On March 8 each year, women pause to reflect on their achievements and celebrate one another world over.

This year theme is #BalanceforBetter. It is a call-to-action for everyone everywhere to work towards a gender balanced world. The world should be ready for more than 40 percent of women in all positions in the workplace.

And when this is achieved, the world will be a better place.

International Women’s Day accords the world a chance to focus on women and the journey made over the years to ensure there is a level playing field for both men and women.

The day came up as a result of women feeling oppressed just because of their gender. They purposefully rose up to change the status quo.

This is how the day came to be:

Organisations took to social media, especially Twitter, to acknowledge women.

Here are some of the comments Gemnet picked:

“If one girl can change the world, what can 130 million girls do?”

In 2012, @Malala was shot in an attempt to stop her from speaking out for girls’ education. Today, the #NobelPrize laureate is a leading advocate for girls’ rights.#IWD2019 #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/9CLnRJO77Y

— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) March 8, 2019

As we mark the international women’s day, let’s celebrate our women and treat them with the dignity they deserve. Have a happy #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/NtXeVBPrqe

— Mike Sonko (@MikeSonko) March 8, 2019

You can also read:

Corporate boardrooms: where are the women?

And Google was not left behind in wishing women

Salute to all the brave women of Kashmir, Syria and Palestine🌹
We can never understand your pain because we haven’t suffered 😔 but we can pray for you🙏
May Allah bless you with freedom.#InternationalWomensDay#HappyWomensDay2019 pic.twitter.com/H6JpUWiSPr

— Maheen🇵🇰||Gladiator💜 (@maheenn786) March 8, 2019

After women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia in 1917, March 8 became a national holiday there. The day was then predominantly celebrated by the socialist movement and communist countries until it was adopted in 1975 by the United Nations.
I celebrate #BalanceforBetter #IWD2019 pic.twitter.com/9oOMV2eFgi

— Anietie Etuk (@etukanietie) March 8, 2019