March 8 is just around the corner, and with it comes International Women’s Day (IWD)—a day to celebrate women’s achievements and push for gender equality. This year’s theme, Accelerate Action, is more than just a slogan. It’s a call to step up, break barriers, and create real opportunities for women of all backgrounds, identities, ethnicities, and geographies.
The Origins of the Day
International Women’s Day has deep roots in history. It all started in the early 1900s, when labor movements fought for better working conditions and fair treatment for women. In 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City, demanding shorter hours, better pay, and the right to vote. The momentum grew, and in 1910, Clara Zetkin proposed a globally recognized day for women. The first International Women’s Day was celebrated in multiple countries in 1911. Worth noting, She Runs It was launched as the League of Advertising Women a year later in 1912.
In 1917, Russian women protesting for “bread and peace” went on strike, which helped establish March 8 as the official date for IWD. Over the years, the movement grew, and in 1975, the United Nations formally recognized International Women’s Day. Today, it’s a global moment to celebrate progress and continue the fight for equality.
From Awareness to Action
We’ve come a long way, but there is still so much work to do. Women remain underrepresented in leadership, earn less than their male counterparts, and often face bias in the workplace. Awareness is critical, but action is what drives real change. That’s why Accelerate Action is the perfect theme for 2025—it pushes us to go beyond conversations and make measurable progress.
And what does progress look like? It’s companies committing to mentorship and sponsorship programs that uplift women. It’s policies that support work-life balance and career growth. It’s individuals advocating for equity in their workplaces and beyond. It means making and measuring progress, which can be achieved through the Marketing, Media, and AdTech Index, a measurement tool that She Runs It designed for our industry in partnership with Seramount, and which is open for submissions until March 28.
At She Runs It, we’re all about action. We empower women in marketing, media, and tech through mentorship, networking, and leadership experiences. We believe in breaking barriers and championing inclusivity. Accelerate Action isn’t just a theme for us, and it isn’t just a day of the year. it’s a mindset we live by 365 days a year. We encourage companies to partner with us, and we invite women and men in our industry to join our membership. Together we can transform awareness into advocacy, and advocacy into action.
