Difference between Mother's Day and Women's Day

Key Difference: Mother’s Day is supposed to honor motherhood and the sacrifices that mothers make for their family and their children. International Women’s Day recognizes the achievement of women no matter the race and ethnicity. It celebrates the strength and the will of the women.

It is often believed that Mother’s Day and Women’s Day are one in the same or that they are derived from a similar circumstance. However, these two days are different in terms of their background and their significance. These two days have risen from different scenarios and are honor different achievements.

Mother’s Day is believed to be dated back to the oldCatholic and Protestant Christian celebration of Mothering Sunday, but it is not. Mothering Sunday is about returning back to the mother church. On the other hand, Mother’s Day is dated to the early 20^th century and a person named Anna Jarvis.

Ann Jarvis, mother of Anna Jarvis founded Mother’s Day Work Clubs in five cities across the United States in order to improve sanitary and health conditions for working men and women. Following Ann Jarvis death, her daughter Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her and campaigned to make Mother’s Day a recognized holiday. After years of fighting, Jarvis’ wishes were fulfilled in 1919 when Mother’s Day was established as an International Holiday.

The day is celebrated on the Second Sunday of May in many countries and often sometime in the spring time in the rest of the countries. The day is supposed to honor motherhood and the sacrifices that mothers make for their family and their children. On this day, mothers are usually given gifts and special treatment.

Women’s Day or International Women’s Day is dated back to the early 20^th century in New York. At this time women had recently joined the working force and there were no laws that regulated work timing and working conditions. The hours were long and the conditions were horrible. Things changed in 1908 when the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours and better working conditions.

The women won the fight in 1909 when the first National Woman's Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on 28 February. This day was celebrated on the last Sunday of February until 1913. In 1910, a woman Carla Zetkin (Leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) pushed for an international day where women and their achievements should be celebrated. The decision was fruitful and the first International Women’s Day was recognized in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on March 19, 1911.

The day is now celebrated worldwide on March 8^th and recognizes the achievement of women no matter the race and ethnicity. It celebrates the strength and the will of the women. The fight for women’s equality and rights still continue in many third world countries.

Comparison between Mother's Day and Women's Day:

	Mother's Day	Women's Day
Date	Second Sunday of May in many countries. However, in many other countries the dates differ	8^th March
Significance	Honoring motherhood, maternal bonds and in the role of a mother in the society	To fight for women’s rights to vote, of lower work hours, higher pay, higher education, training, etc. Now it is mostly associated with inspiring women to achieve their goals no matter the hardships and continuing the fight for women’s rights in many developing countries.
Suggested by	Anna Jarvis	Clara Zetkin
First Celebrated	1908	Since the early 1900s
Date of Establishment	1919	1909
Holiday	Secular holiday. Not a public or a federal holiday	Not a public or a federal holiday
Observed by	Over 70 countries	Worldwide
Typical Gifts	Flowers, Breakfast in Bed, Holiday for mothers from all chores, Spa Appointments, Shopping, Jewelry, etc.	Free items such as spa day or movies in order to celebrate and honor them.