Teaching on International Women's Day for the first time this year or looking for some fresh ideas? Our teacher team has you covered!
What Is International Women's Day?
- The event originated in the United States in the early 1900s as a way to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
- The first IWD was observed on February 28, 1909, in New York City, and it was organised by the Socialist Party of America in honor of a 1908 strike by garment workers, most of whom were immigrant women.
- In 1911, IWD was celebrated in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, and it continued to spread to other countries in Europe and around the world.
- In 1975, the United Nations (UN) began celebrating IWD, and it has been recognised by the UN ever since.
- Today, IWD is celebrated in countries around the world — including here in Australia — and is an occasion to reflect on progress made, call for change, and celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.