boomed and urbanisation grew, women entered the workforce, but not on equal footing with their male counterparts.

One of the most notable early moments came in 1909, when garment workers in New York City, particularly female workers, organised a strike to demand better pay and safer working conditions. This marked the first significant women’s protest of its kind, which would ultimately inspire the creation of an International Women’s Day.

It was Russian revolutionary and socialist Alexandra Kollontai who later credited this momentous event as the first-ever celebration of Women’s Day.

She recognised the key role that working-class women in America had played in raising awareness about the need for women’s rights, especially the right to vote.

Kollontai, who was deeply involved in socialist movements, wrote in 1920 that the women’s movement in America, driven largely by socialists, was instrumental in shaping the early ideas behind International Women’s Day.

On the 28th of February, 1909, the women socialists of the USA organised huge demonstrations and meetings all over the country, demanding political rights for working women. This was the first ‘Woman’s Day.’

International Women’s Day became an official event in 1910, when the Second International Congress of Socialist Women convened in Copenhagen, Denmark.

It was there that the idea to hold a worldwide celebration to advocate for women’s rights took root. In March 1911, the first official International Women’s Day was held across Europe, with rallies and protests calling for women’s right to vote, better working conditions, and an end to gender-based inequality.

Alexandra Kollontai’s writing from this period captures the energy of the movement: “Women’s Day did achieve something. It turned out above all to be an excellent method of agitation among the less political of our proletarian sisters.”

Through the rallies, marches, and pamphlets distributed, the significance of Women’s Day spread to a wider audience, pushing forward the idea that it was indeed “a festival for working women,” as Kollontai so aptly put it.

In 1913, the date for InternationalWomen’s Day was moved to March 8, as per the Georgian calendar, which is still observed today.

The garment industry played a pivotal role in the early history of Women’s Day. At the turn of the century, this was the single largest employer of women in the United States.

However, the conditions these women worked under were harsh, with long hours, low wages, and little respect or recognition for their labour. In some cases, they even had to supply their own materials, such as needles and thread, and were penalised for being late or taking breaks.

The New York Shirtwaist Strike of 1909, also known as the Uprising of the 20,000, was a defining moment in the labour movement for women.

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Clara Lemlich, a 23-year-old garment worker, is famous for leading the strike with the now-iconic words: “I have no further patience for talk. I move we go on a general strike.”

This powerful stance by Lemlich and other working women eventually led to the formation of labour unions, and, over time, women workers began gaining recognition for their invaluable contributions to the workforce.

The slogan “Bread and Roses,” which emerged during this time, encapsulated the broader goals of these protests; workers were not only fighting for better wages (“bread”) but also for dignity, respect, and the right to live fully (“roses”).

Rose Schneiderman, a labour activist and suffragist, beautifully articulated this dual aspiration when she said, “What the woman who labours wants is the right to live, not simply exist, the right to life as the rich woman has the right to life, and the sun and music and art. You have nothing that the humblest worker has not a right to have. The worker must have bread, but she must have roses, too.”

As we reflect on the history of International Women’s Day, it becomes clear that while significant strides have been made, the battle for gender equality is far from over.

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In many parts of the world, women still face systemic discrimination, wage inequality, violence, and unequal access to education and healthcare. Although we celebrate women’s achievements today, it’s essential to remember that the struggle for gender equality is ongoing.

International Women’s Day is not just about celebrating past victories but also about acknowledging the challenges that remain. As long as women continue to fight for equal rights, opportunities, and respect, March 8 will continue to be a day of both celebration and reflection.

If you ask why Women’s Day is celebrated on a particular day, because every day should be Women’s Day, we have to realise that if women were treated equally, there would be no Women’s Day.

If no rapes and assaults are happening, there will be no Women’s Day. If there were no situations that made it mandatory to write laws that protect women, there would be no Women’s Day.

If women are being respected and there is no patriarchy, then there will be no Women’s Day. If there was no misogyny, there would be no Women’s Day.

Indeed, as we march forward, let us echo the rallying cry of the early labour activists: “We have bread, but we want roses too.” In a world that continues to evolve, we must ensure that every woman not only survives but thrives.