International Women's Day

10 Inspiring Quotes in Honour of International Women’s Day

March 8th is International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate women’s achievements and progress round the globe. First observed as a popular event after 1977 when the United Nations General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for women’s rights and world peace, the concept of a day honouring women has been around for over 100 years.

The earliest Women’s Day observance was held on February 28, 1909, in New York; it was organized by the Socialist Party of America in remembrance of the 1908 strike of the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union.  Women in Russia in 1913 observed their first International Women’s Day on the last Saturday in February, then in London, there was a march from Bow, a neighborhood in East London to Trafalgar Square in support of women’s suffrage on 8 March 1914.  In 1917, the February Revolution was sparked by demonstrations marking International Women’s Day in Saint Petersburg. 

Now that we’re up to date on our International Women’s Day history (herstory?) let’s reflect on what this day means by sharing some of our favourite quotes from strong, female leaders. If you have a favourite quote please share it in the comments!

"I'm tough, I'm ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay."
- Madonna

"We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced"
- Malala Yousafzai

"Nothing can dim the light that shines from within"
- Maya Angelou

"Forget about the fast lane. If you really want to fly, just harness your power to your passion"
- Oprah

"I don't think of all the misery, but all the beauty that still remains."
- Anne Frank

"The most common way people give up their power is thinking they don't have any."
- Alice Walker

"A woman is like a tea bag - you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water"
- Eleanor Roosevelt

"Women are leaders everywhere you look, from a CEO to a housewife that holds together a home. Our country was built by women who stand alone."
- Denise Clark

"As women, we must stand up for ourselves. We must stand up for each other. We must stand up for Justice for all."
- Michelle Obama

"Some leaders are born women."
-Geraldine Ferraro