Celebrated on March 8th of each year, International Women's Day (IWD) is an official holiday in many countries honoring the respect, appreciation and achievements of women in economic, political and social lives. Its origin dates back more than 100 years, having changed its purpose from era to era, and from region to region in the world.

In its early life, IWD was a socialist political event for women's equality. A National Women’s Day was observed in 1909 in the U.S. after a declaration from the Socialist Party of America. The following year, a motion introduced by Clara Zetkin to create an international day to advocate for the cause of women’s rights was passed unanimously at the International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. In 1911, International Women’s Day was celebrated in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland with rallies and demonstrations by more than one million people demanding voting and working rights for women. International Women’s Day became popular a holiday within Eastern Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet bloc after the First World War and until the 1970s.

Today, the holiday has evolved in some parts of the world as a cultural and social occasion for men to express their love and respect for women similar to that of Mother's Day and Valentine's Day.