International Women's Day: What you need to know

Saturday is International Women's Day -- a day that honors the achievements of women while also advocating for gender equality.

International Women's Day has been taking place on March 8 for more than 100 years.

Here's what you need to know about why we celebrate International Women's Day.

What is International Women's Day?

International Women's Day is a specific day set aside, in this case March 8, dedicated to the advancement of women worldwide, according to InternationalWomensDay.com.

The day celebrates all the achievements of women, including those in the social, economic, cultural and political realms.

The day also marks a call to action when it comes to working towards achieving gender equality.

When did International Women's Day start?

The years leading up to the first observance of International Women's Day in 1911 was a turbulent time in the industrialized world that saw not only a vast population growth, but also the rise of radical ideologies that further accentuated women's oppression and inequality.

For example, in 1908, roughly 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. The first National Woman's Day was observed across the United States on February 28 something that continued to be celebrated on the last Sunday of February until 1913.

"Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in Denmark in 1911, International Women's Day was honored for the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on March 25, the tragic 'Triangle Fire' in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labor legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women's Day events," according to InternationalWomen'sDay.com.

Is International Women's Day a holiday in the U.S.?

While International Women's Day is marked worldwide, it is not an official holiday for all countries. For example, it is not an official holiday in the United States. However, according to InternationalWomensDay.com, some of the countries where it is an official holiday include: Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Germany (Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania only, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Zambia.

What colors symbolize International Women's Day?

The colors purple, green and white symbolize International Women's Day. The colors are those of women's suffrage movement of the Women's Social and Political Union in the UK. The colors were then adopted as the colors of the celebratory day.

Purple signifies justice, dignity and loyalty to a cause, while green symbolizes hope. White stands for sisterhood and solidarity.

How can you celebrate International Women's Day?

There are various ways to celebrate International Women's Day. Some ways include celebrating women's achievements, raising awareness of gender inequality by shining a light on ongoing issues like the gender pay gap, lack of representation particularly in leadership roles, gender-based violence, and many other issues. You can also mobilize action to encourage inclusivity and equality for women. Donating and fundraising for women-focused charities is also a way that many organizations celebrate the day. Additionally, one can celebrate by fostering solidarity among people of all genders to support women's rights.