International Women's Day has long celebrated the social, economic, cultural structure and political achievements of women for more than a century. Celebrated on the 8 March, it recognises everything from women's suffrage to representation in politics and equal parenting – covering all grounds of gender equality.
Originally called, International Working Women's Day, IWD started as a socialist political event, the holiday blended the culture of many countries, mainly in Europe, first emerging from the activities of labour movements at the turn of the 20th century in North America and in Europe. The earliest IWD observance was on the 28 February 1909.
Today, Women's Day is represented with a political and human rights theme, which runs along with political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide which are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner. One in three women experience violence and every 10 minutes an adolescent girl dies as a result of violence. Out of an estimated 36.9 million people living with HIV globally, over two million are 10 to 19 years old and 56% of them are girls.
People march on the street to mark International Women's Day in Tbilisi, GeorgiaDavid Mdzinarishvili/ Reuters
Women from Istanbul, Pakistan and Georgia took part in protests and marches demanding solidarity and equality, highlighting some issues that women should not be facing, but are, in so many countries. Men in in the Philippines also took part in the rally, holding banners while wearing women's shoes, while presidential candidate Grace Poe addressed supporters and members of Gabriela women's group, hours after the supreme court voted to allow her to run in the national elections. Cambodia is one of the few countries where International Women's Day is a public holiday. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for only female lawmakers to address the Indian parliament on International Women's Day, yet it wasn't completely fulfilled since there weren't enough women to speak.
This year, the campaign theme is #PledgeForParity, which highlights that not all countries are making progression with their treatment of women, it has actually slowed down in many places, so urgent action is needed to accelerate gender parity.
Afghan soldiers look on during an event to mark International Women's Day at the Amani High School in KabulShah Maria/ AFPActivists attend a rally to mark International Women's Day in Tbilisi, GeorgiaDavid Mdzinarishvili/ ReutersSupporters of Pakistan's Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) hold placards during a rally to mark International Women's Day in LahoreArif Ali/ AFPA Turkish woman gives a V sign during a march in the Kadikoy district of Istanbul to mark International Women's DayOzan Kose/ AFPFilipino male students stand in front of a banner as they wear women's shoes during a rally a day before the celebration of International Women's Day in Quezon City, Manila in the PhilippinesErik De Castro/ ReutersFilipino male students stand in front of a banner as they wear women's shoes during a rally a day before the celebration of International Women's Day in Quezon City, Manila Erik De Castro/ ReutersA woman attends a rally to mark International Women's Day in Tbilisi, GeorgiaDavid Mdzinarishvili/ ReutersActivists attend a rally to mark the International Women's Day in Tbilisi, GeorgiaDavid Mdzinarishvili/ ReutersAfghan women look on during an event to mark International Women's Day at the Amani High School in Kabul, AfghanistanShah Maria/ AFPPhilippine presidential candidate Grace Poe speaks before supporters and members of Gabriela women's group, during a rally to celebrate International Women's Day, hours after the supreme court voted to allow Poe to run in the national elections, in Manila,Ted Aljibe/ AFPDemonstrators are stopped by the police during Women's Day protests ahead of International Women's Day in Istanbul, TurkeyOsman Orsal/ ReutersActivists hold placards highlighting their demands while marking the observance of International Women's Day during a protest outside the presidential palace in Manila. The placards read 'End of Discrimination' and 'Free Education'Romeo Ranoco/ ReutersFormer comfort woman Chen Lien-hua (C) talks to media as she attends a ceremony unveiling the nameplate of a museum dedicated to Taiwan's 'comfort women' on International Women's Day, in Taipei, TaiwanFabian Hamacher/ ReutersWomen dressed as pregnant nuns hold a placard with the words 'My priest ordered me to give birth' during an annual march organised by a women's organisation ahead of International Women's Day in Warsaw, PolandKacper Pempel/ ReutersA woman holds a placard during an annual march organised by a women's organisation ahead of International Women's Day in Warsaw, PolandKacper Pempel/ ReutersA man holds a placard that reads 'Poland is a migrant woman' during an annual march organised by a women's organisation ahead of International Women's Day in Warsaw, PolandKacper Pempel/ ReutersTaiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou and former comfort woman Chen Lien-hua attend a ceremony unveiling the nameplate of a museum dedicated to Taiwan's 'comfort women' on International Women's Day, in Taipei, TaiwanFabian Hamacher/ ReutersA mannequin with the words 'An education is not sexualisation' is pictured in front of the Palace of Culture during an annual march organised by a women's organisation ahead of the International Women's Day in Warsaw, PolandKacper Pempel/ ReutersA woman holds a rainbow umbrella during an annual march organised by a women's organisation ahead of International Women's Day in Warsaw, PolandKacper Pempel/ ReutersPeople release sky-lanterns on the eve of International Women's Day in ManilaNoel Celis/ AFPPlain clothes police officers try to detain a woman during a march in the Kadikoy district of Istanbul to mark International Women's DayOzan Kose/ AFPTurkish women shout slogans during a demonstration marking International Women's Day in Ankara, TurkeyAdem Altan/ Getty ImagesMembers of Gabriela women's group along with Migrant workers' union hold placards during a rally to celebrate International Women's Day near Malacanang Palace in ManilaTed Aljibe/ AFPHindu nuns sit during a rally to mark the International Women's Day in Kolkata, IndiaRupak De Chowdhuri/ ReutersHindu nuns march during a rally to mark the International Women's Day in Kolkata, IndiaRupak De Chowdhuri/ ReutersA female tea garden worker wearing a jappi hat made out of bamboo and palm leaves plucks tea leaves inside Durgabari Tea Estate on International Women's Day on the outskirt of Agartala, IndiaJayanta Dey/ ReutersActivists from a local women's organisation hold placards during a protest as they mark the International Women's Day in Ahmedabad, IndiaAmit Dave/ ReutersMarie Dem (C), 48, a businesswomam, her mother Fatma Kamil, 79 (L), and her daughter Khadydiatou Dem, 26, pose for a photograph after prayers in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Women have long played a dominant role in agriculture in Ivory Coast and in the sprawling markets where most Ivorians purchase their daily necessities. Now some are breaking through into the most important positions in government, administration and business - positions long held by males in this traditional societyThierry Gouegnon/ Reuters
