International Women's Day 2022: How you can raise awareness for women's rights

Beginning in 1911, International Women’s Day is all about heralding women’s rights and those who fought so hard for them. Sometimes abbreviated to IWD, today, womanhood is celebrated across the globe.

The first record of a ‘Women’s Day’ was in 1909 in New York City, organised by the now-defunct Socialist Party of America. This gained traction in other countries, such as Germany, who proposed an annual ‘Women’s Day’ in 1910.

This year, the drive behind International Women’s Day is to remove gender bias from society. They claim that merely acknowledging the bias is not enough and that further action should be taken to level the playing field between men and women.

They’re using the hashtag of #BreakTheBias and are encouraging people to send in photos of themselves with their hands (with palms facing downwards) crossed in front of them. The crossing of the hands is meant to represent solidarity with those fighting towards the same (or a similar) cause.

Their aim for this year is to make people more aware of the realities of discrimination – as well as encouraging people to speak up on it whenever they bare witness to it. Discrimination comes in many forms, including sexism, racism and ableism.

International Women’s Day isn’t just about promoting equality for women – it’s about encouraging a fairer, equal society for anyone who has been discriminated against.

If you’d like to get involved, Sheffield Yoga Centre are holding a fundraising event for International Women’s Day on March 6.