<P> In August 1910 , an International Socialist Women 's Conference was organized to precede the general meeting of the Socialist Second International in Copenhagen , Denmark . Inspired in part by the American socialists , German Socialist Luise Zietz proposed the establishment of an annual Women 's Day and was seconded by fellow socialist and later communist leader Clara Zetkin , supported by Käte Duncker , although no date was specified at that conference . Delegates ( 100 women from 17 countries ) agreed with the idea as a strategy to promote equal rights including suffrage for women . The following year on March 19 , 1911 , IWD was marked for the first time , by over a million people in Austria , Denmark , Germany and Switzerland . In the Austro - Hungarian Empire alone , there were 300 demonstrations . In Vienna , women paraded on the Ringstrasse and carried banners honouring the martyrs of the Paris Commune . Women demanded that they be given the right to vote and to hold public office . They also protested against employment sex discrimination . The Americans continued to celebrate National Women 's Day on the last Sunday in February . </P>
<P> In August 1910 , an International Socialist Women 's Conference was organized to precede the general meeting of the Socialist Second International in Copenhagen , Denmark . Inspired in part by the American socialists , German Socialist Luise Zietz proposed the establishment of an annual Women 's Day and was seconded by fellow socialist and later communist leader Clara Zetkin , supported by Käte Duncker , although no date was specified at that conference . Delegates ( 100 women from 17 countries ) agreed with the idea as a strategy to promote equal rights including suffrage for women . The following year on March 19 , 1911 , IWD was marked for the first time , by over a million people in Austria , Denmark , Germany and Switzerland . In the Austro - Hungarian Empire alone , there were 300 demonstrations . In Vienna , women paraded on the Ringstrasse and carried banners honouring the martyrs of the Paris Commune . Women demanded that they be given the right to vote and to hold public office . They also protested against employment sex discrimination . The Americans continued to celebrate National Women 's Day on the last Sunday in February . </P>
who gave the idea to celebrate international women 's day
who gave the idea to celebrate international women 's day
Luise Zietz
Luise Zietz