(This post was originally published on K4Health’s Photoshare Blog)

International Women’s Day (IWD) has been observed since the early 1900s and it is on March 8th. Since its inception during the socialist movement, IWD has spread to both developed and developing countries.

In countries like China, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and many others, IWD has even become an official holiday recognizing women and their achievements. Since the start of the millennium, there has been a significant change in the roles and attitudes of women especially in terms of labor and equality. And while it is true that women have more access to institutions previously dominated by men, there are still areas in which we can improve social standards and gender inequality.

On March 8th, many events around the world will be held to both celebrate and inspire women of all ages. From rallies to government activities and women’s crafts markets, women across the globe will be celebrating their achievements. And while they celebrate, they will also be spreading the message about the importance of social change and equality for all individuals so that they may lead meaningful and productive lives both on the global scale and on the local level.

To read more about landmark achievements of women in the past century, please go here.

Check out the Photoshare collection about women and gender.