When is International Women's Day 2023, what's the theme and how can I get involved?

As we gear up to mark International Women's Day (IWD) tomorrow (March 8), we're taking a look at the history of the celebration, this year's theme and the issues women are focusing on for 2023.

The day is the focal point of Women's History Month which takes place over the course of March, and is an annual event to celebrate the achievements of women, whilst also pushing for further progress.

The event has been marked for more than a century and each year is given a theme, with this year's being Embrace Equity. Below, you'll find everything you need to know about International Women's Day 2023.

Read more: Hundreds line the city centre streets in Manchester's annual Walk for Women

Each year, International Women's Day is celebrated across the world on March 8. 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.

Organisers of the event have said that IWD is one of the most important days of the year to celebrate women's achievements, educate and raise awareness for women's equality, call for positive change advancing women, lobby for gender parity and fundraise for female-focused charities.

International Women's Day grew out of the labour movement to become a recognised event by the United Nations. The roots of the movement were planted in 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote.

The idea to make the day international in reach was suggested activist by Clara Zetkin in 1910 at the International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. The day was first formally celebrated in 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.

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