Beyond the date and the focus on women’s issues, common factors don’t run too deep. The opportunities open to women, and the circumstances of their lives, often have little in common across international borders. So, the focus of events is context dependent.
Inequality and domestic violence
Sad but true, inequality and domestic violence are two unifying themes for protest rather than celebration. I am fortunate to live in a country that has not been affected – except ideologically – by war in my lifetime and offers a comparatively decent standard of living for the majority of people.
All girls have access to education, although that does not guarantee equal opportunities. At school here in the 1970s, the professions I was interested in, engineering and the Merchant Navy, were not open to girls. My first job in an accounts office paid me less than my male colleagues for exactly the same work.
The Scottish context
That anomaly has evened out, more or less, and many glass ceilings have been broken. But most Scottish families, and society in general, were not yet nurturing the high achieving women many of my generation went on to become. With hindsight, being Scottish was part of the problem. Scotland was a much-maligned nation where people spoke with ‘coarse’ accents and shops from Berwick upon Tweed to Bournemouth might refuse to accept our bank notes. Cousins in the south asked if we had televisions to watch Top of the Pops between bowls of porridge and plates of haggis. That kind of prejudice didn’t help. It still doesn’t, whether the perceived ‘gap’ is a national boundary, a religion, cultural affiliation or gender.
Where we are today
Much about this context has changed in the last 50 years though, on a continuous loop of four steps forward then a few steps back. Some of the challenges of my younger years surprise the next generation, who see more women than men in engineering and computer science classes. Women are plumbers, cab drivers, doctors, lawyers, scientists, prime ministers, managers, business owners, bricklayers and head teachers.
Women’s football and rugby draw crowds as big as men’s. Reproductive rights were a given until the US did a U-turn on the Roe vs Wade court case. But we have come a long way. International Women’s Day events in 2026 mark everything from personal freedom and professional success to protests about discrimination and domestic violence.
That is the dark side. There is always a dark side, even when progress is generally good.
Rebirth of reactionary views
It’s a tragedy to watch parts of the world screaming into reverse on equality and inclusion as fascism knocks at the door. The fragile peace is gone for many and under threat for others. In war, women become casualties without the power to decide how to act. A frequently asked question is, “how many wars would never start if the leaders involved were women?” A rhetorical comment of course.
Seeds of change?
My question is, can enough women leaders survive long enough to sow seeds of change in the hostile environment that is like a curse on the 21st century?
A couple of examples come to mind. Jacinda Ardern, (New Zealand’s youngest prime minister and the second in the world to give birth while in office) was applauded by citizens of her country and the world, until she wasn’t. Resigning before the end of her second term, she “didn’t have enough fuel in the tank” to carry on in the face of constant attacks in the media and death threats from fringe extremists.
New Zealand lost a great leader that day.
Hostile media scrutiny of women leaders
Closer to home, Westminster’s youngest and one of its most inspiring MPs, Mhairi Black (SNP), left politics for reasons including the farcical, hostile environment at the House of Commons.
It would be easy to conclude that parliaments are clubs that don’t want new members unless they learn an archaic unspoken code and keep their toes firmly in line. What will it take for that culture to shift? I feel for Hannah Spencer (Green Party) and hope her victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election is something she will always celebrate.
There are, of course, many stories about women in politics with different endings. Britain’s first woman prime minister is a case in point, if not one to boast about. But problems are systemic. It’s time British politics had a refresh to be less hostile.
The birth of IWD
The idea of a day to celebrate women has been around since the early 1900s and has gone through many transformations. When the UN adopted 8 March as International Women’s Day in 1975, it gave a nod to a Socialist Party of America day of action on voting rights and labour laws for working women in 1909. The following year, a German socialist proposed an International Women’s Day. Then on 8 March 1917, a strike by women in Petrograd was one trigger for the Russian Revolution. The Soviet Union and East European countries declared it a national holiday and Asian socialist states followed suit.
Metamorphosis of IWD
It wasn’t until the 1960s that western feminists adopted and reframed the day around broader issues of gender equality. The mood shifted in the East after the fall of the Soviet Union. The 8 March is still a national holiday, but less people are aware of its roots as a celebration of working women under socialism. Some people see roots going back even further, to the Roman Empire, though this is more coincidence than connection. The Matronalia Festival on 1 March was a day to celebrate women at the temple of Goddess Juno Lucina, for traditional roles of housekeeper, mother and wife.
Today
International Women’s Day in 2026 has two faces. On the formal side, the UN promotes themes for government action. This year’s campaign notes that, despite progress, women still only have 64% of the legal rights of men worldwide.
The theme, Rights. Justice. Action. For ‘all’ women and girls,“calls for action to dismantle the structural barriers to equal justice: discriminatory laws, weak legal protections, and harmful practices and social norms that erode the rights of women and girls.”
A day of protest
On the grass roots side, the revolution lives on in a day of mass protests, strikes and anti-violence campaigns taking place around the world. One such event is a march in Edinburgh for women’s rights, solidarity and collective power. The organisers say “International Women’s Day is about more than celebration! It’s about resistance, community, and building a future free from racism, sexism and hate. Women Against the Far-Right Scotland will join the march.”
Assemble on the High Street at Mercat Cross at 13.00 to march to the Scottish Parliament for speeches and performances.
Numerous events are being held around the country. Check local listings for what’s on in your area, and have a safe, fun and empowering day of action. Women’s rights have come a long way, but the journey is far from over.
More on society:
Friends of Bylines Network
There has never been a greater need for grassroots journalism that investigates the stories that really matter, holds power to account and champions the voices of everyday citizens. We are proudly powered by volunteers but what we do isn’t free.
STAND WITH US for independent, citizen-led journalism that makes democracy stronger, and you will even get some exclusive benefits.
