Women across the world marked International Women's Day on Sunday with events and demonstrations calling for equal pay, reproductive rights, education, justice and greater representation in decision-making roles, while also celebrating progress toward female empowerment.
The 115th annual observance of International Women's Day featured events ranging from large marches in European capitals to protests against gender-based violence in Latin America and demonstrations by Indigenous women in Ecuador. This year's theme is 'Give to Gain,' focusing on fundraising for organizations focused on women's issues and less tangible forms of giving such as teaching peers, celebrating women and challenging discrimination.
What the Right Is Saying
Some conservative voices have expressed concerns that International Women's Day has become overly politicized, arguing that the holiday should focus more on celebrating women's achievements rather than promoting progressive policy agendas. Critics within conservative circles have questioned whether protests involving contentious political demands accurately represent the views of all women.
Traditional family advocacy groups have occasionally critiqued what they characterize as radical feminist messaging associated with some International Women's Day events, arguing that such approaches can alienate women who hold more traditional views on gender roles.
However, many conservative leaders and organizations have also embraced International Women's Day as an opportunity to recognize women's contributions to families, communities and the economy, while advocating for policies they believe support women's wellbeing through pathways like workforce development and educational opportunity.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive advocates and women's rights organizations see International Women's Day as a critical moment to highlight ongoing struggles for gender equality. Speakers at events in Berlin, Madrid and across Latin America emphasized the need to continue fighting for reproductive rights, equal pay and an end to gender-based violence.
In Spain, tens of thousands of women took to the streets calling for equality and an end to violence against women, as well as expressing solidarity with women in Afghanistan and Iran. 'Our struggle is together with the women, both Iranian and Afghan,' said Khadija Amin, an Afghan journalist, at a march in Madrid. 'In this struggle, we are together. And we will fight for our rights.'
In Brazil, marches served as a rallying cry against gender-based violence following the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl in Copacabana. Organizers called for the defense of women's lives and an end to femicide, with at least 15 protests planned across the country.
Women's rights activists argue that commemorating International Women's Day is more important than ever following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned nationwide abortion rights, ending constitutional protections that had been in place for nearly 50 years.
What the Numbers Show
International Women's Day is an official holiday in more than 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Ukraine, Russia and Cuba. In the United States, March is celebrated as Women's History Month.
In Berlin, approximately 20,000 people attended a march for International Women's Day, double the amount police had expected. Brazil saw at least 15 protests planned across the country on Sunday.
The United Nations began commemorating the holiday in 1975, which was designated as International Women's Year. The General Assembly officially recognized International Women's Day two years later in 1977.
The first National Woman's Day was observed in the United States in 1909, organized by the American Socialist Party. The global commemoration was proposed by German feminist Clara Zetkin during an international conference of socialist women in Copenhagen in 1910, with the first events held across Europe the following year.
The Bottom Line
International Women's Day continues to serve both as a celebration of progress toward gender equality and as a call to action on remaining challenges. This year's events highlighted persistent demands for equal pay, reproductive rights, education access and an end to gender-based violence, while also drawing attention to the specific struggles of women in conflict zones and Indigenous communities.
The observance comes at a time when women's rights advocates say gains made over the past century face new challenges, particularly regarding reproductive rights in the United States. Organizers say the annual commemoration provides an important platform to amplify women's voices and push for policy changes, while critics argue that the holiday's political dimensions have grown too pronounced.
Looking ahead, women's rights activists plan to continue using International Women's Day as a rallying point for advocacy, with next year's observances likely to coincide with ongoing debates over reproductive rights, workplace equality and gender-based violence prevention policies worldwide.