All around the world, International Women's Day - which was first held in 1911 - is celebrated on 8 March and represents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women while calling for greater equality.

 

At the end of 2009, the FIA established its own Women in Motorsport Commission to facilitate the full participation of women in all aspects of the sport. The Commission, under the Presidency of Michèle Mouton, strives to put in place strategies and policies that will promote education and training, and put into practice actions and events that will strengthen the participation of women in all areas of motor sport. The Commission works with the FIA’s sporting and non-sporting commissions, ASNs and other key international federations on joint sporting projects and takes an active role in international forums and conferences devoted to the place of women in sport, and the advances that can be made.

 

Make It Happen is the 2015 International Women’s Day theme, encouraging effective action for advancing and recognising women. From 1908, the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in Great Britain adopted the colour scheme of purple, white and green to symbolise the plight of the Suffragettes. Purple symbolised justice and dignity - two values strongly associated with women's equality.