International Women’s Day falls on March 8 every year, and the next one is on Monday, March 8, 2027. It is a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, and a reminder of how much work on gender equality is still unfinished.
From labor protests to a global observance
The day grew out of the labor and suffrage movements of the early 20th century. In the United States, the Socialist Party of America organized a National Woman’s Day in February 1909. A year later, at an international conference of working women in Copenhagen, German activist Clara Zetkin proposed that women in every country hold a shared day each year to press their demands.
The first International Women’s Day rallies took place on March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. The date settled on March 8 a few years later, and it gained lasting symbolic weight in 1917, when women in Petrograd went on strike for “bread and peace” on that day (February 23 in the old Russian calendar), helping to spark the Russian Revolution.
The United Nations first celebrated the day in 1975, International Women’s Year, and in 1977 the UN General Assembly invited member states to proclaim a day for women’s rights and international peace. Today the UN and many organizations announce a theme each year, so campaigns change focus while the date stays the same.
How the date works
There is no calculation involved: March 8 is fixed, so the weekday shifts from year to year. In the US it is not a federal holiday and businesses and schools stay open, although March is also Women’s History Month. In some countries, including Ukraine, Georgia, Vietnam and Cuba, March 8 is an official holiday or widely marked with flowers and gifts.
In the UK, March 8 is also a working day, but it often lands close to Mother’s Day (Mothering Sunday), which is tied to Lent and moves each year. The two are separate occasions with different purposes.
Ideas for marking the day
At work
- Host a panel or lunch-and-learn led by women in your organization.
- Review mentoring, promotion or pay-equity data internally and share what you will act on.
- Highlight women-owned suppliers or local businesses.
In the classroom
- Have students research a woman scientist, inventor or leader who is not yet in the textbook.
- Create a timeline of women’s voting rights in different countries.
- Invite a parent or community member to talk about their career path.
On your own
Read a book by a woman author, donate to an organization supporting women and girls, or simply thank the women who shaped your life. Small gestures count.
Keep the countdown handy
Organizing an event? Share this countdown with your committee or embed the widget on your company intranet so everyone sees the days ticking down. You can also add the date to your calendar straight from this page.