About International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women’s achievements or rally for women’s equality.

Marked annually on March 8th, IWD is one of the most important days of the year to:

celebrate women’s achievements
educate and awareness raise about women’s equality
call for positive change advancing women
lobby for accelerated gender parity
fundraise for women-focused charities

Everyone, everywhere can play a part in helping forge gender equality. From a wide range of IWD campaigns, events, rallies, lobbying, and performances – to festivals, parties, fun runs, and celebrations – all IWD activity is valid. That’s what makes IWD so inclusive.

So make IWD your day and do what you can, in your own way, to help forge a gender equal world.

In solidarity,

President, CUPE Local 561

CUPE 561 acknowledges that our province of British Columbia is located on the homelands of 203 distinct Indigenous Nations and cultures; with over 30 different languages and close to 60 unique dialects spoken in the province. We ask all of our members to reflect, acknowledge and honour in their own way the First Nations land on which they live work and play.

We respectfully acknowledge the traditional and unceded territory of the following Nations; Coast Salish, kʷikʷəƛ̓əmᓪ(Kwikwetklem) , Stó:lo, sə̓lílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), q̓ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), Métis, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), the Semá:th and Mathxwí and Inuit First Nations, in which our Local is able to operate. We recognize, honour and respect the presence of Indigenous people, past, present and future.