INDIANAPOLIS — Tuesday, March 8 is International Women's Day.
That's why you may have seen people wearing purple Tuesday. It was likely in support of a movement first celebrated in 1911.
The theme this year for International Women's Day is "Break the Bias."
Women advocates say whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. They add knowing that bias exists isn't enough. Action is needed to level the playing field.
Have you seen photos on social media of people crossing their arms in an "x" shape? It's part of this year's International Women's Day celebration.
The day has been observed in some form for more than a century. Its current purpose is to celebrate women's achievements and the fight for equality — and the message is spread through new campaign themes each year.
The United Nations also announces themes for International Women's Day. For 2022, it focuses on women in the context of climate change: "Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow."
"Women are increasingly being recognized as more vulnerable to climate change impacts than men, as they constitute the majority of the world’s poor and are more dependent on the natural resources which climate change threatens the most," the UN's website states.
The UN's International Women's Day theme calls for women and girls "to have a voice and be equal players in decision-making related to climate change and sustainability."
The IWD website provides a detailed timeline of the day's history on its website.
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