The International Women’s Day will be celebrated for the 101st time this year. The first International Women’s Day was celebrated on 19th March, 1911. The idea of an International Women’s day was first tabled in Copenhagen in the year 1910 by a woman named Clara Zetkin. The first movement was very successful and it managed to mobilise millions of women and men who attended rallies to support gender equality, women’s role in public affairs and their right to universal suffrage.

The day 8th March was chosen in 1913 as International Women’s Day and over the years, this day has remained as the International Women’s day.

In 1975, on the eve of the International Women’s Year, the United Nations officially recognized it.

This day is marked as an official holiday in many countries such as Afghanistan, Mongolia, China, Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Bulgaria, Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Nepal (for women only), and Vietnam. In some countries this day is also celebrated as Mother’s day where children give gifts to their mothers and grandmothers.

In 1893, New Zealand became the first country to grant women the right to vote. On the contrary, in Switzerland, women got voting rights only in 1971. Women in India got their voting rights in 1950 only, after the Constitution came into effect.

Team MSN She