International Women's Year 1975

This button was produced by the Canadian government to mark 1975 as International Women's Year, so designated by the United Nations. The UN began marking March 8th as International Women's Day the same year. It also designated the decade from 1975-1985 as the Decade for Women. A world conference held in 1975 in Mexico established a set of goals to advance women's rights over these ten years. In 1985, the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the UN Decade for Women convened in Nairobi.

The United Nations designated 1975 as as International Women’s Year to advance women’s rights around the globe and to launch the UN Decade for Women (1975-1985). In Canada, IWY spurred government initiatives like the “Why Not?” campaign and funding for a number of women’s organizations. However, this campaign also faced criticism for being superficial and for excluding marginalized women. Grassroots activism, including a major women’s march in Toronto, highlighted demands for concrete policy change, marking IWY a year of both growing awareness and activism, as well as frustration.

Archival Materials

Posters

Government of Canada poster created for International Women's Year 1975
International Women’s Year – Année internationale de la femme (1975)

  • Year created:

    1975

  • Region:

    National (all of Canada)

  • Language:

    English and French