International Women’s Day (March 8) is a big, beautiful celebration of women’s strengths and achievements. It’s honoured in many different ways around the world. It’s lauded by women’s groups, and the date is commemorated at the United Nations. In China and 14 other countries, people get the day off work; in Bosnia and Italy women are given flowers by their brothers, husbands and fathers; and in Cameroon, women dance in the streets showing off outfits made from Women’s Day fabric.

The UN explains it perfectly as, “the story of ordinary women as makers of history; it is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men”. It’s a day that’s as relevant today, as it was when it was first marked in 1911. Back then, an impressive one million women and men attended rallies in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland all demanding the right for women to vote, hold public office, work and have equal pay.

But whilst it’s a day of celebration, it’s also a rallying cry. It’s a time to ask ourselves big, important questions about how a woman’s life really compares to that of a man’s. And not just here; but all around the world. Because although impressive life-changing advances have been made since that momentous day in 1911, there’s still quite a way to go.

Celebrating as it does such a complicated subject, International Women’s Day has an equally complicated history. The exact year of the first International Woman’s Day is heavily disputed – different sources even date events differently. But for hardened fact-fans there are lots of things that we do know.

We know that the movement started in the USA in the early 1900s, that IWD was founded as an International Day in 1910 in Copenhagen, and that it was first celebrated in 1911. 2011 marked the 100th celebration of International Women’s Day. Below is a potted history of a very eventful centenary.

International Women's Day is an official holiday in - and wait for it - Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal (for women only), Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Zambia. In other countries such as Cameroon and Bosnia, the day is not a public holiday, but it's still a bona fide calendar event.

It can be a day of little generosities too. What better excuse for men to shower the women who have helped shape their lives with gifts? In countries like Bosnia and Slovenia, the custom of giving women flowers is common. In Italy, men give mimosas flowers whereas in Bosnia, red roses are a must. In other countries, its celebrated in a similar way to Mother's Day and children give small gifts to their mothers and grandmothers.

International Women's Day can also be a fashion-fabulous day. In many African countries, a new fabric print is designed each year and is used to create spectacular new outfits for the occasion. In Portugal, groups of women usually celebrate on the night of 8 March with "women-only" dinners and parties. Bon appétit, ladies.

Sources:
www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/women/womday97.htm
www.un.org/en/events/women/iwd/2010/history.shtml
www.internationalwomensday.com/about.asp