International Women’s Day preparations are underway. Here, Living360 shares everything you need to know about the annual celebration.
Taking place on 8 March, International Women’s Day (IWD) commemorates women’s achievements and promotes an ongoing commitment to gender equality.
Nowadays, IWD is celebrated around the world, but it was first officially marked on 19 March 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. On this day, more than one million people attended IWD marches and rallies to campaign for women’s right to vote.
While the world has come a long way for women since then, the journey’s not quite over yet. According to the UN, “Women have only 64% of the legal rights that men hold worldwide”. And so, the campaign continues.
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What’s the theme for International Women’s Day 2026?
IWD 2026’s theme is ‘Give to Gain’. This simple statement aims to encourage advocates, whatever their expertise or passion might be, to support the commitment to gender equality.
At Living360, we’re committed to providing women with ways to live a sustainably healthier lifestyle, and that includes campaigning towards better healthcare solutions for women, as well as sharing opinions and information from women’s health experts.
“Give to Gain reminds us that when women invest in their health, they don’t just transform their own lives; they elevate families and entire communities,” says Dr Ravina Bhanot, a women’s health doctor.
Grace Shaw, co-founder of women’s health platform Agora Health, says that the ‘give’ is often the work itself. “It’s about the tireless commitment to building something better,” she comments. “To creating platforms, conversations and tools that empower women with knowledge, confidence and agency over their own health. To ensuring women feel seen, heard and respected.”
This year, Agora Health is hosting an event in collaboration with Lululemon and 111 Skin
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Getting involved in IWD 2026
Founders, professionals and advocates of IWD are hosting events across the world. If you wish to host one, you can publish it on the IWD directory of global events that are open to the public. From panels to walking tours and running clubs, there’s a varied selection of in-person and virtual occasions planned to mark the day.
IWD also encourages as many supporters of the cause as possible to share the message on social media with the hashtag #givetogain.
No matter what your ‘give’ is, there are endless ways to support this fantastic cause, but Grace reminds people to be mindful. “True empowerment cannot exist as a once-a-year gesture,” she says. “Supporting women shouldn’t be a moment, it should be a mindset, embedded into leadership, decision-making, hiring, investment and culture every single day.”
Feature image: Pexels
