International Women's Day 2023 today; Know theme, history, significance

NEW DELHI: International Women's Day is celebrated every year on March 8. This day is celebrated to mark the achievements of women and raise awareness about women's equality. In the year 1911, International Women's Day was first celebrated.

International Women's Day official website reads: "Equity isn't just a nice-to-have, it's a must-have. A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society's DNA. And it's critical to understand the difference between Equity and Equality. The aim of the IWD 2023 #EmbraceEquity campaign theme is to get the world talking about 'Why equal opportunities aren't enough'."

"Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities. Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome", IWD website further added.

International Women's Day 2023: Theme

The theme for this year's International Women's Day is 'Embrace Equity'. The day highlights and recognises the achievements of women and brings attention to important issues including gender discrimination that exist even today.

International Women's Day 2023: History and Significance

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), International Women's Day sprang from the initiatives of labour movements across North America and Europe around the start of the twentieth century.

On this day, individuals honour women in their life by treating them with respect. Today, International Women's Day will also be observed by colleges and universities throughout the world. To commemorate the day, colleges and universities host public speeches, protests, exhibitions, workshops and seminars on related subjects, debates, quiz contests, and lectures.