Is International Women’s Day inclusive enough?

International Women’s Day (IWD) is held annually on 8 March. It marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality, providing a platform to educate and raise awareness about women’s equality, call for positive change, and fundraise for women-focused charities. Yet, in recent years, the day has faced criticism for its perceived lack of inclusivity, particularly in the way it represents feminism, intersectionality, and gender identity. It is often argued that IWD centres on a narrow, Westernised view of feminism, marginalising the voices of women from diverse racial, economic, and cultural backgrounds. Additionally, the conversation around IWD increasingly raises questions about the inclusion of transgender and non-binary individuals. Given these concerns, is IWD still relevant, and if so, how can it evolve to be more inclusive?

The reality is that women are not one homogeneous group who share the same experiences and challenges. The female identity is multifaceted and is influenced by aspects like race, age, sexual orientation, class, gender identity, disability, income, culture, religion, and health. Women all over the world face different struggles, overcome different difficulties, and experience different types of success and accomplishments. IWD campaigns often focus on corporate feminism, encouraging women to break the glass ceiling in high-powered careers while paying less attention to issues such as systemic poverty, lack of accessible healthcare, period poverty, female genital mutilation, and gender-based violence that disproportionately affect women in low-income, developing countries.

A more diverse IWD should highlight the voices of Indigenous women, women in war-torn countries, and women facing economic hardship

This issue is not by any means recent, as historically, feminist movements in the West have often been criticised for prioritising the struggles of white, middle-class women while sidelining the experiences of women of colour, disabled women, LGBTQIA+ women, and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. For instance, the renowned suffragette movement highlighted figures like Emmeline Pankhurst while ignoring the contributions of Black and Indigenous women who were simultaneously fighting for their rights in different parts of the world. Granted, the movement focused on the UK, women’s right to vote, and having a place in the corporate sphere, yet despite the ethnocentrism and narrowness, the movement is regarded as one of the most pivotal and influential steps in equality. I do not deny that it was of great importance, but it does not acknowledge the fight for equality that all types of women face and still face, as in some countries women still have not received the rights that they should have. The lack of acknowledgement for different social groups, and the need for gender parity persist, and are of vital importance.

To truly embody inclusivity, IWD must move beyond a singular feminist narrative. The struggles of women are not monolithic — they are shaped by race, class, culture, ability, and sexuality. A more diverse IWD should highlight the voices of Indigenous women, women in war-torn countries, and women facing economic hardship. While it is important to celebrate female CEOs, women in business, and women in corporate fields where they undoubtedly struggle to receive the same opportunities and acknowledgement as men, so too is advocating for female workers in low-income and developing countries or domestic workers in the Middle East. Only by broadening its scope can IWD reflect the reality of global womanhood.

Moreover, there is the argument that IWD discussions exclude transgender and non-binary individuals. While it could be argued that the word ‘women’ is already inclusive and any explicit reference to transwomen or non-binary people would imply that ‘women’ doesn’t already include them, some insist that the experiences of transwomen are distinctly separate, due to disproportionate rates of violence, discrimination in healthcare, and economic hardship – which are inherently feminist issues – and thus the day should acknowledge that transgender women and non-binary people also face significant gender-based oppression. Some suggest that IWD should remain exclusively focused on cisgender women, arguing that biological sex is the foundation of the movement. But if IWD is truly about equality, it cannot afford to be exclusionary. A genuinely inclusive IWD would acknowledge that feminism must encompass all those who are disadvantaged by patriarchal systems, including transwomen and non-binary individuals, so International Woman’s Day should recognise their struggles but actively uplifting their voices in feminist discourse.

We need to acknowledge that feminism is not just about high-profile women breaking barriers but about advocating for the most marginalised members of society

The Western-centric campaigns frequently focus on themes such as corporate empowerment and women’s leadership — narratives that, while valuable, do not necessarily resonate with the realities of women in countries where access to education, reproductive rights, and basic safety are still major concerns. In many parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, gender-based violence, child marriage, and lack of political representation remain urgent issues. Yet these topics rarely take centre stage in mainstream IWD discussions. The day must be reimagined to highlight oppression worldwide, ensuring that the voices of women from developing countries are not treated as an afterthought but as central to the feminist struggle.

Right now, it is almost as though IWD has become a performative holiday, co-opted by corporations that use feminist slogans for marketing while doing little to address gender inequities. It is gimmicky. Many companies use it as an excuse to sell more items and do not actually try to raise awareness or tackle the root issue. However, the persistent challenges facing women – ranging from reproductive rights rollbacks to gender-based violence – prove that IWD remains vital.

That said, for IWD to retain its relevance, it must evolve. It needs to reject the shallow corporate feminism it currently propagates and embrace a more intersectional approach. We need to acknowledge that feminism is not just about high-profile women breaking barriers but about advocating for the most marginalised members of society who undoubtedly suffer the most. As a society, we need to engage with the realities of women’s struggles beyond the western hemisphere.