How Did International Women’s Day Begin?

Even among daily wage laborers, gender discrimination exists. While men receive a full day's wage, women often get paid less for the same work. If this is the situation today, one can only imagine how bad it was a hundred years ago.

There was a time when women were subjected to forced labor. If a man worked for 10 hours, a woman was expected to work 12, yet she was paid significantly less. Moreover, women did not even have the right to vote.

These inequalities led to the rise of the women’s rights movement. In 1908, over 15,000 women protested in New York, demanding better wages, shorter working hours, and voting rights. The following year, the Socialist Party of America recognized these demands and declared a National Women’s Day.

However, the idea of an international celebration came from Clara Zetkin, a German activist. In 1910, at the International Conference of Working Women, she proposed the concept of International Women’s Day.

By 1911, countries like Germany and Switzerland had already begun observing it, but the United Nations officially recognized the day only in 1975, making it a global event.

In 1917, during World War I, Russia saw food shortages, where men received more food while women were given less. This led to a mass protest by women, resulting in the abdication of the Russian emperor. The temporary government that followed granted women the right to vote. According to the Gregorian calendar, this historic event took place on March 8.

Initially, International Women’s Day was marked by protests and demonstrations. Over time, it evolved into a day of celebration, highlighting women's achievements while continuing the fight for equality.