Women’s History Month: How it was born and why it’s observed in March
A breakdown of the complicated backstory of Women’s History Month and why we celebrate in March.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
International Women’s History Month marks an opportunity to honor the contributions and achievements of women past and present, while pushing for gender equality progress around the world.
Every year, the National Women’s History Alliance distinguishes a theme for the month, and 2026 is all about how women are addressing global challenges. This year’s theme is “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future,” focusing on how “women are designing blueprints for sustainable transformation.”
The month also features International Women’s Day on March 8, when marches and events around the world will celebrate and advocate for gender equality.
Here’s what to know about IWHM, International Women’s Day and how the U.S. ranks in gender equality.
What to know about International Women’s History Month
The genesis of Women’s History Month was in 1978 at the Sonoma County Commission on Women in California, according to NWHA. This local celebration coincided with International Women’s Day on March 8, and was a weeklong event featuring school presentations and even a parade dedicated to celebrating women’s history and accomplishments.
The movement became popular across the nation and reached Washington. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter declared the official designation of the week of March 8 as National Women’s History Week. In 1987, the designation was extended by Congress to include the entire month, according to the Library of Congress. In the proceeding years, the NWHA have been the official custodians of Women’s History Month, choosing an annual theme and advocating for gender-based priorities throughout the year.
In 2026, the theme calls to attention the “overlapping disparities” of climate change, economic inequality, inaccessible health care and risk to democratic participation, with women of color and other marginalized groups disproportionately affected around the world. The theme spotlights how women care for their environment and communities, according to NWHA’s website, and what is left to be done to improve conditions for the next generation. The aim is to activate during the month toward a future that is healthier for people and the planet.
March 8 is International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is on March 8, and this year is themed “Give to Gain.” This aims to “help forge gender equality through abundant giving,” according to the IWD website.
This day has a long legacy, according to IWD. In 1909, the Socialist Party of America named the first National Woman’s Day (NWD) observed across the country on Feb. 28. Then in 1910, an international conference in Denmark confirmed the creation of an International Women’s Day. But March 8 wasn’t chosen until the eve of World War I in 1914 as the exact date of the global event. The United Nations observed IWD for the first time in 1975.
IWD is not a federal holiday in the U.S., but March 8 is observed by numerous communities, companies and educational institutions across the country as a call to action for change. The theme for 2026 “encourages a mindset of generosity and collaboration.” This can take many shapes and forms, from charitable giving to nonprofits that help women around the world to recognizing the women and carers in our lives who do invisible labor.
Looking at gender equality today
March aims to celebrate progress in gender equality and also shed light on specific opportunities for improvements.
The Global Gender Gap Report 2025 from the World Economic Forum, which names key benchmarks in gender equality across 148 countries, found the gap is only 68.8% closed, an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to the previous tear. North America leads the 2025 regional gender gap rankings, having closed 75.8% of its overall gender gap. But the U.S. ranked 42nd overall, coming in first for educational attainment but 58th for health and survival.
An example of health risk is the threat to safe births in the U.S. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in 2023 that the U.S. was one of only seven countries to report a significant increase in the proportion of pregnancies that result in the death of the mother since 2000. A 2025 study by The Commonwealth Fund found wide interstate differences in maternal mortality across the country.
