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17 January 2025
This article first appeared in our International Women’s Day issue of My Green Pod Magazine, published 04 March. Click here to subscribe to our digital edition and get each issue delivered straight to your inbox
International Women’s Day, celebrated worldwide on 08 March, has been synonymous with female empowerment, action and protest for well over 100 years. But how did it all start?
Well, it’s a complicated story with a lot of twists and turns; while some historians begin in 1857, at a march by down-trodden female textile workers in New York, others are less sure.
We typically date this important day back to 1909 and a meeting of the Socialist Party of America, which we know did happen in New York City.
It was from here that the idea was first born, but the major milestone in the Day’s evolution came in 1910 at the Second International Socialist Women’s Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Clara Zetkin, a German socialist and fierce advocate for women’s rights, believed that a unified day of action would help rally support for women’s suffrage and better working conditions around the world.
Zetkin’s idea was simple yet powerful: each year, on the same day, women from all countries would unite and strike, hold rallies and raise awareness about women’s issues.
The goal was to push for gender equality, voting rights, better labour conditions and more.
Thanks to Zetkin’s proposal, the very first International Women’s Day was finally and officially celebrated on 19 March 1911 in four nations: Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.
Women demanded the right to vote and stand for (and hold) public office, while protesting against gender discrimination in employment and demanding access to education.
The movement was always closely tied to the push for better labour conditions for working-class women.
After the Russian revolution the date would eventually settle on 08 March, and it’s been a day that has seen women across the world marching in the streets to champion gender equity and justice pretty much ever since.
In Argentina the #NiUnaMenos movement, which translates as ‘Not One Less’, kicked off on 08 March 2016, after the murder of a young woman.
It saw 200,000 women out on the streets to protest against femicide and the broader culture of violence against women.
Since that landmark march, #NiUnaMenos has become a powerful network for women across Latin America, inspiring other large-scale marches, protests and legislative campaigns for women’s rights.
It has pushed governments to enact stricter laws against femicide and improve the judicial responses to violence against women.
Their efforts have led to policy reforms, including the introduction of more comprehensive laws for protecting women, increased funding for shelters and the establishment of emergency hotlines for victims.
In Poland, the 2016 Women’s Strike was perhaps one of the most dramatic protests ever tied to International Women’s Day.
What drew women to act was a proposed bill aimed at completely banning abortion in the country.
Polish women were galvanised into organising massive protests around International Women’s Day, with thousands of women striking and marching in solidarity.
Students, mothers, doctors and workers all came together to make their voices heard.
The lasting impact of these marches and demonstrations shows how a single march can transform into a global movement around a common cause to ignite change. Much like Earth Day itself, which began as a march on 22 April 1970 and grew into a global movement backed and supported by one billion people every year – many of whom who are, of course, women.
What is clear is that women are not shy about letting their feelings be known, and women have always understood the power of protest – it is hard-wired into our DNA.
These acts of protest are more than just resistance; they are demonstrations of courage, unity and an unwavering belief that change is not just possible, but necessary.
This is as true for gender equality as it is for environmentalism, which is why International Women’s Day has always been a powerful platform for highlighting the intersection of gender equality and environmental justice.
In 2017, the Women’s Global Call for Climate Justice (WGCCJ) rallied on International Women’s Day, with women’s rights groups and environmental activists marching side by side to highlight how women are not just victims of climate change, but also vital actors in the solution. Women like Jessica Hernandez.
Imagine a world where the wisdom of Indigenous peoples is the secret sauce for saving the planet.
Well, Jessica Hernandez already knows that’s the recipe for success.
Jessica is a Zapotec woman, environmental justice activist and researcher who combines traditional Indigenous knowledge with modern environmental science.
Her mission? To show the world that Indigenous communities have been practising sustainable living for centuries – long before it became trendy to post about composting on Instagram.
Her book, Fresh Banana Leaves, dives into how traditional knowledge can – and should – be used to fix the environment.
Then there is Maggie Kuhn, an absolute legend who revolutionised the way we think about ageing, activism and green cities.
When Maggie was forced to retire at the then-mandatory age of 65, she founded the Gray Panthers – a movement to fight for the rights of older adults, but that went way beyond the ‘don’t forget your meds’ chatter.
Maggie had a serious environmental vision. When she wasn’t advocating for better healthcare and social justice, Maggie was out there ensuring that ageing communities weren’t forgotten in the push for sustainability.
She knew that urban spaces had to be inclusive, which means creating green spaces and sustainable infrastructure in cities that cater to all ages.
Her work showed that environmental sustainability isn’t just about protecting the polar bears (as much as I love polar bears!), it’s also about making sure people of all ages have access to healthy, vibrant and green communities.
These incredible women are the unsung heroes of the environmental and gender movement, and they don’t need to wear capes to prove it.
Whether it’s standing up to corporations, defending communities or tackling big global issues like climate change, they’ve been leading the way – and making it clear that saving the Earth is women’s work.
While International Women’s Day is an important date to rally around to amplify women’s voices, just as Earth Day on 22 April is a way to focus minds on environmentalism, let’s be clear: women have never been shy about protesting our rights and standing up for what is right. On whatever date we choose.
Perhaps one of the best examples of this happened on 24 October 1975, when nearly 90% of the female population of Iceland went on strike and downed tools – from typewriters and telephones to mops, brushes, fishing nets, baby bottles, heavy machinery and more.
Housewives and women with paying jobs alike collectively said ‘enough’ and the country came to a complete and utter standstill.
Women were demanding equal rights, equal pay and recognition for their role in supporting and growing the Icelandic economy in what became famously known as the Women’s Day Off.
At first men treated the strike with derision, but that didn’t last long.
‘We heard children playing in the background while the newsreaders read the news on the radio’, Vigdis Finnbogadottir told the BBC. ‘It was a great thing to listen to, knowing that the men had to take care of everything.’
In 1980, Vigdis would credit this singular but powerful day of action for putting her in office because just five years later, in 1980, she would become Iceland’s and Europe’s first female president. She served for a staggering 16 years – and the men weren’t laughing any more.
This International Women’s Day, let’s plant trees in honour of these incredible women – and remember to stay loud, stay engaged and treasure the power of protest.
We must never lose sight of the power of collective action; we need it now more than ever.
Earth Day turns 55 this year, and we’re inviting you to make more noise with us and campaign alongside EARTHDAY.ORG for the health of the planet and all future generations.
EARTHDAY.ORG’s Kathleen Rogers is proof that women can change the world.
Atossa Soltani, director of global strategy for the Sacred Headwaters Alliance, profiles guardians of the Amazon Sacred Headwaters.
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