What is International Women’s Day?

Every year on March 8th, International Women’s Day is celebrated on a global scale. The holiday is meant to represent pivotal advancements in the women’s rights movement, which seeks to establish justice through gender equity, reproductive rights, and the end of violence and abuse against women. 

International Women’s Day is actually an official holiday in many countries internationally, including Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Germany (Berlin only), Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Zambia. This status essentially means that women are expected to take the day off work and are socially rewarded with gifts like flowers and candies from close friends and relatives (similar to Mother’s Day). 

Though we do not get the day off in Canada, the holiday was adopted by the United Nations in 1967, making it an international holiday. This year, their theme for March 8th will be “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality:” 

The United Nations Observance of IWD recognizes and celebrates the women and girls who are championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education. IWD 2023 will explore the impact of the digital gender gap on widening economic and social inequalities. The event will also spotlight the importance of protecting the rights of women and girls in digital spaces and addressing online and ICT-facilitated gender-based violence.

Observing a growing divide in technological gender equity, the 2023 International Women’s Day theme prompts us all to consider where women are excluded from technological development and innovation. Even in Canada, women make up only 34% of Canadians with STEM degrees and a mere 23% of Canadians working in Science and Technology (Statistics Canada). 

As we continue to move forward in the celebration of the Women’s Rights Movement, it is incredible to look back on its many achievements, such as the right to vote, the right to an education, and the right to work with equal wages in light of a gender pay gap that we have yet to fill. 

However, we still have mountains to move.This International Women’s Day, take some time to reflect on both where we came from, and our path forward.