Though women account for one half of the world's population, they still do not receive the same treatment as men. With the rise of the women's rights movement and feminist awareness, this inequality has been reduced but by no means eliminated.

On March 8, 1909, American women's societies held a demonstration in Chicago to demand equal treatment. The movement help to unify women's organizations around a common cause and marked a significant advance in worldwide feminist consciousness and activism. At the 1910 International Women's Conference held in Copenhagen, Denmark, women continued this momentum by voicing demands for "equal pay for equal work," women's protection, and other issues. A resolution was passed at the conference to make March 8 "International Women's Day," in memory of the Chicago demonstration.

Though the ROC's women's rights movement began relatively late, it has, with active promotion, achieved much in a short period of time. In 1924, the International Women's Day Celebration Conference was held in Canton, and when the National Political Participation Conference was founded in 1938, women accounted for 10 of the 160 members, thus marking the beginning of women's participation in the politics. The role of women during the War of Resistance Against Japan was also considerable and China's victory owes much to the vital contribution they made.

The current condition of women in Taiwan has improved greatly, and with these changes, Women's Day has grown to become a major occasion in Taiwan. The considerable achievements of women in Taiwan are celebrated on this day at annual events held by central and local government agencies, including public tributes to the Ten Outstanding Young Women of the Year, and Dimond Lady awards, to name but a few.

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