International Women’s Day 2016: Events, Marches, Celebrations In New York, Delhi, London And Beyond

From China to Brazil to the United States and Britain, women all over the world will gather together Tuesday to celebrate International Women’s Day. Every year on March 8, people hold events to honor working women and the struggle women face everywhere on a daily basis.

The holiday takes its date from a protest by garment workers in 1857 who demanded better working conditions, shorter workdays and equal rights for women, according to a history of International Women’s Day from the University of Illinois at Chicago. The Second International, a worldwide socialist conference, proposed making the day a holiday in 1910, and over the years it has become a day for different kinds of celebrations and demonstrations about women.

The official International Women’s Day website has information about this year’s celebration, resources to learn more about gender parity and a search function so you can find events taking place near you, anywhere in the world. This year’s campaign theme is #PledgeForParity and the website encourages everyone to take the pledge to help achieve gender parity in areas such as health, education, economy and politics.

To find events happening in your city, go to the search page on the International Women’s Day website. Here is a sampling of some of the best events happening around the world in honor of the day:

New York

Oxfam Jam Benefit Concert — This concert was to take place Monday, and will feature performances by female artists Madame Gandhi, the New Tarot, Amy Leon and Ellen Winter. Benefits will go to Oxfam America, a global humanitarian and development organization.

Pathways to Equity: Women on the Global Frontlines — This panel is part of the YWCA Salon Series Breakfast Panel and will celebrate the social, economic and political empowerment of women. It takes place Tuesday.

London

A Great Adventure: Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths — This event, which takes place March 8, features a panel discussion about challenges in the STEM areas, as well as a careers forum to demonstrate the options available for women in these fields.

WOW - Women of the World Festival 2016 — This weeklong event, starting Tuesday and running through Sunday, discusses topics both serious and funny, and examines obstacles that prevent women from achieving their potentials. It includes talks, debates, music and comedy.

Tokyo

Actions You Can Take: Women Preparing for Disaster — This event is not until March 26, but it will teach women in Tokyo how they can prepare for future natural disasters and feel empowered to help in instances of disaster response.

New Delhi

Shakti Bandhan ~ A Global Movement of Divine Feminine Energy — At this event, described as a “global gathering of sisterhood,” women will come together at the World Economic Forum in New Delhi to learn from each other and forge connections. The event takes place Tuesday.

You can also post your own events to the International Women’s Day website, so make sure to check back there for more events even after Tuesday.