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International Women's Day

Information and resources relating to International Women's Day (IWD)

What is IWD?

The official IWD website explains the history of the day:

"The day has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911. The day is not country, group or organization specific - and belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. It is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity."

Past Campaigns

  • World Free of Violence Against Women
  • Women at the Peace table
  • Balance for Better
  • Press for Progress
  • Be Bold for Change
  • Pledge for Parity
  • An equal world is an enabled world
  • Break the bias

The colours of IWD

According to the IWD website, purple is a colour for symbolising women, signifying justice and dignity. The colour, along with green and white, was historically associated with The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) ; a women-only political movement and leading militant organisation campaigning for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom from 1903 to 1917. 

 

 

The above image is taken from the V&A: It depicts the weekly newspaper of The Women’s Social and Political Union.

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