Every year on 8 March, International Women’s Day invites us to celebrate women’s achievements. But its origins are not rooted in celebration alone — they are rooted in action.
The Origins of International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day began in the early 20th century during a period of significant industrial expansion and social change. Women were entering the workforce in greater numbers, often in poor working conditions, with low pay and little protection.
In 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York demanding better pay, shorter working hours and voting rights. The following year, the first National Woman’s Day was observed in the United States.
In 1910, at the International Socialist Women’s Conference in Copenhagen, activist Clara Zetkin proposed the idea of an International Women’s Day — a global day of action to press for women’s rights and suffrage. The idea was unanimously approved.
The first official International Women’s Day was marked in 1911 across Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, with more than one million people attending rallies.
Over time, the day evolved from a grassroots labour movement into a global day of recognition and advocacy. In 1975, the United Nations officially began celebrating International Women’s Day, reinforcing its global significance.
At its heart, International Women’s Day has always been about one thing: accelerating equality.
Why This Still Matters — Especially for Midlife Women
More than a century later, progress has been made. But equality is still uneven — particularly for women navigating career breaks, caregiving responsibilities or midlife transitions.
For many midlife women:
✖️Career breaks can lead to confidence gaps
✖️Skills can be undervalued despite decades of experience
✖️Hiring bias can quietly limit opportunity
✖️Flexible pathways back to work remain inconsistent
And yet, the talent, resilience and capability in this demographic is extraordinary.
This is where employers play a pivotal role.
Celebrating the Employers Who Are Changing the Narrative
At Back To Work Connect, our mission is simple: connect experienced talent with forward-thinking employers who recognise that potential does not have an expiry date.
This International Women’s Day, we want to celebrate the organisations who actively support that mission.
The companies who:
✔️Embrace returner-friendly hiring practices
✔️Invest in upskilling and career transitions
✔️Recognise experience as an asset, not a liability
✔️Create inclusive pathways back to meaningful work
These employers are not just filling roles. They are reshaping the future of work.
They understand something powerful: when midlife women thrive, businesses thrive.
From Protest to Partnership
International Women’s Day began with women marching for fair treatment in the workplace. Today, real progress happens when employers partner in that mission.
Equality is not achieved through awareness alone. It requires policy, leadership and action.
✔️Every returnship programme launched.
✔️Every inclusive hiring policy implemented.
✔️Every opportunity extended to a career returner.
These are the modern expressions of what International Women’s Day has always stood for.
Looking Forward
The future of work must include experienced women at every stage of their careers.
On this International Women’s Day, we celebrate how far we’ve come — and we recommit to accelerating progress.
To our partner employers: thank you for backing midlife women. Thank you for supporting career returners. Thank you for believing that experience drives innovation.
And to organisations who want to be part of this movement — we would love to work with you.
For more information and supports on creating a Returner Friendly recruitment process reach out to our team at info@backtoworkconnect.ie
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