International Women's Day Celebrates 100 Years

(MYFOX NATIONAL) - Women across the world will celebrate International Women’s Day today, March 8. This year will also mark the 100 year anniversary since the holiday was created reports The Times of India .

According to the International Women's Day Web site , the day is considered a national holiday in countries like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, though the United States does not acknowledge it as a national holiday.

The site explains that International Women’s Day (IWD) was established in 1910 in Denmark when Clara Zetkin, leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany, proposed an international day that celebrated a day for women to press for their demands.

Women from 17 countries unanimously approved and IWD was born.

Since the beginning of the new millennium, countries that recognize IWD as a national holiday have shown increasing support of the day with men honoring their wives, sisters, mothers, and colleagues with flowers and other small gifts.

Although the U.S. does not consider IWD a national holiday, the first National Women’s Day (NWD) was held in the United States on Feb. 28, 1909; however, the U.S. does consider March 'Women's History Month'.

In the first few decades of celebrating IWD, it was more of a way to bring publicity to women’s rights issues. Today, the day is honored more to celebrate how far women’s rights have come all around the world – from voting to women holding political offices.

There are still some issues to be addressed though.

CBC news reports that more than 2,000 people gathered in Toronto over the weekend for the annual IWD march to bring awareness to job equality and exploitation and violence against women.

March participator Marcell Rodden brought her two daughters to the gathering and said, “Movement for the equality of women is related to all the struggles of all the peoples around the world. It's good to come out and bring out your children to make them aware, as well, of all the struggles that are going on internationally.”

Merinews.com reports that First Lady Michelle Obama will also celebrate IWD with a reception honoring international women dignitaries.