International Women’s Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women’s Day, is marked on March 8 every year. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women’s economic, political and social achievements. Started as a Socialist political event (woman workers of a textile factory demonstrated in 1910), the holiday blended in the culture of many countries, primarily Eastern Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet bloc. 
In many regions, the day lost its political flavour, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. In other regions, however, the original political and human rights theme designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner.
In many countries, International Women’s Day is an occasion to honor and praise women for their accomplishments.
The UN theme for International Women’s Day 2012 is Empower Women – End Hunger and Poverty.
Even Google has a special Women’s Day Doodle for today 🙂
In Hungary, men traditionally celebrate their wives, female relatives, or even their female co-workers by giving them flowers, sweets or just any kind gesture to remember them that it’s Women’s Day.
What about you? Do you celebrate women around you today? 🙂
