International Women's Day

What International Women's Day does

International Women's Day (IWD) is a not-for-profit global platform operated by IWD Support Ltd, a private limited company registered in England & Wales. The platform was launched in 2001 at internationalwomensday.com as a free, user-generated resource hub to support the global observance of International Women's Day, which has been marked annually on March 8 since 1911. IWD serves grassroots groups, corporations, governments, NGOs, educational institutions, and individuals across more than 100 countries, functioning as the central digital infrastructure for gender equality advocacy, with over 20 countries declaring IWD an official public holiday. The 2026 campaign theme is 'Give to Gain,' positioning the platform around an annual giving day movement.

The platform's core products include the IWD Events database, IWD Giving charity directory (with 100% of donations passing through to recipient charities), IWD Speakers register, IWD Suppliers directory of women-owned businesses, a free Planning Toolkit, School Resources, Reading Lists, and user accounts. Supporting features include IWD Videos, a community Gallery, organizational Statements, and thematic Missions covering Women at Work, Women Creatives, Women's Empowerment, Women's Health, Women in Technology, and Women in Sport. Creative engagement initiatives include the Lettering Challenge, Portraits, and IWD Lightup (a purple-light campaign for landmarks). The underlying technology is standard web infrastructure — content management, Google Analytics, PayPal payment processing, Google Adsense, and user-generated content submission — with no proprietary technology, no public API, and no documented AI/ML capabilities. Notable partnerships extend distribution to Google (annual Doodles), ZEPETO (200M+ Gen Z users), WAGGGS (10M girls in 152 countries), DreamWorks Animation, Penguin Random House, McKinsey, the World Economic Forum, and IET.

The business model is structured as a free, not-for-profit philanthropic service. The platform generates no direct revenue from core users; monetization is limited to IWD Event Pack sales (physical or digital materials for event organizers) and ancillary services funded through surplus reinvestment. The organization is independently owned, with no venture capital, no parent company, no funding rounds, and no disclosed financials. IWD Support Ltd is explicitly not a charity and is not affiliated with the United Nations or UN Women. Headcount is 11-50 employees, headquartered in London with a global digital footprint.

Name

International Women's Day

Legal name

IWD Support Ltd

Website

https://www.internationalwomensday.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

International Women's Day is a not-for-profit platform operated by IWD Support Ltd, providing free global resources, event directories, speaker registries, supplier networks, and a charity giving platform to advance gender equality advocacy across 100+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gender Equality Advocacy Platform

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights (BPADAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF)

Keywords

• Gender equality advocacy
• Women empowerment platform
• Event planning resources
• Charity fundraising directory
• Community organizing platform

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Platform Services (Free): The IWD website operates as a free, not-for-profit service. All core resources, event listings, speaker directories, supplier directories, and mission content are provided at no cost to users worldwide.
2. IWD Event Packs: Physical or digital event pack materials may be available for purchase to support event organizers in delivering IWD activities.
3. Donations and Fundraising: The IWD Giving platform facilitates fundraising for women-focused charities with 100% of funds going direct to the relevant charity. The platform acts as an intermediary without taking fees.
4. Surplus Reinvestment: Any surplus arising from website operations is retained and reinvested solely to support the IWD service. IWD Support Ltd is not a charity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

International Women's Day operates a free, not-for-profit online platform that provides event listings, planning toolkits, speaker directories, women-owned business supplier directories, charity fundraising channels, and educational resources to support global gender equality advocacy. The platform also sells IWD Event Packs as a paid offering to assist event organizers. It is run by IWD Support Ltd, a private limited company registered in England & Wales.

Product overview

International Women's Day is a not-for-profit platform operated by IWD Support Ltd, launched in 2001 as a free resource hub to 'Support the Supporters' and grow mainstream awareness of IWD. The platform operates as a unified content and community portal rather than a modular software product. Its core offerings include: an IWD Events database for searching and publishing events; an IWD Giving Directory connecting users with women-focused charities; an IWD Speakers register for booking women speakers; an IWD Suppliers directory for sourcing women-owned businesses; and IWD Resources including a free Planning Toolkit. Supporting features include IWD Videos, Gallery, Statements, School Resources, Reading Lists, and user accounts for community participation. The platform also organizes activity through thematic IWD Missions covering Women at Work, Women Creatives, Women's Empowerment, Women's Health, Women in Technology, and Women in Sport. Event organizers can purchase IWD Event Packs, and participants can engage through creative initiatives like the Lettering Challenge, Portraits, and Lightup campaign.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IWD Events Directory A searchable events database allowing event organizers to register and promote IWD events worldwide, and enabling attendees to discover activities in their area.
• IWD Giving Platform
• IWD Speakers Directory A speaker directory connecting IWD event organizers with women speakers for events and activities. Users can search and book speakers for IWD-related events.
• IWD Suppliers Directory A directory of women-owned business suppliers to help organizations source products and services from women entrepreneurs for IWD events.
• IWD Planning Toolkit A free downloadable resource designed to support IWD activity coordinators in delivering impactful and engaging International Women's Day events. The toolkit includes ideas, guidance, activities, and helpful resources.
• IWD Event Packs Physical or digital event packs available for purchase to support IWD event organizers in planning and executing International Women's Day activities.
• IWD School Resources Educational materials for teachers and students including classroom activity cards, lesson plans, coloring sheets, videos with teaching notes, and curated reading lists celebrating women who changed the world.
• IWD Missions Thematic focus areas covering Women at Work, Women Creatives, Women's Empowerment, Women's Health, Women in Technology, and Women in Sport. Each mission aims to raise awareness about specific issues impacting women's equality and drive positive action.

Quantifiable outcome

• Millions of participants annually across 100+ countries
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ZEPETO (Naver Z Corporation)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerZEPETO, a virtual avatar social platform with 200+ million Gen Z users, partnered with IWD to integrate the #ChooseToChallenge campaign theme into 3D avatar content. The collaboration engaged young users globally, particularly Gen Z women in Asia, through virtual avatar items celebrating International Women's Day.
• Puffin Schools (Penguin Random House)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPuffin Schools collaborated with IWD to develop educational resources for classrooms including the 'Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History' Book Study, Sisterhood Book Club materials, Schools Resource Packs, and curated reading lists celebrating women who changed the world.
• Lean IncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLean In collaborated with IWD to provide co-branded resources including the Women in the Workplace report summary and #BreakTheBias tools for organizations to challenge gender bias in the workplace.
• World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAGGGS developed the IWD Gender and Women's Rights Activity Pack to help 10 million girls in 152 countries understand gender stereotypes and learn to challenge inequality through engaging educational activities.
• DreamWorks AnimationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDreamWorks Animation collaborated on IWD resources featuring She-Ra and the Princesses of Power to inspire children worldwide about strong female characters and the power of women supporting each other.
• IET (Institute of Engineering and Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IET partners with IWD to promote the Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards, celebrating exceptional female engineers in the UK and inspiring the next generation of women in STEM careers.
• Where Women WorkmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerWhere Women Work supports the IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards and promotes career opportunities for women in engineering through the IWD platform.
• AWS (Amazon Web Services)majorTechnology or IntegrationAWS collaborated on IWD content exploring the power of giving to gain in the federal technology sector, highlighting women's advancement in technology careers.
• Guild EsportsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGuild Esports collaborated on IWD initiatives to help Accelerate Action for gender equality in the gaming industry, raising awareness about women's participation in esports.
• CatalystcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst, a global nonprofit working to accelerate progress for women in workplaces, collaborates with IWD to provide research, webinars, and resources helping workplaces accelerate action for gender equality.
• World Economic ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report data is referenced extensively by IWD to highlight that at current rates, full gender parity will not be reached until 2158, emphasizing the urgent need to Accelerate Action.
• McKinsey & CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcKinsey & Company's annual 'Women in the Workplace' study, conducted in partnership with Lean In, is referenced as a key resource for understanding the state of gender equality in corporate environments.
• GooglemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle has created annual IWD Google Doodles since 2005 (with gaps) to celebrate International Women's Day, reaching billions of users globally through search engine visibility.
• Billie Jean KingmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal tennis icon Billie Jean King has overtly supported IWD for many years, contributing to awareness campaigns and reinforcing messages about gender equality in sports and society.
• Christine LagardemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund has supported IWD initiatives, lending credibility to gender equality advocacy at the highest economic levels.
• SheCanCodemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheCanCode tech community provides support for women to gain gender equality in technology careers, collaborating with IWD on content highlighting the importance of women's presence in the tech sector.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Women for Women International: A nonprofit that supports women survivors of war and conflict through direct aid, vocational training, and advocacy. It is comparable as a women-focused charitable organization leveraging IWD as a fundraising and awareness moment, though operating a different program model.
• Plan International: A global humanitarian and development organization advancing children's rights and gender equality. It is comparable as a large, established international NGO working on girls' empowerment and women's rights advocacy, though with a broader development mandate than IWD's platform focus.
• World Economic Forum (Global Gender Gap Report): The WEF publishes the annual Global Gender Gap Report, which IWD references to highlight the 2158 parity timeline. It is comparable as a global convener producing flagship research and convenings on gender equality, but as a broader multi-topic international organization rather than a gender-specific platform.
• UN Women: The United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. It is the most prominent institutional global voice on IWD-related issues, although IWD Support Ltd explicitly disclaims affiliation. It is broadly comparable as a global platform advancing women's rights and convening stakeholders worldwide.

Direct peers

• World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS): A global movement supporting girls and young women in 152 countries. WAGGGS partnered with IWD to develop the Gender and Women's Rights Activity Pack reaching 10 million girls, making it a directly comparable youth-focused gender equality organization with similar educational and advocacy activities.
• Lean In: A nonprofit community committed to helping women achieve their ambitions, founded by Sheryl Sandberg. Lean In collaborates with IWD on co-branded resources such as Women in the Workplace and #BreakTheBias tools, making it a directly comparable peer in workplace gender equality content and community.
• Catalyst: A global nonprofit that works to accelerate progress for women in workplaces through research, webinars, and resources. Catalyst is a strategic IWD partner and is highly comparable as a mission-driven organization providing corporate-facing gender equality content, research, and engagement tools.

Emerging players

• Every Mother Counts: A nonprofit dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safe, respectful, and equitable for every mother. It is comparable as a mission-driven women's health organization that engages corporate partners and uses annual awareness moments to drive fundraising and visibility.
• National Women's History Museum: A U.S.-based nonprofit that promotes the study and recognition of women's historical contributions through educational content and exhibits. It is comparable as a women's history and education organization, but primarily serves a U.S. audience compared to IWD's global footprint.
• SheCodes Foundation: A nonprofit focused on helping women gain coding and technology skills, overlapping with IWD's Women in Technology mission. It is comparable as a women-in-tech education and workforce entrant, though with a narrower programmatic focus than IWD's broad platform.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/womensday

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Women's Day