There's a day every year where we come together to celebrate women's history, honour the women in our lives, and work to make the future even better for all women. Whether you've never heard of it, or you do something every year, these are the facts for you! Get ready to learn about its history, why purple is a special colour, and why the 8th of March is an important date! When you're done, you'll be ready to have a go at our International Women's Day quiz, or see how well you know these famous women!

1. The 8th of March is the day to celebrate!

Every year, the 8th of March is the day you'll want to set aside to celebrate all the women in your life! International Women's Day is officially endorsed by the The UN (United Nations)! The date was cemented by them in 1977.

2. It's global!

International Women's Day is truly international! It's celebrated in a lot of countries, and in many it's even an official public holiday! It's not one in the UK though, so no day off school here!

3. What colours should I wear?

The colours most associated with IWD are purple, white and green! These were the colours of the Suffragette movement, and they all have a meaning. Purple is the colour you'll see the most nowadays, as it is supposed to represent justice and dignity. Green represents hope, and white represents purity, though that's sometimes controversial.

4. There were a few other dates

The first National Women's Day in America was observed on the 28th of February, 1909, and marked with marches through New York, demanding better pay for women workers. International Women's Day was first honoured by Austria, Germany, Denmark and Switzerland in 1911, and that took place on March 19th. This event was marked by more marches and demonstrations led by women, gathering in the hundreds to demand the right to vote, to stand for political positions in government, and for equal pay.

5. It celebrates women's political power

International Women's Day is a good day to celebrate everything about the women in your life, but its original purpose was to encourage equal labour rights and suffrage for women, as well as acknowledge the important role women play in society, which often goes unpaid and unacknowledged. The world has changed a lot since the movement began, but some of these issues are still the same. Other issues include ending violence against women, women's rights over their bodies, and awareness of healthcare issues that largely affect women.

6. It has Russian roots

While IWD had no set date at first, the 8th of March was eventually picked because of the Russian Revolution. On that day in 1917, in Petrograd (now called Saint Petersbourg), women textile workers started a protest that spread to the whole city. They demanded "bread and peace", which was a shorthand for an end to the First World War, an end to food shortages, and an end to Tsarist rule (the Russian royal family, who were in total control of the country). This was the start of the February Revolution, which was one of two revolutions that made up the Russian Revolution. You may notice that it was called "The February Revolution" and not "The March Revolution." This is because Russia used to use a different solar calendar, called the Julian Calendar. After the Revolution Russia started using the Gregorian Calendar, which is used in the rest of the world, and means that their dates shifted by about two weeks. For the original protestors, the revolution started on February 23rd! Other communist countries, such as China, chose to celebrate IWD on the 8th of March.

7. In some countries, it's the same as Mother's Day

In several countries, including Albania, Vietnam, Bulgaria, Belarus, Serbia and Romania, March 8th is also Mother's Day! This is a time for everyone to honour their mothers and grandmothers.

8. The Socialist Party of America promoted it further!

If you know anything about the history of the 20th century, you probably know that there was a lot of conflict between Communist and non-Communist countries (to put it mildly!). So, how did everyone agree on the 8th of March? It's complicated, but second-wave feminism played a big part. Second-wave feminism happened in the 1960s and 1970s, and the movement addressed a lot of issues women were still facing even after being given the right to vote - things like childcare, the workplace, domestic issues, healthcare and reproductive rights, legal inequalities and more. In the late 1960s feminist activists picked up the idea of an International Women's Day, which was mostly celebrated by Communist countries. An American activist named Laura X organised a march in California on the 8th of March, which led to the the creation of the The Women’s History Research Center. Large IWD marches began in Australia in 1972, and the movement kept on picking up steam globally, all centred on the 8th of March!

9. Give flowers!

What's the best gift to give to an important woman in your life on IWD? Anything she asks for, of course - but if you're really stuck for inspiration, you can always rely on flowers! In Italy, it's traditional for men to give women yellow mimosas on the day. This might be because the flower blooms in early spring, the time when IWD is held.

10. In some countries, there's a whole month!

Laura X believed it was unfair that half of the human race only get a single day to celebrate their achievements, and called for an International Women's Month. Women's History Month is celebrated in March in the USA, the UK, and Australia, centred around the 8th of March. Women's History Week is also observed on the week of the 8th of March. It's not international, though - Canada for example has Women's History Month in October.

11. It started local

Ever heard the phrase "Think global, act local"? It means that we should pour our efforts into our local communities, and if we all do this then we can come together globally to make the world a better place and build bridges between cultures. IWD is a really fantastic example of this in action. You'll have noticed that a lot of different countries and cultures have come up in the history of IWD, and that's not even a complete account of every country's involvement in celebrating women's achievements and advocating for female empowerment. All movements start locally - why not look up the history of IWD in your own country or culture, and then see what happens in your local community to celebrate it?

12. Do we still need it?

It would be great to say "no, we don't need IWD any more!" But unfortunately there are still a LOT of problems facing women today. Some of the original issues raised by the early campaigners still haven't been met - for example, in many professions there is still a pay gap between men and women, and there are fewer women in positions of power. Problems like violence and healthcare are still very sensitive issues in modern politics, and we need to be able to work to protect and empower all women.

13. There's no organisation behind it!

IWD is celebrated globally, but it's not actually affiliated with one organisation! There are several archives, websites and central resources if you're looking for further information on the day itself, and the issues women are campiagning for, but there's no single body overseeing them. Why not see what you can find in your local library about IWD?

14. There's a theme each year!

Every year, there's a new theme for IWD! This began in 1996, when the theme was "Celebrating the past, Planning for the Future." 2024's theme was "Inspire Inclusion", and it focused on the power of including diverse voices in IWD. We can't wait to see what next year's theme will be!

15. Is there an International Men's Day?

You bet there is! It's every year on the 19th of November! On this day we celebrate inspiring male role models, and concentrate on improving men's mental and physical health! Men are also invited to participate in IWD - the more people who support the cause, the better!