When is International Women's Day 2025? History, significance, importance and all you need to know about it

Across the world, women play many important roles-- be it of a daughter, sister, wife, daughter in-law, mother-- apart from also playing different roles at the workplace (in many cases). And so, to honour and celebrate women and womanhood, every year the International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. This is a global occasion which is dedicated to honouring the achievements, resilience, and contributions of women in all aspects of society. It is also a powerful reminder of how far women have come over the decades when it comes to gender equality, while also highlighting the challenges that still exist.
Every year, the International Women's Day has a particular theme that encourage positive change, inspire leadership, and promote equal opportunities for women in all fields. And for 2025, the theme is 'Accelerate Action' which is global call to acknowledge strategies, resources, and ways that positively impact women's advancement in different spheres of life. It also aims to help and support women across the world to achieve more in life.

The first ever women's day was celebrated on March 19, 1911, in the USA and some European countries. The idea originated from the labour movement in 1908 in which many women garment workers had participated by marching in the streets of New York. The reason: They wanted gender equality, better pay and shorter working hours, and voting rights. This movement was held by the Socialist Party of the United States of America.
Years later, considering the need for women's rights and gender equality, the United Nations in 1975 officially chose March 8 as the International Women's Day. Over the years, it has become a day to celebrated women and women's rights while also addressing the challenges faced by them even today in our societies.
As much as the International Women’s Day is a celebration of women’s achievements, resilience, and contributions to society, it is also a reminder of their ongoing fight for gender equality and rights. The day highlights progress made while acknowledging the challenges women still face, such as wage gaps, discrimination, and limited opportunities in various sectors. It encourages global action to create a more inclusive and empowered world.
As the Father of Indian Constitution-- BR Ambedkar once rightly said, "I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved”.

1. "Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women." — Maya Angelou
2. "I want every girl to know that her voice can change the world." — Malala Yousafzai
3. "There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish." — Michelle Obama
4. "A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction." — Virginia Woolf
5. "A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture, and transform." — Diane Mariechild
6. "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will." — Charlotte Brontë
7. "Women are the real architects of society." — Harriet Beecher Stowe
8. "A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men." — Gloria Steinem
9. "Well-behaved women seldom make history." — Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
10. "A woman is like a tea bag—you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water." — Eleanor Roosevelt
11. "Women belong in all places where decisions are being made." — Ruth Bader Ginsburg
12. "There’s something about a woman with a loud mind that sits in silence, smiling, knowing she can crush you with the truth." — R.G. Moon
13. "You don’t have to be anti-man to be pro-woman." — Jane Galvin Lewis
14. "We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already." — J.K. Rowling
15. "Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men." — Joseph Conrad