International Women’s Day: Theme, History, Significance and Your Contribution!

International days and weeks hold a pivotal role in educating the masses on issues concerning the world as a whole. They help in mobilising political will and resources to address global problems and celebrate the significant achievements of humanity. International Women’s Day is marked on 8th March as a call for collective actions and shared ownership to reduce gender biases and celebrate women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievements.

Let’s learn more about the International Women’s Day 2025 themes, history, significance and how you can contribute to the celebrations of the occasion.

Theme for International Women’s Day 2025

A theme associated with International Women’s Day plays a significant role in starting a conversation about a specific or general issue and celebrating women and their contribution to the betterment of the world.

This year’s theme is a call for action to unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all. The major focus of the International Women’s Day 2025 theme “AcceleratAction” is on the empowerment of the next generation, particularly young women and adolescent girls for a lasting impact. There is an urge for united efforts to promote equality at work, educational institutions, households and beyond to achieve global gender equality.

The United Nations (UN) is also inviting people to join the celebration for International Women’s Day 2025 under the theme- “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”.

History of International Women’s Day :

The day is celebrated in various countries to recognise the achievement of women without any regard to divisions based on national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.

• International Women’s Day originated from labour movements in Europe and North America during the early 20th century. It started as “Woman’s Day” organised by the Socialist Party of America in New York City on 20th February 1909.
• Inspired by the event, the German delegates at the 1910 International Socialist Women’s Conference in Copenhagen proposed “a special Women’s Day” to be organised annually. This further resulted in the first International Women’s Day in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.
• In 1922, Vladimir Lenin declared 8th March as International Women’s Day to honour women’s role in the 1917 Russian Revolution. Afterwards, the day sprouted a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries.
• Moving forward, the growing international women’s movement, strengthened by four global United Nations women’s conferences helped the formation of the commemoration a rallying point to build support for women’s rights and participation in the political and economic arenas. It was the first global policy document on women that included a special focus on girls’ rights.

Significance of International Women’s Day:

Over the course of history, women have been on the suffering end and been struggling for their rights from suffrage to workplace equality.

International Women’s Day provides a platform for women to express their stories of struggles and achievements, connect with other women and demand action from government and institutions.

In recent times, the significance of the day has been raised to the next level with movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp. These movements have further increased awareness about the prevalent problems of sexual harassment and assault. The observance of the day is important as there are conversations around gender-based violence and systematic change as women still face various issues like domestic violence, unequal wages and harassment in different aspects of life. International Women’s Day boosts a fight for gender equality, access to education and healthcare for women and awareness about the significant role of women throughout history.

International Women’s Day 2025 has an added significance as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. It is the most progressive and widely endorsed document for women’s and girls’ rights worldwide. The document transformed the women’s rights agenda in various aspects including legal protection, access to services, change in social norms, youth engagement and stereotypes and myths from the past.

How to be a Part of the Celebrations?

 “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.” – Gloria Steinem (World-renowned feminist, journalist and activist).

Since International Women’s Day calls for a collective effort and shared ownership for driving gender parity, every individual needs to be a part of the awareness campaigns or take the initiative to make a difference.

Here are some of the ways, you can be a part of the celebration:

• Organise Events at Your Workplace: One of the focuses of observing the day is to create equality in the workspace. You can also contribute to the cause by organising events at your workplace such as award shows, talk shows, or inviting a women guest to encourage and inspire your female staff. You can also plan a trip to one of the places to visit on women’s day with your female colleagues, family or friends.
• Volunteer For Activities on International Women’s Day: You can become a part of spreading awareness about women’s equality and their issues by volunteering for activities organised in your locality. You can also book banquet halls in your locality to organise activities for women around you.
• Fundraisers and Donations: You can raise money through fundraisers and donate it to a Women-focused charity, girls’ orphanages or NGOs working for the welfare of women and girls.
• Read More About Women’s Equality: There are various famous national and international women authors including Kiran Desai, Jhumpa Lahiri, Arundhati Roy Virginia Woolf, Mary Wollstonecraft and Maya Angelou who are well-known for their contribution to the fight against gender inequality. If you happen to be in Kolkata, you can explore the bookstores in the famous College Street book market for women-centric books.
• Attend Women’s Day Celebrations: The UN and various other organisations contributing towards the betterment of women, host events on the occasion of International Women’s Day. You can look out for these events on the Internet and be a part of the celebrations.
• Wear Purple: The colour purple is a symbol of strength, power, justice and dignity. To bring uniformity to the celebrations, wearing purple is considered a simple yet effective gesture. You can wear purple colour clothes or just tie a purple ribbon on your wrist or pin it on your clothes.
• Support Small-Scale Women Artisans: India is known for its rich cultural heritage and women artisans play a significant role in preserving and promoting Indian culture through making handicrafts, textiles, jewellery and other valuable products. You can support these women by purchasing their products and by promoting them on social media and in your locality. If you happen to be planning to check out various places to visit in Gujarat, you can look out for handmade clothes and jewellery made by village women. To help you navigate to the local artisans, various hotels in Ahmedabad and other cities have dedicated travel desks.

Thus, International Women’s Day is an opportunity for everyone to contribute towards creating a gender-balanced society and a secure place for women. Celebrate the women in your life by acknowledging their contributions and spreading awareness about women’s equality. If you are planning to organise an event in your locality, you can book a banquet hall in budget-friendly hotels from Treebo Club’s website or app.