March 8/ International Women's Day

2026-03-08 08:29:00, Aktualitet CNA

Today is March 8, International Women's Day, a day when women's achievements in the social, economic, cultural and political spheres are appreciated around the world. This day was originally marked in the United States of America, while today it is protested and celebrated in many countries around the world. The main purpose of March 8 is not only to unite women regardless of religion, race, culture, language and origin, but also to remember the efforts for equality, peace and justice. On this day, we reflect on the courage and actions of ordinary women who played an important role in the history of women's rights.

It is practically a celebration of the women's rights movement, the origins of which some trace back to 1857, when factory workers protested in New York against inhumane working conditions and low wages. On March 19 of that year, the movement would be marked for the first time by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. Women demanded the right to vote and to hold public office.

Things became official in 1975 when the United Nations began celebrating March 8. The first theme adopted by the UN was “Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future.” International Women’s Day has become a date to celebrate how far women have come in society, politics, and the economy, while the day’s political roots mean strikes and protests organized to raise awareness of persistent inequality.

A very popular legend tells that Women's Day was established in 1908, in memory of the 129 workers who died in a fire that broke out in a factory in New York. At that time, the workers were demanding better working conditions, and on March 8, the factory owner blocked all exits of the plant, in which a fire broke out and killed many of the women who worked there.

International Women's Day was officially established in the United States on February 28, 1909. It was established by the American Socialist Party, which organized a large demonstration that day, demanding women's right to vote.

The demonstrations aimed at voting were soon joined by other demands for women's rights. From November 1908 to February 1909, thousands of women workers in New York went on strike for days, demanding higher wages and better working conditions. In 1910, the Eighth International Socialist Congress proposed for the first time the establishment of a day dedicated to women.

March 8 was first celebrated as Women’s Day in 1917, when the women of St. Petersburg took to the streets to demand an end to the war, thus giving birth to the “Russian February Revolution.” It was this event that inspired delegates to the Second International Conference of Communist Women in Moscow to establish March 8 as International Workers’ Day.

In neighboring countries, in Italy, Women's Day was commemorated in 1922 with the same political and social meaning. Also in Albania, March 8 has been celebrated sometimes as Women's Day and sometimes as Mother's Day. The latter has been more prevalent, while in recent years, more than a day where women should remember and demand their rights, March 8 has been transformed into a feminine manifestation.

On this day, it is traditional for children to give flowers (often mimosas) and gifts to their mothers; women organize festive lunches or dinners with friends, and awareness-raising activities and marches are held to protect women's rights.

The mimosa has been used as the flower symbol of Women's Day by the Italians. In 1946, the Italian Women's Union was preparing for the post-war March 8th. A flower was needed to symbolize this day. It was the women themselves who chose the yellow, soft and fragrant flowers for their holiday. In addition, mimosas bloom exactly at the time when March 8th is celebrated and are not expensive. /CNA