HISTORY
International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, and violence and abuse against women.
IWD originated from labor movements in North America and Europe during the early 20th century.
The earliest version was purportedly a “Women’s Day” organized by the Socialist Party of America in New York City on February 28, 1909. This inspired German delegates at the 1910 International Socialist Women’s Conference to propose “a special Women’s Day” be organized annually, albeit with no set date; the following year saw the first demonstrations and commemorations of International Women’s Day across Europe.
After women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia in 1917 (the beginning of the February Revolution), IWD was made a national holiday on March 8; it was subsequently celebrated on that date by the socialist movement and communist countries. The holiday was associated with far-left movements and governments until its adoption by the global feminist movement in the late 1960s. IWD became a mainstream global holiday following its adoption by the United Nations in 1977.
IWD 2023 THEME
The 2023 theme for International Women’s Day is “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality,” highlighting gender gaps in STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and careers — and calling attention to the online harassment many women face.
Women make up only 22 per cent of artificial intelligence workers globally.
A global analysis of 133 AI systems across industries found that 44.2 per cent demonstrate gender bias.
A survey of women journalists from 125 countries found that 73 per cent had suffered online violence in the course of their work.
From the earliest days of computing to the present age of virtual reality and artificial intelligence, women have made untold contributions to the digital world in which we increasingly live. Their accomplishments have been against all odds, in a field that has historically neither welcomed nor appreciated them.
Today, a persistent gender gap in digital access keeps women from unlocking technology’s full potential. Their underrepresentation in STEM education and careers remains a major barrier to their participation in tech design and governance. And the pervasive threat of online gender-based violence—coupled with a lack of legal recourse—too often forces them out of the digital spaces they do occupy.
At the same time, digital technology is opening new doors for the global empowerment of women, girls and other marginalized groups. From gender-responsive digital learning to tech-facilitated sexual and reproductive healthcare, the digital age represents an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate all forms of disparity and inequality.
Shout out to all the Women out there who keep pushing to make the world a better place for younger female’s you guys are the real MVP!
#EmbraceEquity
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!
