speech for international women's day 2022

Here are some great tips for writing IWD speeches and presentations

International Women's Day provides a useful opportunity to reinforce the fact that everyone has a role to play in forging a more gender-balanced world. IWD is for celebrating the achievements of women and/or calling for gender parity.

Around the world - from small grassroots gatherings and local celebrations, through to large scale events and press conferences - people everywhere are delivering exciting and engaging speeches and presentations that reinforce a commitment to women's equality and rally action and awareness raising.

Below are some useful points to cover in IWD addresses - whether addressing young children, employees in the workforce, members of the community, public audiences, or the press.

About International Women's Day 

Even though International Women's Day is a well-known moment in most countries, it is often helpful to still set some context. 

International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.

The day has occurred for well over a century, with the first​ ​IWD gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. Prior to this the​ Socialist Party of America, United Kingdom's Suffragists and Suffragettes, and further groups campaigned for women's equality. Today, IWD belongs to all groups collectively everywhere.

Read more about International Women's Day  here .

Engaging topics and angles to cover

Some engaging topics and angles to include in International Women's Day speeches and presentations include:

• The rise of women is not about the fall of men
• Everyone can play a role in forging gender parity
• Gender balance is not solely a women's issue, but also an economic issue
• What is bias and how does it play out?
• Advocacy, inclusive mindsets, and tangible action are needed from all

Speeches and presentations can reference successful women and their achievements and this can provide great context for the speech or presentation and its audience.

Consider using a powerful and engaging IWD video  to set some context for a speech and presentation. 

Key points to convey

Some engaging angles to elaborate upon may include:

• Many societies have moved on from women having to succeed in a man's world
• Gender stereotypes are being challenged and diverse representation of women is more evident
• There is still a continuing need worldwide for more progressive mindsets and inclusive behaviors to be forged
• There are many examples of gender bias - both conscious and unconscious - and each impacts women
• Collectively everyone everywhere can strive for women's equality and continue to make positive gains
• Equal opportunities aren't enough because equity is different to equality
• What it means to truly include women and ensure a sense of belonging

Setting some interesting historical context

The path to women's equality has been long and challenging, and here are some reasons why. Each stage provided an important focus in forging the gender agenda further along.

• Activism:  In the late 1800's and early 1900's, women activists fought hard for equality. The focus was largely on securing the right to vote and equal pay for equal work. These two issues - women's voice and participation in government; and the gender pay gap - largely remain key priorities well over a century later.  
• Feminism: Fast-forward to the 1970's and widespread feminist action saw women rallying, protesting and lobbying hard for inclusion, influence and equality. Feminists faced many challenges - systemic and societal - not only from opposing men, but also from other women.  
• Fix the women:  The 1980's saw an array of "Fix the Women" programs that were well-meaning in trying to help women become more confident, visible, well-networked and assertive - but many reinforced a notion that women needed to "act like men" and "fit" into existing patriarchal structures and organizations if they were to succeed (all while still being a superwoman in the home). Shoulder pads, power suits, high heels and a loud voice were in fashion.  
• Change the organization - The 1990's and noughties focused on organizational development: "Maybe if we change or fix the organizational structures, women will thrive?" So a focus on areas like 'women in the boardroom' escalated, as did more diverse recruiting, inclusive talent pipelines, and attention to wider diversity groups beyond gender such as race, LGBT+ and so forth. The introduction of "Top Company" and "Top Women" style lists occurred and as they increased in popularity, the number of new lists launched each year increased exponentially. The number of women's awards, conferences and networks also increased significantly - and continue to play an important and necessary role across all countries. The volume of gender-related research also increased - new insight, new terms and understandings, new phrases, measurement of the extent of problems or success; hard facts and numbers; incremental data.  
• Diversity & Inclusion: The 20-teens's saw an increasing focus on intersectional feminism and the important role that diversity and inclusion play in forging an equal world. "Men as allies" (i.e. men as advocates and champions of change), with this being recognized as a major element in accelerating women's equality. Many progressive CEOs and influential leaders have committed via formal public channels to helping build diverse and inclusive organizations that challenge stereotypes and bias. Furthermore, the global rise of social media provided a greater voice to groups often marginalized or sidelined from positions of power. Increasingly the global collective conversation for feminism continued to open up and grow. Understanding, challenging and calling out gender stereotypes, bias and discrimination became more prevalent. In 2013,  Lean In was founded to provide community, education and resources to support women's development, with an annual Women in the Workplace Study conducted with McKinsey & Company. The #MeToo movement (founded by activist Tarana Burke who coined the term “MeToo” in 2006) gained widespread attention in 2017 when actress Alyssa Milano urged victims of sexual harassment and assault to share their stories on social media. A global wave of activism and much needed change ensued. Much ground was made in the 20-teens, yet there was still a lot more to do.  
• The world expects diversity, equity and inclusivity: And so here we are in the 2020's. The significant global rise in International Women's Day activity in every corner of the world - along with the many female-focused campaigns and initiatives worldwide - means gender is firmly on the agenda. As expectations rise and information spreads faster and wider than ever before, organizations face unprecedented scrutiny from candidates, consumers, communities, investors, governments, and the media in terms of their support for and treatment of women. Many employers now publicly publish annual Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) reports and participate in various indices and accolades. 

Gender-related conversations and activity are certainly on the rise. Over the years, the term "International Women's Day" was one of the most discussed topic on Facebook by millions (even more than the Super Bowl). And back in 2018, Pantone's 'Color of the Year' was purple (i.e. women's color). Everywhere, gender is on the mainstream radar and impacting the narrative. Stereotypes, discrimination and bias are more likely to be called out. Men's role in society is more varied, and gender roles are more fluid. We are moving to a very exciting time in history where the world now "expects" diversity, equity and inclusion. The world notices its absence and celebrates its presence.

Step back over the years. International Women's Day has seen groups rally around many different focuses. For example, International Women's Day 2016 saw people worldwide being asked to support women's equality and develop an inclusive mindset via a #PledgeforParity. Then for International Women's Day 2017, the world was asked to #BeBoldforChange and identify tangible action to help accelerate gender parity. International Women's Day 2018 saw a massive #PressforProgress as the world stepped forward to push the boundaries and go beyond in achieving greater equality for women. International Women's Day 2019 saw& groups continue to play a critical role in helping forge a more gender-balanced world as we worked towards a #BalanceforBetter. International Women's Day 2020, amidst the pandemic, saw an important wave of collective individualism as we all strived to be #EachforEqual - because we know that an equal world is an enabled world. Then in 2021, we saw widespread global adoption of the #ChooseToChallenge campaign theme as groups committed to actively watching for and calling out inequity. In 2022, we stepped up and increased awareness of the significant impact that bias has on women's equality - both conscious and unconscious bias. We need to recognize it, and call it out, and so we called to everyone to #BreakTheBias. In 2023, the world truly made a massive effort to understand the difference between equity and equality , and why treating everyone the same can be discriminatory, and why in fact equal opportunities aren't enough. As such, the world saw a considerable narrative about why and how to #EmbraceEquity.

And so now for 2024, here we are living in a world that's incredibly turbulent, complex and exciting. The IWD 2024 campaign theme focuses on a global request to #InspireInclusion because when we inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we forge a better world. And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there's a sense of belonging, relevance and empowerment. So the aim of the IWD 2024  #InspireInclusion   campaign is to collectively forge a more inclusive world for women.

Insightful statistics to include

Download the Women in the Workplace Report  report to gain a sense of where women are at on the long road to equality.

Or download the Global Gender Gap report  that reinforces the growing urgency for action.

Whether covering the rise of women creatives, the work of women film directors, the status of equal pay, scientific prizes awarded to women, the number of women leading in government, or women in the boardroom - insightful statistics and associated visuals are very engaging.

It is also worthwhile to refer to a summary of actions countries have taken around the world to help forge women's equality. 

Use your voice and power on International Women's Day

Via  Influential speakers  and highly engaged audiences, International Women's Day has a global following with a shared purpose.

Let's use the opportunity of International Women's Day speeches and presentations to truly forge the gender agenda further and to make positive gains for women and girls worldwide.

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International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality.

IWD has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people. Today, IWD belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. IWD is not country, group or organization specific.

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Statement by First Lady Jill   Biden on International Women’s   Day

From soft lullabies to battle cries for justice, women nurse and nurture, teach and build, lead and dream our world forward each and every day.

Women have never been silent, but women have been silenced. That’s because our voices are powerful. When we raise them, we can tear down injustice, topple tyrants and demagogues and shatter the shields of oppression.

This International Women’s Day, we honor women throughout the world who courageously use their voice, no matter the cost.

To our sisters from Ukraine who are fighting to keep their country free and their families alive: We stand with you in solidarity.

To our sisters in Russia who are protesting and speaking out against the invasion at great personal risk: We see your courage.

To women warriors around the world, those fighting for justice and working for change: Thank you for building a better future for all of us.

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Secretary-General's message - 2024

On International Women’s Day, we celebrate women and girls around the world, and we applaud all they have achieved in the fight for equality.

Women and girls have made great gains – demolishing barriers, dismantling stereotypes and driving progress towards a more just and equal world.

Yet they face immense obstacles.  Billions of women and girls face marginalization, injustice and discrimination, while the persistent epidemic of violence against women disgraces humanity. 

Our world still reflects millennia of male-dominated power relations.

And progress is under attack, with a fierce backlash against women’s rights.

At our current rate, legal equality is some three hundred years away. 

We must move much faster.

On International Women’s Day, we stand with women and girls fighting for their rights, and we commit to accelerating progress. 

This year’s theme – invest in women – reminds us that ending the patriarchy requires money on the table.

We must support women’s organisations on the front line.

And we must invest in programmes to end violence against women, and to drive women’s inclusion and leadership in economies, digital technologies, peacebuilding and climate action.

This all depends on unlocking finance for sustainable development so that countries have funds available to invest in women and girls.  

We also need to increase the number of women leaders in business, finance, central banks and finance ministries. This can help drive investments in policies and programmes that respond to women and girls’ needs.

Women’s rights are a proven path to fair, peaceful, prosperous societies. It is good for us all.

Together, let’s take urgent action to make it a reality.

António Guterres

We must support women’s organisations on the front line. And we must invest in programmes to end violence against women, and to drive women’s inclusion and leadership in economies, digital technologies, peacebuilding and climate action." António Guterres

Video message

Message of the President of the General Assembly

Your Excellency, Mr. Antonio Manuel Revilla Lagdameo, Chair of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women,

Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,

Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General,

Ms. Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to join you in observing this year’s International Women’s Day.

Allow me to express my sincere appreciation to UN Women for organizing this commemorative event. We meet today, united in our determination to accelerate the pace towards the creation, sooner rather than later, of a gender-equal world.

A world that sees men and women, girls, and boys, enjoying equal access to and benefits of education, at all levels.

A world in which it is an everyday occurrence for women to lead nations and institutions, corporate and public.

A world where gender-based violence is an issue of the past.

As we speak, it is disheartening that women and girls worldwide continue to face all forms of discrimination and abuse; and globally, one in three women have been subjected to violence, generally at the hands of an intimate partner.

I am deeply alarmed by reports of sexual abuse targeting women and girls in Palestine, Ukraine, Haiti and elsewhere, including the Reports of the UN’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, which indicated that there is credible evidence of rape and sexualized torture committed against women and girls by Hamas during and following the October 7 attacks.

We simply must do much more to stop these atrocities, and, when proven on an evidentiary basis, to punish the perpetrators.

Unhappily, we continue to fall short on many indicators in the context of gender equality.

Gender discrimination and inequality hamper progress across the entirety of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

At the current rate of addressing global poverty, more than 340 million women and girls will still live in extreme poverty by 2030. This is both unimpressive and indeed unacceptable, to say the least.

Frankly speaking, it is not rocket science that when the contributions of women, who make up more than half of the world’s population are restricted, there is concurrent global reduction in growth and socio-economic development.

The message is inescapably clear: our collective well-being is intractably and intrinsically tied to our ability to unlock our fullest potential by empowering women and girls.

This is precisely why the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, which is, “Invest in women: accelerate progress”, is so appropriate.

It is a clarion call to action to invest in and to support women and girls and, in so doing, accelerate our collective progress.

This requires rethinking policy and doubling down on programming that benefits those most vulnerable.

It also means addressing the lingering – yet critical – issue of financing for development, which is askew and in short supply.

It is therefore imperative that we:

Invest in women-led businesses, closing the gender pay gap, and provide access to credit and financial services;

Support girls’ and women’s education and skills development in the context of lifelong learning;

Ensure access to reproductive healthcare, address gender-based violence, and promote mental health;

Cultivate a path to enable women to assume leadership roles;

Support women’s involvement in politics, and decision-making processes;

Challenge harmful gender stereotypes, promote gender-sensitive policies, and foster inclusive social norms;

Harness technology to advance gender equality, such as e-learning platforms and mobile health services; and

Build alliances between governments, civil society, businesses, and communities to achieve gender equality goals.

As President of the General Assembly – and a committed champion of gender equality, I have prioritized this issue during my tenure and intend to use this Day and the forthcoming session of the Commission on the Status of Women as platforms to highlight critical challenges facing women and girls and to encourage meaningful discussions that will propel us towards achieving gender equality.

Rest assured my commitment to this issue is substantive and extends beyond mere rhetoric to include tangible “change-making” actions.

At the beginning of my Presidency, I appointed Ambassador Keisha McGuire as Special Advisor on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.

I also reconstituted the Advisory Board on Gender Equality, which aims to mainstream gender perspectives into the work of the General Assembly.

Further, in demonstrating our commitment to creating a safer and more inclusive work environment for all, we launched a training initiative for Permanent Missions in New York and Geneva in partnership with UN-Women and the President of the Human Rights Council aimed at preventing sexual harassment at the workplace.

Yesterday, a special edition of the PGA’s Gayap Dialogue was held in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Iceland, adopting the Barbershop concept to engage male Permanent Representatives as agents of change in ongoing global efforts to advance gender equality. It was a most successful exercise.

Let me conclude by reassuring you that I will continue to use my role and influence, as President of the General Assembly, to advocate for the full enjoyment of the rights of women and girls.

Gender equality is not merely an ideal we should pursue at our leisure – it is an urgent moral imperative, that should have already been manifested.

With these sentiments in mind, let us seize every opportunity to accelerate progress by investing in our women and girls – so that we can usher in a truly equitable and just world, with women and men joining their respective strengths and powers for enhanced family and community success and indeed, for more expansive and transformative sustainable development.

Happy International Women’s Day!

I thank you.

Dennis Francis

"Let us seize every opportunity to accelerate progress by investing in our women and girls – so that we can usher in a truly equitable and just world, with women and men joining their respective strengths and powers for enhanced family and community success and indeed, for more expansive and transformative sustainable development." Dennis Francis

UN Women Executive Director's message 2024

I will begin on this  International Women’s Day  with a moment of reflection for all the women and girls killed in wars and conflicts that are not of their making.

Wars and conflicts are eroding the achievements of decades of investments in gender equality and women’s empowerment. From the Middle East, to Haiti, to Sudan, Myanmar, the Sahel, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in the world, women pay the biggest price of conflicts.

Conflict is inherently violent, but for women and girls ever more so, including in sexual and gender-based ways. This is intolerable. No woman or girl anywhere, ever, should experience sexual violence or any form of violence. UN Women, alongside everyone here, condemns it unequivocally.

The need for peace has never been more urgent. We salute women everywhere who strive to bring peace every day, who are human rights activists, who are human rights defenders, who lead and fight for change.

This year’s International Women’s Day sees a world hobbled by confrontation, fragmentation, fear, and, most of all, inequality.

Persistent poverty gaps continue to exist worldwide, and women bear an increasingly heavy burden. One in every ten women in the world lives in extreme poverty. Poverty has a female face.

Men own 105 trillion dollars [USD] more wealth than women. They dominate the corridors of power.

And the pushback against gender equality is well resourced and powerful, fuelled by anti-gender movements, de-democratization, restricted civic space, a breakdown of trust between people and state, and regressive policies and legislation.

We all feel this pushback acutely. Our values and principles have never been as challenged as they are today.

I thank all of you for lending your energies to this struggle, to the cause of women’s rights and gender equality, and I thank you all for joining us in pushing forward against the pushback.

This year’s International Women’s Day calls us all to invest in women and girls and to accelerate progress.

It is only by investing in women and girls that we will meet the challenges we face, be they economic-, conflict- or climate-related.

Investing in women and girls is indisputably the best pathway to the achievement of the  Sustainable Development Goals , to peace and security.

When more women are economically empowered, economies grow.

Where women are equally represented in government, governance thrives.

Where women are free to live their lives without the perpetual threat of violence, families flourish, and businesses benefit.

Where women have a bigger say in peace processes, peace is found sooner and is more durable.

But in spite of these clear facts, we continue to stubbornly invest in weapons more than we invest in women and girls.

We continue to say gender equality can be postponed for “later”, as we watch the world fall further off track, and even “later” is postponed.

In the coming months and year, we have a collective opportunity to recommit ourselves to gender equality. The  Summit of the Future  presents an opportunity to centrally place gender equality across discussions on development, financing, technology, and peace and security. The  thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action  next year has the potential to be a watershed moment for increased and accelerated action to make truth of the promises made 29 years ago. I welcome the Secretary-General’s announcement of the Gender Equality Acceleration Plan. Please count on UN Women as your partners in this.

The International Women’s Day this year has a call. And this call is clear and compelling. For every woman and girl, we ask that we finally make the best investment we can: financing gender equality and unlocking its dividends for all. More than 100 million women and girls could be lifted out of poverty if governments prioritized education, healthcare, fair and equal wages, and expanded social benefits. We know that when women raise their voices it is for equality, for their rights and for the rights of others, for peace and justice for all. They fight to leave a better world behind them for all the people and for our shared planet.

On International Women’s Day we elevate their voice. We elevate their cause, and our cause. We commit to affording it the resources it deserves and demands.

Allow me before I end to echo the call of the Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly, the Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women: We need a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza now. More than 9000 women have been killed in Gaza, and this must stop. We cannot return to a path to peace without justice for all survivors of this conflict—and I say all survivors of this conflict—and without an end to the indiscriminate violence in Gaza.

I began my remarks today with a moment of reflection. I end my remarks with a call for all of us to be the light that brings hope and that accelerates progress towards an equal, sustainable, and peaceful future. For all people. For every woman and for every girl, everywhere. I know that together, it is within our reach

Sima Bahous

Persistent poverty gaps continue to exist worldwide, and women bear an increasingly heavy burden. One in every ten women in the world lives in extreme poverty. Poverty has a female face." Sima Bahous Executive Director, UN Women

UNESCO Director-General's message 2024

Gender equality is a simple idea. It is the conviction that women deserve the same rights, opportunities and knowledge as men. It is the belief that women have just as much to contribute to society – and to addressing societal issues. It is the commitment to breaking down barriers that have held women back for far too long.

Yet, for all its simplicity, gender equality is proving remarkably difficult to achieve. Today, no country in the world can claim to be gender equal. At our current pace, it will take almost 300 years for all countries to be able to do so. In the meantime, according to UNESCO data, artificial intelligence will claim more jobs from women than men by the end of this decade. The climate crisis will push an estimated 160 million women into poverty by 2050.

To break down the barriers facing women, UNESCO has made gender equality a global priority for its action. We acknowledge the invaluable contributions made by women scientists, artists, journalists, educators and athletes. We work to ensure all women and girls are given the opportunities they deserve. And, every year on 8 March, we mark International Women’s Day to raise awareness of these issues.

The theme of this year’s day is investing in women to accelerate progress. This means developing, financing and implementing transformative solutions to advance gender equality and sustainability in the face of cascading global concerns and crises. UNESCO does this, hand in hand with its partners, in all the areas of its mandate.

First, to better understand the negative impacts of gender discrimination on economies and societies, UNESCO has developed a Gender-Based Resilience Framework, “Empowering women for the good of society”. It underlines the importance of closing the gender gaps in labour, innovation and sport – but also in leadership and decision-making, in line with our new podcast being launched today: Leadership for Equality.

In the field of education, we empower women by teaching them the skills they need for greater economic and social autonomy – for example, through our flagship programme “Her education, our future”. This year, we are telling the story of four girls whose lives have been changed by this initiative in a documentary released on 7 March.

We are also committed to ensuring that women and girls can thrive in scientific fields – especially given that women only account for one third of all researchers, according to the UNESCO Science Report. In 2022, to break down barriers in STEM fields, we supported 5,550 women and girls through mentorships, role models and career development programmes. And, since 1998, through the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme, we have recognized more than 4,200 talented women scientists in over 140 countries around the world.

In the creative industries, too, UNESCO is working to create professional opportunities for women. For example, with the Walt Disney Company, we are partnering with Women in Animation and its 2024 “Stories x Women” programme to give up to a dozen women animators especially from Africa – a chance to pitch projects at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France.

Finally, UNESCO shines the spotlight on the difficult conditions facing women journalists – 73% of whom face online violence, according to our research – and is working with governments, judges, digital platforms and the media to create safer working conditions and fight online harassment.

Achieving women’s empowerment remains one of humankind’s greatest challenges and, at the same time, an immense opportunity to realize humankind’s full potential. This year on International Women’s Day, UNESCO calls for immediate action to bring about this paradigm shift – now.

Audrey Azoulay

The theme of this year’s day is investing in women to accelerate progress. This means developing, financing and implementing transformative solutions to advance gender equality and sustainability in the face of cascading global concerns and crises. UNESCO does this, hand in hand with its partners, in all the areas of its mandate" Audrey Azoulay Director-General, UNESCO

UNFPA Executive Director's message 2024

Invest in women and girls: Inspire inclusion, promote prosperity

A peaceful and prosperous future depends on the empowerment of women and girls. Thirty years ago, at the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, 179 countries agreed that this was the right thing to do and the necessary path forward for sustainable global development. 

Since then, dedicated investments in the health and rights of women and girls have improved – and saved – millions of lives. Today, one third fewer women are dying from preventable complications of pregnancy and childbirth than in 2000. The number of girls giving birth while still teenagers has also dropped by a third over the same period. And the number of women using modern contraceptives has doubled since 1990.

Yet while broad trends show major steps forward in the pursuit of gender equality, they do not reflect the lived experiences of millions who continue to be left behind – largely due to persisting gender inequity, often in combination with other forms of discrimination. Women and girls with disabilities, of ethnic and racial minorities or identifying as LGBTQI+ are still prevented from realizing their sexual and reproductive health and rights. For those caught up in conflicts and climate disasters, family planning and gender-based violence response services typically crumble just when they are most critical.

Achieving a brighter future for everyone, whoever and wherever they are, demands swift, sustained and cross-cutting support for and investment in women and girls – everywhere.

The good news is we know what works and that it’s a great investment.

According to the  analysis of UNFPA and academic partners , $222 billion in new investment would secure an end to preventable maternal deaths, eliminate unmet need for family planning, and safeguard women and girls everywhere from gender-based violence and harmful practices by 2030. This would transform the lives of millions. 

Girls who are not married off as children have a greater chance of finishing school and securing employment, translating into  trillions of dollars  in economic benefits for society. Increasing women’s participation in the workplace raises their lifetime earning potential, and could boost per capita GDP by  nearly 20 per cent  on average. Businesses that subsidize the sexual and reproductive health of their workforce can  increase productivity  by up to 15 per cent and reduce talent attrition by as much as 22 per cent. When we invest in women and girls, everyone gains.

Yet, despite these clear benefits, investments are still nowhere near enough: In 2017, less than  1 per cent of global aid  for gender equality and women’s empowerment went to women’s organizations. In 2022,  less than 1 per cent  of global overseas aid went towards stopping gender-based violence. Only  1 per cent  of global health-care research is invested in female-specific conditions beyond oncology. Women and girls deserve better. 

We owe a great debt of gratitude to the women around the world who have led the march towards gender equality in their families, homes, workplaces and communities. Women like  Safia* , a survivor of female genital mutilation who lost one daughter to the practice and refused to subject her second daughter to it, and 15-year-old  Ngoma* , who is raising awareness about sexual and gender-based violence and rallying her community to defend the rights of their girls.

We owe women and girls real investments, such as supporting secondary  education , championing their leadership in  new tech ,  backing their own innovations  against violence, and  opening up more platforms  to hear their voices and help them  save lives .

Only by investing in the societal, economic and political inclusion of women and girls will we strengthen our social fabric and create something truly beautiful: A future that works for all.

Dr Natalia Kanem

We owe women and girls real investments, such as supporting secondary education, championing their leadership in new tech, backing their own innovations against violence, and opening up more platforms to hear their voices and help them save lives." Dr Natalia Kanem Executive Director, UNFPA

UNDP Administrator's message

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, Invest in women: Accelerate progress is a timely reminder that sufficient, well-aligned public and private finance will ultimately determine whether people get food on their plates, jobs or access to education. While global wealth stands at nearly $500 trillion, there is a stark deficit in global finance that intentionally flows towards advancing gender equality -- one of the most powerful means to allow people to escape poverty. Yet an additional $360 billion per year is needed to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment across key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Indeed, it is estimated that over two-thirds of global wealth is held by developed countries. The real issue is where money is spent and by whom, and who benefits or not. Driving shifts in four key areas will be vital to reset the financial landscape and ensure that women can enjoy their rights.

First, it is vital to support countries throughout the entire cycle of public finance. Only by having the adequate fiscal space can poverty be eradicated. We need a just global tax regime and truly progressive tax systems that lower the tax burden of low-income communities who are usually poor women. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is providing specialized support to ministries of finance globally -- from re-thinking the way resources are mobilized through taxation to how budget programmes are conceived, implemented, and monitored. And UNDP’s EQUANOMICS initiative supports ministries of finance and tax authorities in 26 countries to make fiscal policies work for gender equality. It includes a Global Learning Lab, which aims to help economists and policymakers to re-think the future of work while equipping them with knowledge to steer the structural shifts we now need.

Second, the world should commit to restructuring the debt of developing countries urgently as part of wider reform of the international financial architecture, which is crucial to allow millions of women and men to escape poverty. We need a debt architecture fit for gender equality too. With dozens of developing countries impacted by the debt crisis, households are the ones absorbing the shock from cuts to social spending and public services, and women’s unpaid labour becomes an invisible subsidy.

Third, we need efficient, accountable, and transparent ministries of finance, central banks, and tax authorities. And we must address the fact that many initiatives that advance institutional reforms for gender equality are fragmented, limiting their impact. Indeed, if public financial institutions are not ready and equipped for change, they may not be able to undertake nor maintain such reforms. Comprehensive reforms require more than ad hoc training or segmented investments in parity. There is a need to work with the ecosystem of public institutions. Therefore, efforts like UNDP’s Gender Equality Seal for Public institutions are recognising ministries of finance, tax authorities and other institutions that are committed to gender equality while preparing them to advance gender-responsive fiscal reforms.

Finally, as our world faces its highest levels of violent conflicts since 1945, the lack of financial resources continues to be the most serious and persistent obstacle to implementing the global women, peace and security commitments over the past 15 years. Indeed, in contexts of crises and shocks, women are nearly eight times more likely to be poor compared to men. For this reason, UNDP is working as part of the UN family in countries across the globe -- from Afghanistan where UNDP has supported 75,000 women-owned businesses since 2021, leading to the creation of some 900,000 jobs; to working alongside women in Côte d’Ivoire as they rebuild their lives and earn an income following violence.

With key partners like UN Women, UNDP will continue to #InvestInWomen, breaking down barriers and bias and ensuring that women can lead. Women, their communities – and indeed our global community – cannot afford to wait.

Achim Steiner

With key partners like UN Women, UNDP will continue to #InvestInWomen, breaking down barriers and bias and ensuring that women can lead. Women, their communities – and indeed our global community – cannot afford to wait. Achim Steiner Administrator, UNDP

‘Turn the clock forward on women’s rights’: UN chief’s International Women’s Day message

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Ahead of International Women’s Day, celebrated on 08 March, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has insisted that the world “cannot emerge from the pandemic with the clock spinning backwards on gender equality”.

Mr. Guterres highlighted the contribution that women have made to ending the COVID-19 pandemic, hailed the ideas, innovations and activism that are changing our world for the better, and welcomed more women leaders across all walks of life. 

However, as the UN chief pointed out, women and girls have frequently borne the brunt of the consequences of the virus spreading worldwide, which have included girls and women being shut out of schools and workplaces, led to rising poverty and rising violence, and seen women doing the vast majority of the world’s unpaid but essential care work. 

To remedy the situation, Mr. Guterres called for guaranteed quality education for every girl, massive investments in women’s training and decent work, effective action to end gender-based violence, and universal health care.

Other measures recommended by the UN chief include gender quotas, that could result in the world benefiting from more women leaders.

Women and climate action

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is “gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, underscoring the fact that women bear a disproportionate burden of the impacts of the climate crisis, and that they need to be central to the solutions for a sustainable planet.

The Action Coalition for Feminist Action for Climate Justice , is helping to make sure that this happens. The Coalition, which brings together governments, private sector companies, the UN system and civil society, is part of a drive to bring about global action and investment, with a focus on financing for gender-just climate solutions.

These include increasing women’s leadership in the green economy, building women’s and girls’ resilience to climate impacts and disasters, and increasing the use of data on gender equality and climate.

To find out more about the ways that women are leading the fight against the climate crisis, read our feature series, “ Women Building a Sustainable Future ”.  

UN observance of International Women’s Day 2022

• The United Nations observance of International Women’s Day will be held virtually on 8 March, 10 – 11.30AM UTC–5 (New York time).
• The year 2022 is pivotal for achieving gender equality in the context of climate change, and environmental and disaster risk reduction, which are some of the greatest global challenges of the twenty-first century. Without gender equality today, a sustainable future, and an equal future, remains beyond our reach.This year’s IWD observance is in recognition and celebration of the women and girls who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation and response, and to honour their leadership and contribution towards a sustainable future.
• Senior UN officials will be speaking at the event, including Secretary-General António Guterres, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, and Abudallah Shahid, the President of the General Assembly.
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António Guterres (UN Secretary-General) on International…

5 March 2022

António Guterres (UN Secretary-General) on International Women's Day 2022

On International Women's Day, we celebrate women and girls everywhere.

We celebrate their contributions to ending the COVID-19 pandemic.

Their ideas, innovations and activism that are changing our world for the better.

And their leadership across all walks of life.

But we also recognize that in too many areas, the clock on women's rights is moving backwards.

The pandemic has kept girls and women out of schools and workplaces.

They face rising poverty and rising violence.

They do the vast majority of the world's unpaid but essential care work.

They're targets of violence and abuse, just because of their gender.

In all countries, women are scandalously under-represented in the halls of power and the boardrooms of business.

And as this year's theme reminds us, they bear the brunt of climate change and environmental degradation.

Starting now, on International Women's Day, it's time to turn the clock forward for every woman and girl.

Through guaranteeing quality education for every girl, so they can build the lives they want and help make the world a better place for us all.

Through massive investments in women's training and decent work.

Through effective action to end gender-based violence.

Through bold action to protect our planet.

Through universal care that is fully integrated into social protection systems.

And through targeted measures like gender quotas so we can all benefit from women's ideas, experience and leadership everywhere decisions are made.

Gender inequality is essentially a question of power, in a male-dominated world and a male-dominated culture. Power relations must be reversed.

At the United Nations, we've achieved gender parity in senior management at headquarters and around the world — improving our work and better representing the communities we serve.

We need more women environment ministers, business leaders and presidents and prime ministers. They can push countries to address the climate crisis, develop green jobs and build a more just and sustainable world.

We cannot emerge from the pandemic with the clock spinning backwards on gender equality.

We need to turn the clock forward on women's rights.

The time is now.

International Women's Day 8 March Website

Writing A Women’s Day Speech: 7 Tips and Examples

Every year on March 8th, the world recognizes International Women’s Day. It’s a day for celebrating the economic, social, cultural, and political accomplishments of women and for celebrating Women’s Rights . In 1911, over a million people from Austria, Germany, Denmark, and Switzerland celebrated the first International Women’s Day . Today, in addition to celebrating women’s achievements, IWD is an opportunity to call for gender equality and justice. Speeches are held at events around the world. How do you write a good speech for International Women’s Day? Here are seven tips and examples:

Tip #1: Know your audience

Before writing a speech, you want to know who your audience is and what they care about. Without this information, you may write something that doesn’t resonate. It may not be bad, but it may miss the mark. As an example, if you don’t know recent college graduates make up most of your audience, you may write a speech that fails to take into account their youth, their goals (like starting a career), their knowledge and experience of history, and so on. Your audience’s age is just one piece of information about them. In a 2019 article on Ideas.Ted.com , Briar Goldberg describes how audiences can be broken into three types: expert, novice, and mixed. If you’re speaking to an expert audience, you’ll rely on more complex arguments and terminology than if you were speaking to a novice audience. With mixed audiences, appealing to emotions is often the best choice.

At the 2020 International Finance Corporation’s celebration event for International Women’s Day, the CEO Philippe Le Houérou spoke to his audience’s interests by focusing on economics, numbers, and ways IFC is addressing gender inequality, saying :

“At IFC, we have developed a comprehensive approach to reducing gender inequality. We create partnerships to encourage the hiring of women and improve their working conditions. We help expand access to financial services for women. We invest in innovative technologies that expand choices for female consumers and employment. And we work with partners to provide business skills and leadership training to women entrepreneurs.”

Tip #2: Write a strong opening

A strong opening engages the listener and gives them a general roadmap of your speech. Depending on your speech’s context and audience, you can experiment with opening styles. If you’re speaking to a general audience, an anecdote is a great way to capture your listener’s attention and get them emotionally invested. If your audience consists of experts or academics, it might be best to keep your introduction as brief as possible (many speeches begin with thank yous), so you can spend more time on the speech’s main points.

Consider then-UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri’s 2013 speech to the mostly-expert audience of the Open Society Foundation. Her topic was on the importance of girls’ education. After thanking the audience, she opened with strong, clear language to emphasize the speech’s main message:

“Your Excellencies, fellow panelists, ladies and gentlemen. I am honoured to be participating in this very important side event on the right to education in the post-2015 agenda. I sincerely thank the International Council for Adult Education, the Global Campaign for Education and all of the convening organizations for inviting me to speak today. UN Women considers that education is one of the greatest game-changers for women and girls around the world. It is both an enabler and force multiplier for women’s economic, political and social empowerment and gender equality.”

Tip #3: Include statistics to support your claims

When you’re writing a speech about issues like gender equality in education, healthcare, or the workplace, you want to give the audience specific information about the issue. Without key statistics , the audience won’t know how serious an issue is or what progress is being made. It isn’t enough to say that “many” girls don’t receive equal education compared to boys or that things are “improving.” What are the actual numbers? Sharing statistics also shows you did your research, which gives your words credibility.

You can also include data to show what specific organizations are doing and how they’re impacting gender equality. That’s what Michelle Obama did in her 2016 speech at the Let Girls Learn event that celebrated Women’s Day. She sprinkled facts through her speech on how Let Girls Learn was making a difference. Here’s an example:

“Folks of all ages and all walks of life are stepping up, as well. More than 1,600 people in nearly all 50 states have donated money to Let Girls Learn Peace Corps projects. Our #62MillionGirls hashtag was the number-one hashtag in the U.S., with people across the country talking about the power of education. And we’ll be launching the next phase of this social media campaign next week at South by Southwest.”

Tip #4: Strike the right tone

How do you want to present yourself? What kinds of emotions do you want to stir in your audience? These types of questions help you identify the appropriate tone for your speech. This is another reason why knowing your audience matters. When you’re speaking to a group of seasoned experts in a formal setting, your tone will likely sound more analytical and logical. If you were speaking in a more casual environment to a group unfamiliar with your subject, you’ll probably want to adopt a more personal, conversational style. If you want to provoke emotions in your listeners and get them to care, stories are very effective. If your goal is to inform and educate, it’s wise to rely on facts and stats.

Tracee Ellis Ross’ 2018 TED Talk on women’s anger is a great example of a speech with a tone that fits the speech’s context. She’s speaking to a mixed-gender audience in a non-academic setting. Because the topic she’s covering is personal, she uses a conversational, almost intimate style that switches between the first and second person. She addresses both the women and men in the audience, but keeps the women centered. Here’s an example toward the end of the speech:

“Our culture is shifting, and it’s time. So my fellow women and our gentle men, as we are here together within this particular window of this large-scale movement towards women’s equality, and as we envision a future that does not yet exist, we both have different invitations.”

Tip #5: Pay attention to structure

At their most basic, speeches consist of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Each section serves an important purpose. The introduction establishes your credibility, the speech’s tone, and its goals. The body, which is the main part of the speech, fills in the points you want to cover using statistics, stories, or other forms of evidence. The conclusion wraps everything up and emphasizes what you want your audience to remember. Unlike something that’s written, your audience can’t look back to find their way if they get lost, so as you move through the three sections, you want things to be as clear and simple as possible.

In 2021, Srishti Baksh gave a TedTalk relating her 2,300-mile walk journey across India where she held driving workshops to empower women’s ability to move across the country. She uses a simple structure that opens with the story of the first time she went to a movie alone with her friends at age 14. She was assaulted in the theater. She then zooms out, describing how there are 600 million women in India, but women rarely go outside because they’re not safe. In the body of her speech, she zooms back in to talk about her walking journey, the women she met, the empowering and terrifying things she witnessed, and how she joined forces with another woman to create a movement that trains female drivers. She concludes with a clear message:

“By rethinking mobility for women, giving them a safe transport and safety outside of home, it is our hope to transform our culture. Apart from having a profound impact on the Indian economy, this is about something much bigger. As you all know, when we move, we can be seen. The more women see other women in public spaces, the more safe, independent and empowered each one of us will be. So. If we can learn how to walk, certainly we can learn how to fly.”

Tip #6: Use repetition to your advantage

How do you make sure your audience gets the point of your speech? How do you make your speech – which might be one of many speeches the audience sits through – memorable? Repetition. You want to repeat your main point throughout your speech. It’s a good idea to include it at least three times: in the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. There are other types of repetition that make your speech memorable, too. Repetition can include keywords, phrases, and even the sounds of words. Repetition looks different depending on what kind of speech you’re giving. If you’re giving an emotion-driven speech, frequent repetition of the same words/phrases adds to the emotional punch. For informational or educational speeches where powerful emotions aren’t necessarily appropriate, use different words/phrases to repeat the main point.

For an example of good repetition in a speech, let’s look at Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw’s 2016 Keynote at Women of the World . From a word search, it’s clear what the speech is about. Together, the words “intersectionality” and “intersectional” appear 42 times. Repetition is found within sentences and paragraphs, too:

“There are multiple forms of intersectionality . I could talk about a lot of them, but the kind of intersectionality that I most want to talk about is the intersectionality around politics – political intersectionality .”

“So the question we have to ask is, what can we each do about it? We’ve been saying the first thing you can do about it is say her name. Do not allow her death to happen in silence. Do not allow their children, their loved ones to grieve for them in silence. Do not allow , do not affirm the belief that their lives are insignificant.”

Tip #7: Ask rhetorical questions

Do you want to increase audience engagement? Ask rhetorical questions. When you ask a question, your audience is forced to think more deeply about your words. They’re more likely to listen more closely, as well, since the information that follows a question will provide more context. You can use rhetorical questions in a few ways. You can anticipate a question your audience might have, set up an important point, or even encourage an emotional response. Even though audience members won’t shout out an answer (unless you encourage them to do so), asking questions makes your speech feel more interactive and engaging.

Let’s look at a 2003 speech by Maxine Waters at the National Youth Summit. While it isn’t directly about women’s rights, it serves as a great example of how to use questions in a speech. Right from the beginning, it’s clear this speech is going to be interactive. She says good morning to the audience and then prompts them to answer her. Through the speech, Waters asks many questions (some rhetorical, some direct), all of which make the speech engaging even through a transcript:

“Who makes up this jury? [Waters is discussing a trial involving a White cop and a Black teenager that ended in a hung jury and mistrial] A lot of people were very, very concerned because there was only one black person on the jury. The city of Inglewood is majority minority, and majority African-American. How could this have happened? How could you get a jury with only one black, in a case where the defendants are African-American, in a city where it is majority minority and mostly black? How could this happen?”

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

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International Women's Day 2022: Check these best inspiring speech and essay ideas to celebrate women's day

Happy International Women's Day 2022: The theme for this year's International Women's Day is "Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow". We bring you the best speech and essay ideas to celebrate this day with a thunder. Scroll down to read them.

• By Sugandha Jha
• Updated: Tue, 08 Mar 2022 07:51 AM (IST)
• Source: JND
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International Women’s Day Speech: Best Speeches For Women’s Day

International Women’s Day Speech: International Women’s Day is around the corner. If students or anyone, who wants to deliver a speech on the occasion of International Women’s Day, here are some of the best International Women’s Day speech samples!

International Women’s Day Speech in English For Students (500 Words)  

Greetings to everyone present here. On the occasion of International Women’s day, we have gathered today to celebrate Women and their achievements. On 8th March of every year, people around the world dedicate this day to celebrate Women’s achievements across different spheres of life. From social to political to cultural to personal, people celebrate every achievement of women! It is also an occasion to celebrate the progress made towards achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment, and reflect on those accomplishments and strive for a greater momentum towards gender equality worldwide.

In case you are wondering why International Women’s Day is celebrated only on 8th March, then here is the answer! The history of Women’s Day goes back to the year 1909. In 1909, an American political party celebrated 15,000 women who took to the roads and protested against various issues like unequal opportunities, unequal wages, and lack of voting rights. Though the day was originally called National Women’s Day, as the news spread the celebration turned into an annual affair across the world. But, it was Russia, who set March 8th as the day to celebrate International Women’s Day. It was only in 1975 when the United Nations recognized International Women’s Day and from 1996 International Women’s Day became a theme to celebrate Women in society. 

The major significance of Women’s Day is to celebrate the achievements of women in various fields. From artists to teachers to businesswomen to politicians to scientists to many more! But, this day is also important to raise awareness about Women’s rights and gender equality. It is quite heartbreaking how even in the 21st century, many countries are struggling with gender inequality. Women are still not offered equal opportunities as men. Female foeticide and women & girls abuse are still prevalent across the world. It is very disappointing how women face all the discrimination because of an X chromosome.

For many years, men have enjoyed unfair privileges in various aspects of life: be it better pay scale or social status or better opportunities. But now, as times are changing, the world is striving hard to treat women and men equally. This change is necessary because all humans deserve equal opportunities – irrespective of their gender.

On this day, it is very important to show women in our lives how much we care for them! Be it our mothers, sisters, friends, or peers, we should make an effort to celebrate them and their great achievements!

I want to conclude my speech by saying that International Women’s Day is a reminder that we all are born equal. And, no woman or girl deserves to be treated less than a man! Let’s take a pledge that we would treat all men and women equally! Thank You!

ALSO READ: 20 Inspiring International Women’s Day Quotes

International women’s day speech in english for students (short speech: 200-300 words).

Greetings to everyone! In order to celebrate women, professionally and personally, it has become a custom across the world to celebrate International Women’s Day. On March 8, of every year, International Women’s Day is celebrated across the world. In some countries, the day has been declared as a National holiday too.

On this day, women from different walks of life gather together to celebrate their battle for equality, justice, and peace. This day, the world celebrates many women achievers, who against all the odds, managed to overcome all the difficult situations in their life to achieve great milestones.

Even though it is the 21st century, men and women are treated differently. Even today, women are treated lesser than men. They are not given equal opportunities as men. And, hence it is much more important to celebrate International Women’s Day to remember how women are scaling new heights despite our regressive society. International Women’s Day is a great way to change society’s mindset that treats women lesser than men. Leaders like Indra Nooyi , Melinda Gates , Sheryl Sandberg, Oprah Winfrey , and many more have shown the world that women can achieve anything, if given equal opportunities. We salute every woman, who is fighting for justice and equality and making this world a better place.

International Women’s Day Speech in English For Students (Short Speech: 200-300 Words) 

Greetings to everyone present here. On 8th March of every year, people around the world dedicate this day to celebrate Women’s achievements across different spheres of life. From social to political to cultural to personal, people celebrate every achievement of women! It is also an occasion to celebrate the progress made towards achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment and reflect on those accomplishments and strive for a greater momentum towards gender equality worldwide.

The history of Women’s Day goes back to the year 1909. In 1909, an American political party celebrated 15,000 women who took to the roads and protested against various issues like unequal opportunities, unequal wages, and lack of voting rights. But, it was only in 1975 when the United Nations recognized International Women’s Day and from 1996, International Women’s Day became a theme to celebrate Women in society. 

The major significance of Women’s Day is to celebrate the achievements of women in various fields. But, this day is also important to raise awareness about Women’s rights and gender equality. It is quite heartbreaking how even in the 21st century, many countries are struggling with gender inequality.

For many years, men have enjoyed unfair privileges in various aspects of life. But, now, as time is changing, the world is striving to treat women and men equally. This change is necessary because all humans deserve equal opportunities irrespective of their gender.

ALSO READ: 10 Strong Women Who Inspired Us This Women’s Day

 10 lines on international women’s day speech for students or others.

1. International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8th March every year across the world. 2. This day is dedicated to celebrating Women’s achievements across different spheres of life. 3. In 1909, an American political party celebrated 15,000 women who took to the roads and protested against various issues like unequal opportunities, unequal wages, and lack of voting rights.   4. It was only in 1975 when the United Nations recognized International Women’s Day and from 1996, International Women’s Day became a theme to celebrate Women in society.  5. The significance of Women’s Day is to celebrate the achievements of women in various fields. 6. This day is also important to raise awareness about Women’s rights and gender equality. 7. It is quite heartbreaking how even in the 21st century, many countries are struggling with gender inequality. Women are still not offered equal opportunities as men. 8. Female foeticide and abuse against women and girls are still prevalent across the world. It is very disappointing how women face all the discrimination because of an X chromosome. 9. For many years, men have enjoyed unfair privileges in various aspects of life. But now, the times are changing. 10. International Women’s Day is a reminder that we all are born equal. And, no woman or girl deserves to be treated less than a man!

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International Women's Day speech: Easy speech ideas for students

Updated Mar 4, 2022, 10:15 AM IST

• Keep the International Women's Day speech short as students may not be able to learn a lengthy one.
• Don't stuff the International Women's Day speech with words students won't remember.
• Keep it simple so that students are able to learn it.
• Practise the speech multiple times.
• A woman has various roles to play in her life. To celebrate the importance and significance of women in every person’s life every year, International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8th March. Women’s Day recognises and celebrates women in every field.
• International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 every year around the world and it’s the day dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements. The day aims to raise awareness about women’s rights and gender parity.
• We are here to celebrate the presence of women in society and to celebrate their achievements. Today is International Women's Day. The day is celebrated on March 8 every year around the world.
• International Women's Day is a day for celebrating women who work hard every day to achieve personal and professional goals. The date of March 8 was chosen for the celebration as it marks the day when women in Soviet Russia started protests for the right to vote which they were granted in 1917. The day acknowledges the value and the importance of women in our lives and all around the world.

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International Women’s Day

Administrator's Statement on International Women’s Day, 8 March. Theme: “The Time is Now: Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women’s Lives”

March 1, 2018

Achim Steiner

UNDP Administrator

Women’s movements dominate today’s global conversation. From #MeToo and #TimesUp spotlighting sexual harassment and abuse, to #NiUnaMenos, the not one less movement protesting femicide, women voices demanding equality have crossed the globe, and a palpable feeling of change is in the air.

These movements and marches infuse this year’s International Women’s Day with special meaning. Today, we celebrate the activists who work tirelessly to “speak truth to patriarchy” and push all of us to achieve equal rights for women.   

The Time is Now to end sexual harassment and abuse. Preventing this behavior is our collective moral imperative, and it must be eradicated wherever it is found. We must all work together to change our cultures and create safe spaces for reporting.

The Time is Now to end violence against women. 49 countries lack laws protecting women from domestic violence, and in 37 countries perpetrators of rape are exempt from prosecution if they are married to or subsequently marry the victim.  

The Time is Now to promote women’s political participation.  Women make up only 23.5% of the world’s parliamentarians.  The world needs women to have an equal voice in decision making. 

The Time is Now to close the gender wage gap.  The global gender wage gap is 23%, and will take 100 years to close at the current rate of change.  We need to value women’s work and reduce their disproportionate burden of unpaid care and domestic work.  This work deprives women of time to earn money and engage in public life, and deprives communities and nations of women’s full contributions.   

The Time is Now to ensure that rural women have equal opportunities. 43% of the global agricultural workers are women, and rural women comprise the majority of these workers.  They need equal access to resources, information, and decision-making. Despite their vital roles in growing food, and critically in adapting and building resilience to climate change, rural women fare worse than rural men or urban women on almost every measure of development.

The Time is Now to celebrate activists working on women’s equality and rights.  

On this International Women’s Day, join me in celebrating them and honoring their work in the best way possible: by redoubling our efforts to build a world free of discrimination and exclusion and make it possible for all women and men to live lives of dignity and opportunity. 

They have created a momentum for change that builds on the promises of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. 

These 17 goals—which range from ending poverty, to boosting equitable growth and achieving quality education for all—are strongly interconnected, and gender equality is pivotal to achieving all of them. That means that all of us have a role to play in supporting women’s empowerment, at home, in our communities—and in the workplace.

Together, by achieving women’s equality and the 2030 Agenda, we can ensure that no woman is left behind.

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International Women’s Day 2022 : Speech by the President of REFELA

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International Women's Day 2022: First Minister's statement - 8 March 2022

Statement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon opening the debate, International Women's Day 2022 in the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, on Tuesday 8 March 2022.

This document is part of a collection

• First Minister's speeches

Thank you, Presiding Officer

It is a privilege to open this debate today.

I will talk shortly about what International Women’s Day means for us here in Scotland – but this is also an opportunity to show solidarity to women and girls across the globe, not least those on the frontline of conflict and war.

Today, in particular, I know all of our thoughts are with the women and girls of Ukraine.

Ukraine is one of the countries across the world that marked International Women’s Day with a public holiday.

This time last year, thousands marched through the streets of its capital city Kyiv, to demand gender equality.

Today, the reality could not be more different.

Kyiv, and cities across Ukraine, are under brutal Russian bombardment.

Far from participating in peaceful, democratic protest, Ukrainians are now fighting and fleeing for their lives.

So today, from our national Parliament here in Edinburgh, Kyiv’s twin city, let us send the women and girls, men and boys of Ukraine our love, solidarity and support.

But let us also, Presiding Officer, send this message:

In the face of the horror engulfing Ukraine, words are not enough.

In the past 10 days alone, more than two million people have already fled the horrors of war – that number is rising rapidly.

The majority of those seeking refuge are women and children.

So far, the UK’s response has fallen short.

Today, on International Women’s Day, I appeal to the UK government to follow the example of Ireland, and other EU countries.

Refuge and sanctuary first – bureaucracy second.

Let people in and do the paperwork afterwards.

Let’s open not just our hearts, but also our doors.

Our common humanity demands it.

Presiding Officer,

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘Break the Bias’.

Three short words that mask the scale of the task we face if we are to ensure equality for women and girls here at home, and across the globe.

The bias we seek to break is engrained.

Its roots are deeply historic, and I will reflect on that later, but its impacts are very current and all women experience it in some way, shape or form.

Of course, for  minority ethnic women, disabled women, trans women, lesbians, the impact is compounded.

The bias we must break encapsulates prejudice and discrimination, outdated gender stereotypes, sexism and misogyny.

Attitudes that have no place in modern society but which still shape and limit the lives of women on a daily basis.

These attitudes result in the systematic under-representation of women.

They result in the under-valuing of the contribution women make to our society.

And they result in too many women living in perennial fear of harassment, abuse, domestic and sexual violence and in too many cases, murder.

Breaking the bias must mean changing all of that – or it will mean nothing at all.

And let’s be clear it is not women who need to change. What must change is a culture, in which prejudice, sexism and misogyny still thrive.

International Women’s Day is, of course, a time to take stock of progress made.

And there has been progress.

I stand here as the first woman to hold the office of First Minister.

I lead a gender balanced cabinet.

Forty five percent of this Parliament’s members are women and, albeit very belatedly, we now count amongst our number women of colour.

All of that is progress and it is helping drive deeper change.

The world’s first comprehensive women’s health plan, free period products, removing for women and girls both the financial costs and the stigma of periods, reform of the law on domestic abuse, the doubling of early years education and childcare, and the new Child Payment.

Tangible examples of policies that are making the lives of women and girls better.

So we should celebrate progress made.

But we mustn’t let it mask the deep inequalities that still exist across society, or distract us from the work still to do.

Better representation is not yet equal representation. Not here in Parliament or across our council chambers, not on company boards or decision-making bodies the length and breadth of the country.

Women still bear the biggest responsibility for child care and unpaid care more generally.

Women are still much more likely to work in occupations that are underpaid and undervalued.

And of course the lives of women are still blighted each and every day by an epidemic of harassment, abuse, threats and violence – an epidemic that seems to be getting worse, not better.

That problem is real and very current.

But the misogyny that motivates it is age old.

That’s why I want to focus the remainder of my remarks on two issues. One deeply historic and one contemporary, but linked by that common thread of misogyny.

Before this Parliament just now is a petition demanding a pardon for the more than 4,000 people in Scotland – the vast majority of them women – accused, and in many cases convicted and executed for being ‘witches’ under the Witchcraft Act of 1563.

Those who met this fate were not ‘witches’.

They were people. And they were overwhelmingly women. At a time when women were not even allowed to speak as witnesses in a court room, they were accused and killed because they were poor, different, vulnerable, or in many cases just because they were women.

It was injustice on a colossal scale, driven at least in part, by misogyny in its most literal sense – hatred of women.

The pardon the petition calls for would require this Parliament to legislate, and in future this Parliament may choose to do so.

But in the meantime, the petition also calls for an apology.

After all, these accusations and executions were instigated and perpetrated by the state.

And so today, on International Women’s Day, as First Minister on behalf of the Scottish Government, I am choosing to acknowledge that egregious historic injustice and extend a formal, posthumous apology to all those accused, convicted, vilified or executed under the Witchcraft Act 1563.

Now, some will ask why this generation should say sorry for something that happened centuries ago – though it might actually be more pertinent to ask why it has taken so long.

But, for me, there are three reasons.

Firstly, acknowledging injustice, no matter how historic, is important.

This parliament has issued, rightly so, formal apologies and pardons for the more recent historic injustices suffered by gay men and by miners.

And we are currently considering a request for a formal apology to women whose children were forcibly adopted.

Reckoning with historic injustice is a vital part of building a better country.

So too is recognising, and writing into history what has been, for too long, erased – the experiences and the achievements of women.

Second, for some, this is not yet historic. There are parts of our world where, even today, women and girls face persecution and sometimes death because they have been accused of witchcraft.

And, thirdly, fundamentally, while here in Scotland the Witchcraft Act may have been consigned to history a long time ago, the deep misogyny that motivated it has not. We live with that still.

Today it expresses itself, not in claims of witchcraft, but in everyday harassment, online rape threats and sexual violence.

All of it intensified by an increasingly polarised and toxic public discourse, and amplified each and every day by social media.

It is no wonder that more women than ever before, certainly in my lifetime, are now questioning whether politics and public life are safe environments for women.

And it is no wonder so many still feel scared to walk the streets.

In recent days, we have marked the anniversary of the horrific murder of Sarah Everard.

Her death sparked outrage and a demand for change.

And yet in the year since Sarah was killed, dozens more women have been murdered across Britain.

Just last week, I chaired the Cabinet’s annual meeting with the Scottish Children’s Parliament and the Scottish Youth Parliament.

One of the Trustees of the Youth Parliament, Sophie Reid, gave a powerful presentation about the experiences of young women today.

She spoke of the ways in which women are forced to adapt their own behaviours and restrict their own lives to protect themselves as far as possible from the harassment, abuse and violence of men.

These experiences are heart-breaking.

But they are not new. These are also experiences of my generation, and my mother’s, and my grandmother’s.

If they are not to become the experiences of the next generation too, a line in the sand must be drawn.

It is no longer acceptable to expect women and girls to adapt and accommodate.

It is time to challenge unacceptable male behaviour, and better protect women from it.

We must change for good the culture of misogyny that has normalised such behaviour for far too long.

It is of course in this context, that Baroness Helena Kennedy’s Working Group on Misogyny has this morning published its ground-breaking report.

I thank Baroness Kennedy and the working group, including of course, the late and sadly missed, Emma Ritch, for producing such a powerful and compelling report.

Its recommendations are bold and they are far reaching.

It proposes a new Misogyny and Criminal Justice Act, and it recommends that this new Act include a statutory misogyny aggravation.

Now it is important to stress Presiding Officer, in anticipation of concerns about freedom of thought and speech, that this would not criminalise misogyny, per se.

But it would allow crimes, assault for example, which are motivated by misogyny to be treated more seriously in sentencing.

Importantly it would not apply to crimes, such as rape, which are inherently misogynistic.

The report also recommends three new criminal offences to reflect and better address the daily lived experience of too many women.

These would be:

• stirring up hatred against women and girls
• public misogynistic harassment, and
• issuing threats of, or invoking, rape or sexual assault or disfigurement of women and girls, whether online or offline

The Scottish Government welcomes these recommendations in principle.

We will now of course, give full consideration to the detail and we will respond formally as soon as possible.

However, this report, in my view, matters beyond the detail of the specific recommendations it makes.

It matters because it acknowledges and it gives powerful voice to the stark realities of everyday life for women.

It recognises that misogyny is endemic, and that it blights the lives of women every single day.

And it rightly points out, that not all men are misogynist - but all women do experience misogyny.

It also recognises the power of the law to drive social and cultural change, and concedes that for women and girls, our law is currently failing.

And perhaps most importantly of all, it articulates a fundamental truth that on this International Women’s Day, we must all reflect on.

A society in which women do not feel safe is not one in which we can ever be truly equal.

On International Women’s Day, let us in this Parliament re-dedicate ourselves to building a society, in which women and girls are safe, and in which they feel safe.

Let us acknowledge and reckon with historic injustice, and in doing so, let us redouble our work now to consign age-old misogyny to the history books, once and for all.

And let that then be the foundation on which we build a truly gender equal Scotland, and offer it as an example and an inspiration to women and girls across the globe.

On this International Women’s Day, at a time of real darkness for our world, let us today send a message of hope and light to women and girls everywhere.

I move the motion in my name.

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• UN Women HQ

In Focus: International Women’s Day 2022

Date: Tuesday, 8 March 2022

“Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”

This  International Women’s Day , 8 March, join UN Women and the world in coming together under the theme “ Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow ”, and call for climate action for women, by women.

With the latest data, we now understand the vital link between gender, social equity and climate change, and recognize that without gender equality today, a sustainable future, an equal future, remains out of reach. 

Women and girls experience the greatest impacts of the climate crisis as it amplifies existing gender inequalities and puts women’s lives and livelihoods at risk. Across the world, women depend more on, yet have less access to, natural resources, and often bear a disproportionate responsibility for securing food, water, and fuel.

As women and girls bear the burden of climate impacts, they are also essential to leading and driving change in climate adaption, mitigation and solutions.  Without the inclusion of half of the world's population, it is unlikely that solutions for a sustainable planet and a gender equal world tomorrow will be realized. 

Last year, at the  Generation Equality Forum , the  Action Coalition for Feminist Action for Climate Justice  was launched, bringing together governments, private sector companies, the UN system and civil society in order to make concrete commitments toward climate justice. This International Women’s Day, the Action Coalition is helping drive global action and investment with a focus on financing for gender-just climate solutions, increasing women’s leadership in the green economy, building women’s and girls resilience to climate impacts and disasters and increasing the use of data on gender equality and climate.

Join us in celebrating all the ways women and girls are taking climate action at all levels, and help elevate their voices and support their work. 

In statements and messages

The United Nations Observance of International Women’s Day in New York by a high-level virtual event on Tuesday, 8 March 2022, 10–11.30 a.m. EST. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the General Assembly, the Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, the Executive Director of UN Women as well as gender equality and climate change activists and celebrities will participate. The event will be followed by a high-level panel discussion and musical performances.

In Asia and the Pacific, UNESCAP and UN Women join hands with the UN family in Thailand for a hybrid event on the same date (08 March 2022, 10-11.30 a.m. GMT+7)

In exhibition

A virtual exhibition created to amplify stories of change and hope in the context of a changing climate.

The exhibit features nine visionaries who have challenged norms to continuously transform themselves and their communities to advance gender equality and climate resilience.

AnnaMaria Oltorp, Head of Regional Development Cooperation, Asia and the Pacific, Embassy of Sweden invites audiences to visit the virtual exhibition.

RE-ENVISION RESILIENCE: Journeys for Gender Equality and Climate Action

At the same time, women and girls are effective and powerful leaders and change-makers for climate adaptation and mitigation. They are involved in sustainability initiatives around the world, and their participation and leadership result in more effective climate action. Continuing to examine the opportunities, as well as the constraints, to empower women and girls to have a voice and be equal players in decision-making related to climate change and sustainability is essential for sustainable development and greater gender equality. Without gender equality today, a sustainable future, and an equal future remains beyond our reach.

Same as women and girls around the globe who are working tirelessly to make our place better for everyone. These showcases are only a fractional number of women in Asia and the Pacific.

On International Women’s Day, UN Women x Nitivajra Institute of the Office of Attorney-General hosted a podcast discussion to raise awareness on the roles of women public prosecutors to advance gender equality in the justice system in Thailand, with support of Safe and Fair Programme. #IWD2022

The Asia-Pacific Regional Commemoration of International Women’s Day 2022

In publications

In the press

ACCESS TO FINANCE FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IS ESSENTIAL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: SPEAKERS ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY:

To celebrate International Women’s Day, UN Women, UNDP and UNCDF jointly organized an event in Dhaka with several financial institutions in Bangladesh to highlight the importance of better and easier access to finance for women. The event was an initiative of the “WING: Women’s Empowerment for Inclusive Growth” project, funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh.

• Financial Express: Donor representatives emphasise creating better work culture' for women in small business
• The Daily Star: WOMEN IN CMSME/Experts call for enabling environment
• Daily Sun: Access to finance for women entrepreneurs is essential for sustainable development

IFC, DHAKA STOCK EXCHANGE, AND UNITED NATIONS PUSH FOR GREATER PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP ROLES:

Celebrating International Women’s Day, IFC partnered with the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), UN Women, and United Nations Global Compact for the seventh consecutive year to ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality.’ While emphasizing women’s role in shaping a more equal future, the annual event highlighted how greater participation of women in the economy can spur sustainable and inclusive growth.

• The Daily Star:  Bangladesh top in South Asia for women leadership in listed firms: study
• The Daily Sun:  IFC, DSE, and UN push for greater participation of women in leadership roles 
• Dhaka Tribune: IFC, DSE and UN push for greater participation of women in leadership roles 
• Daily Asian Age: Push for Greater Participation of Women in Leadership Roles
• Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha: IFC, DSE, UN push for greater participation of women in leadership
• United News of Bangladesh: Push for Greater Participation of Women in Leadership Roles
• Business Insider: IFC, DSE, UN push for greater participation of women in leadership
• New Age: Representation of women poor: study
• Business Post: Women directors occupy 18% seats on boards
• The India Awaaz: Bangladesh top in South Asia in terms of women on board of listed companies
• Business Standard: Women’s boardroom participation stuck at 18% in Bangladesh: IFC study
• Hindu Business Line: Most women-owned very small businesses haven’t applied for formal loans: IFC study
• The Financial Express: IFC, DSE, UN push for greater leadership role of women
• Bangladesh Post: ‘Greater participation of women in economy can propel sustainable growth’
• Asian Age: IFC, DSE, UN push for greater participation of women in leadership
• Daily Observer: DSE, IFC, UN for bringing more women in leadership
• BizdataInsights:  The number of women headed listed company in DSE increased to 6pc: Study
• Corporate Sangbad: বাংলাদেশে সপ্তম বারের মত “রিং দ্যা বেল ফর জেন্ডার ইক্যুয়ালিটি” অনুষ্ঠান অনুষ্ঠিত
• BVNews24: পুঁজিবাজারের তালিকাভুক্ত কোম্পানিতে নারী পরিচালক পদে শীর্ষে বাংলাদেশ

In social media

Celebrate International Women’s Day with us online! Use your own platforms to speak up for gender equality and celebrate the contribution of women and girls who are leading the charge on climate change to build a sustainable tomorrow.

Follow us on Twitter  @UN_Women  (HQ) and @unwomenasia (Asia-Pacific), and join the conversation on social media using #IWD2022. You can download graphics, slogans GIFs and more in our  social media package . 

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The Transformation Agenda »

• Regional Director
• Speeches & Messages

International Women’s Day 2022

Message of WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti

On 8 March every year, the world marks International Women’s Day. It is an opportunity to recognize the achievements of women globally, and to take stock of our progress towards gender equity, and of the challenges that still lie ahead.

This year’s theme, “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, celebrates the achievements of women and girls who are leading efforts on climate change adaptation, mitigation and response to build a more sustainable future.

It could not come at a more opportune time, with climate change manifesting in increasing temperatures, rising sea levels, changing rainfall patterns, and more frequent and severe extreme weather conditions. Compounded by the impacts of the COVID-19, these conditions have direct consequences for the key determinants of health, negatively impacting air and water quality, food security, and human habitat and shelter.

Women and girls, especially those living in rural, poor and remote vulnerable areas in low- and middle-income countries, including Small Island Developing States, are more susceptible to changing climatic conditions. Due to their gender, they bear a disproportionate burden of the effects of climate change in their social and reproductive roles. In Africa, increasing incidence of extreme weather conditions means women and girls devote time that could be better spent on productive ventures catering to the basic needs of their families. This includes provision of water, food, and fuel for lighting, heating and cooking. 

Such extreme events also have direct and indirect health repercussions for women and girls, including the interruption of health services. Emerging evidence suggests that air pollution and heat contribute to poor reproductive health outcomes, due to their impacts on cellular physiology and organ response. Potential consequences include infertility, intrauterine growth retardation, low birth weight, perinatal mortality, pre-term delivery and associated pregnancy complications. Disruptions due to drought, floods, conflicts over natural resources and forced migration are an added concern. Indirectly, environmental degradation and changing climate patterns raise the risk for the emergence and re-emergence of diseases such as Dengue fever, Chikugunya and the Zika viruses, and for exacerbating the spread of water- and vector-borne diseases such as malaria, cholera and schistosomiasis – all of which disproportionately affect children and women, especially pregnant women. Inadequate access to water can impede agricultural production, with significant potential risks for food security and consequent nutritional deficiencies and anaemia among women and girls, because of their unique nutritional needs.

Women and girls are also at higher risk for sexual violence, sexual exploitation, abuse, trafficking and intimate partner violence, along with psychological stress, anxiety and depression in response to displacements as a result of climate change events. To address the challenges, gender-responsive action is needed, along with equitable development that recognizes and addresses the particular vulnerability of women and girls to the consequences of climate change. 

It is also important to harness the power of women to effect change at community level, and in the development of policy instruments and national climate response plans. Women’s organizations must be prioritized to receive the necessary financial and technological support to make a meaningful contribution to addressing the threat, while access to land for women farmers should be assured to build food security and equitable land ownership.

Addressing the health impacts of climate change requires innovative thinking and a more holistic, population-based public health approach. As WHO, we are providing guidance and technical support to governments to ensure that health and environmental responses, including climate change strategies, are integrated, equitable and just. In the African Region, 19 Member States have been supported to assess the capability of their health sectors to withstand the threats posed by climate change, and the same number have committed to the COP26 Health Programme for sustainable, low-carbon health systems. In addition, 22 Members States have developed national health adaptation plans.

There is still much work to be done, however, and as we mark International Women’s Day this year, I urge all stakeholders, from governments and partners to civil society and ordinary citizens, to support country-driven and gender-sensitive approaches to mitigating the impacts of climate change, especially on our vulnerable women and girls.

In closing, let us all remember that overcoming these inequities will result in better health, development and prosperity for all.

Learn more:

WHO Gender, Climate Change and Health discussion paper   

WHO Global Strategy on Health, Environment and Climate Change

UN women Gender-climate-and-security

Women, Gender Equality and Climate Change

COP26 The Glasgow Climate Pact

What has COP26 achieved for Health

Paris Agreement Alignment - The Journey to Net Zero

2021 WHO Health and Climate Change Survey Report

https://climhealthafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2018-IMCHE3-THE-LIBREVILLE-DECLARATION-ON-HEALTH-AND-ENVIRONMENT-IN-AFRICA-10-Years-On-2008-2018.pdf

International Women's Day 2024: What to know about the day and how to #InspireInclusion

International women's day, on friday, march 8, is a day of celebrating the achievements of women now practiced for more than 100 years. but it's also a reminder of how 'we can forge a better world.'.

It doesn't take much to show your support for International Women's Day: just post a selfie making the heart gesture.

But to support women year-round, this year's International Women's Day campaign theme of #InspireInclusion "calls for action to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected," the IWD website reads .

"'Inspire Inclusion' encourages everyone to recognize the unique perspectives and contributions of women from all walks of life, including those from marginalized communities," the IWD site says.

Participating in International Women's Day can drive that recognition. "When we inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we forge a better world," the organizers say on the site. "And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there's a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment."

Women's History Month: USA TODAY’s 2024 Women of the Year

What is International Women’s Day? 

Observed annually on March 8, International Women’s Day celebrates the global “social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women,” according to the event website.

The day also calls for action to advance gender equality. 

International Women's Day: Barbie honors Shania Twain, Viola Davis, other inspiring women with their own dolls

International Women's Day: Gender parity gap remains

Women still face challenges getting equal pay and leadership positions . For instance, women in the U.S. earned 83 cents for every dollar men earned in 2022, according to the  Bureau of Labor Statistics .

Since 2000, women worldwide have made "huge strides forward in higher education, women headship and healthy life expectancy but are still significantly lagging when it comes to disposable income," according to Euromonitor International .

But women’s average disposable income remains 31% lower than those of men worldwide, the research firm says. Women in North America have seen the largest increase with an uplift of 38% in their disposable incomes, compared to the global average of 23%, over the last five years, said Euromonitor International research consultant Jacques Olivier in a statement.

"Income inequality remains one of the most significant obstacles faced by woman in reaching gender equality,” Olivier said.

International Women's Day should be like "a global pep rally celebrating how far we ladies have come while firing us up to keep that momentum raging," said Erica Cronan, global director of marketing for data management firm Datadobi, in a statement. "You can't help but feel inspired thinking about the bold trailblazers throughout history who broke down barriers against all odds. The unstoppable suffragettes, straight-up heroes like RBG, Amelia Earhart, Serena – those unapologetic women heard 'no' and 'you can't' as a challenge to demolish," she said.

"IWD means toasting the brave ones before us while channeling that same spirit as we keep forging new paths,' Cronan said.

Women in the US workforce: Strides made in five charts

When was International Women’s Day first celebrated? 

The idea for an International Women’s Day was proposed and approved at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1910. This came a year after the Socialist Party of America celebrated the first National Woman's Day in the U.S. on February 28, 1909, according to the IWD site .

The event was observed on March 19, 1911 in several European countries, with rallies and events calling for women’s right to vote and an end to gender discriminations. 

Since 1914, March 8 has been the fixed date for International Women’s Day; it was moved to be in line with Russian women who celebrated the day on February 23 on the Gregorian calendar. The United Nations first recognized International Women’s Day in 1975. 

How do we celebrate International Women’s Day?

Across the globe, demonstrations are planned from Tokyo to Mexico City. But these aren't always celebrations.

Last year, women in Turkey protested in Istanbul despite a ban on an IWD march before police used tear gas to disperse the crowd and detain some protesters. Dozens of people were injured as part of an IWD protest in Mexico City in 2021.

You can join in many in-person events across the U.S. Just search for events on  the International Women's Day website .

There are many virtual ones available, too, including:

• 7:30 a.m. ET: At the United Nations, the International Labour Organization will celebrate the day with an "Investing in Women: Accelerate Progress" program. You can watch on UN Web TV .
• 10-11 a.m. ET: A Women in Leadership; "Inspire Inclusion" panel discussion including Blanchard Innovation Lab vice president Britney Cole and Marta Budzyńska, a career coach and former Amazon recruiter.
• 1-2 p.m. ET: The  National Museum of Women in the Arts keynote with artist, art historian and writer Ferren Gipson, author of "Women’s Work: From Feminine Arts to Feminist Art."
• 2-2:45 p.m. ET: Visionary Women: Celebrating Champions of Change: A discussion with speakers from CARE, UNICEF, and Plan International USA about the role women play as agents of change and how they can address global challenges.
• 3-4 p.m. (and again 8-9 p.m. ET) : The Loupe Art streaming service and artist marketplace HUG , whch are collaborating to empower emerging artists, will have an online episode highlighting women artists. See where to watch the livestream or on demand on LoupeArt.com .
• 5 p.m. ET : The Power of Inspiring Inclusion: A Discussion with international women leaders at Northeastern University.

'Cabrini' tells story of first US saint: What to know about Mother Cabrini

What is the theme for International Women’s Day 2023? 

This year's theme of #InspireInclusion "encourages everyone to recognize the unique perspectives and contributions of women from all walks of life, including those from marginalized communities," the IWD website reads.

International Women's Day organizers encourage all, not just women, to get involved by striking the #InspireInclusion pose – making a heart symbol with your hands – and sharing selfies on social media with the hashtags #IWD2024 and #InspireInclusion.

International Women's Day is not just about women, the organizers note. "We can all challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion," the website suggests. "Allies are incredibly important for the social, economic, cultural, and political advancement of women."

People can also submit their selfies to the  International Women’s Day website . 

What colors do you wear on International Women’s Day? 

Purple, green and white are considered the colors of International Women’s Day,  according to the website . These colors have roots in the United Kingdom’s Women’s Social and Political Union from the early 1900’s.

Contributing: Jayme Fraser, Jessica Guynn and Janet Loehrke of the USA TODAY Network and The Associated Press.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads:  @mikesnider  & mikegsnider .

What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day

International Women’s Day 2024 around the world – in pictures

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A roundup of rallies to celebrate women’s social, cultural and political achievements and protests against gender-based violence and inequality

Matt Fidler

Fri 8 Mar 2024 14.34 GMT First published on Fri 8 Mar 2024 13.01 GMT

Pristina, Kosovo

Photograph: Armend Nimani/AFP/Getty

Islamabad, Pakistan

Photograph: Anjum Naveed/AP

Baku, Azerbaijan

Photograph: Aziz Karimov/Reuters

Milan, Italy

Photograph: Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty

St Petersburg, Russia

Photograph: Dmitri Lovetsky/AP

Kyiv, Ukraine

Photograph: Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA

Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty

Rome, Italy

Photograph: Alessandra Tarantino/AP

Berlin, Germany

Photograph: Christian Mang/AFP/Getty

Barcelona, Spain

Photograph: Josep Lago/AFP/Getty

Baghdad, Iraq

Photograph: Ahmed Jalil/EPA

Paris, France

Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/AP

Tokyo, Japan

Photograph: Franck Robichon/EPA

Jakarta, Indonesia

Photograph: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters

Karachi, Pakistan

Photograph: Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty

New Delhi, India

Photograph: Rajat Gupta/EPA

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Photograph: MD Mehedi Hasan/Zuma Press Wire/Rex/Shutterstock

Edinburgh, UK

Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA

Amsterdam, Netherland

Photograph: Hollandse Hoogte/Rex/Shutterstock

Lahore, Pakistan

Photograph: KM Chaudary/AP

Seoul, South Korea

Photograph: Ahn Young-joon/AP

Bangkok, Thailand

Photograph: Lauren DeCicca/Getty

Melbourne, Australia

Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty

Johannesburg, South Africa

Photograph: Olympia de Maismont/AFP/Getty

Photograph: Kin Cheung/AP

Mexico City, Mexico

Photograph: Sáshenka Gutiérrez/EPA

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68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women

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The 68th annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), the UN’s largest annual gathering on gender equality and women’s empowerment, will take place this year from 11 - 22 March under the priority theme, “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective”.

The world is at a crucial crossroad for gender equality. Globally 10.3 per cent of women live in extreme poverty today, and they are poorer than men. Progress towards ending poverty needs to be 26 times faster to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Accelerated progress requires investment. Data from 48 developing economies shows that an additional $360 billion is needed per year to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment across key global goals, including to end poverty and hunger.

In this decisive year, as 2.6 billion people go to the polls to cast their votes, they have the power to demand higher investment in gender equality.

Solutions to end women’s poverty are widely recognized: investing in policies and programmes that address gender inequalities and boosting women’s agency and leadership. Such investments yield enormous dividends: Over 100 million women and girls could be lifted out of poverty if governments prioritized education and family planning, fair and equal wages, and expanded social benefits. Almost 300 million jobs could be created by 2035 through investments in care services. Closing gender gaps in employment could boost Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita by 20 per cent across all regions .

At CSW68, governments, civil society organizations, experts and activists from across the world will come together to agree on actions and investments that can end women’s poverty and advance gender equality.

Everything you need to know about the Commission on the Status of Women

Full schedule of the Commission's two week session

Expert group meeting on CSW68 theme

UN reports and NGO statements

Member States serving as members of the Commission

Zero draft agreed conclusions

Key CSW68 events

Opening session

10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

The Commission’s first day will open with the election of officers, the adoption of the agenda and other organizational matters, and the introduction of the official documents. It will lead into a general discussion on the follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and to the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly.

Townhall Meeting with the UN Secretary-General and Civil Society

10 -11 a.m.

The annual Townhall Meeting with the Secretary-General and Civil society on the occasion of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women will be moderated by UN Women Executive Director, Sima Sami Bahous, and take place at the United Nations Headquarters. The session will and take place in English and will include interpretation services in all official UN languages, International Sign Language and live closed captioning is available in English. It will be webcast live at http://webtv.un.org/  

Generation Equality: Driving feminist financing and accountability for women’s economic justice and eradicating women’s poverty

11.30 a.m. - 12.45 p.m.

Hosted by UN Women’s Generation Equality and the Economic Justice and Rights Action Coalition, this side event will explore innovative multi-stakeholder approaches and tested solutions for financing women’s economic justice and rights and for eradicating women’s poverty. An Economic Justice and Rights Action Coalition accountability report will be launched highlighting progress on commitments, blueprint targets, indicators and inspiring impact stories.

Youth Forum

15 March, 4.45 – 6 p.m.;  16 March, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.;  17 March, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.

UN Women will convene an annual CSW Youth Forum, led by young people with the support of UN Women, as a pivotal event in engaging young people in the Commission. The Forum will open at the UN Secretariat in New York on 15th of March, followed by two days at the United Nations International School on the 16th and 17th of March 2024. The Forum will provide a dynamic and interactive space that enables young participants to engage directly with policymakers, articulate their ideas, and foreground their priorities, especially regarding methods of ensuring accountability. 

Financing social protection and care systems for the fulfilment of human rights, gender equality and poverty reduction

3 p.m. – 4.15 p.m.

UN Women is convening a high-level panel of diverse leaders to discuss how social protection can be harnessed to realize human rights, promote gender equality and eradicate poverty, especially in the context of multiple crises and repeated shocks. As the global community prepares for the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (B+30) in 2025, the event will bring together speakers to highlight good practices, lessons learned and country examples on how we can accelerate progress to expand social protection.

Multistakeholder Partnerships and Practices to Push Forward for Gender Equality, Human Rights and Democracy 

UN Women is convening a high-level side event, in partnership with Member States (TBC),   UN agencies (UNDP, UNFPA, OHCHR, UNESCO - TBC), and civil society partners (TBC) to highlight how multistakeholder, issue-based coalitions at the country level, can accelerate and safeguard gender equality gains.

Your guide to CSW68

How gender equality can reduce poverty

Placing gender equality at the heart of the Global Digital Compact: Taking forward the recommendations of CSW67

Five things to accelerate women's economic empowerment

Everything you need to know about pay equity

What is gender-responsive budgeting?

Unpacking the care society: Caring for people and planet

Making investment in violence prevention a priority

News and stories.

Why investing in women’s organizations is critical during crisis: Five stories of resilience

At CSW68, Generation Equality calls for feminist financing and collective action for women’s economic justice

We want to have our voices out there' – Young women speak out at CSW68

Financing social protection and care systems turbocharges economies, reduces poverty

A glimpse into the lives of Afghan women

Media Advisory: On International Women’s Day, UN Women calls on investing in women as the best solution to face growing crises

Speeches and statements.

We are not deterred – Let us push forward together for gender equality

Ambitiously proactive – Generation Equality brings hope to stalled progress and financing

‘The patriarchy may be pushing back, but so are we’

‘We can and must choose to end poverty for women and girls’

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2024: PAVING THE PATH TO EQUALITY IN 2024 AND BEYOND

- March 11, 2024 —

Through this year’s International Women's Day theme, “Inspire Inclusion", we are challenged to take concrete steps to promote inclusion. As part of this community, Taylor’s University strives to contribute back to the people around us through meaningful and long-lasting change. The driving forces behind these impactful changes are the women in Taylor’s who are working to dismantle barriers to inclusion and create a more just and equitable society for all.

A Hands-Up Approach to Change

Professor Anindita Dasgupta grew up in an environment where she witnessed the annual floods that devastated the homes and livelihoods of impoverished communities living along the riverbanks. These experiences fueled a deep sense of empathy and a desire to make a positive impact. Upon moving to Malaysia, Professor Dasgupta's perspective expanded as she observed different forms of hardship and struggle faced by socio-economically marginalised communities here, women especially. This inspired her to kick-start and lead the Ibu.Niaga project at Taylor’s University. 

Ibu.Niaga is an ongoing project that is committed to providing crucial support and resources to budding micro-entrepreneurs, especially women from the underserved community, enabling them to elevate their businesses from the ground up. Through tailored multidisciplinary workshops, personalised mentorship, and networking avenues, Ibu.Niaga fosters a nurturing environment conducive to the sustainable growth of micro-enterprises.

Since its inception in August 2022, 110 women micro-entrepreneurs from the underserved community in Klang Valley have been trained and the project is currently recruiting 70 participants for the next phase which starts April this year.

“I strongly believe that a “hand-up” instead of a “hand-out” is what is needed. The energy and eagerness to grab opportunities exist among Malaysian women, all they need is an opportunity. I still recall their immeasurable joy in being able to learn pastry-making from the professional chefs of Taylor’s Culinary Institute. These women were curious, smart, and eager as they asked questions and learned more about the possibilities of creating something themselves.”, said Professor Anindita Dasgupta.

Closing The Gap in the Architecture Industry

In the field of architecture, Associate Professor Dr Veronica Ng Foong Peng believes in beating a path for not just yourself, but for others around you as well. Despite being a trailblazer in her field, Dr Veronica noticed a male-dominated gender disparity in architecture education. Reflecting on personal and observed challenges faced upon entering the architectural profession, Dr Veronica highlights the importance of empathy and inclusion in leadership.

Assuming the position of Head of the School of Architecture, Building & Design in 2020, she emphasises the need for diversity and gender equity at all levels of academia and practice, highlighting the ability to understand diverse perspectives, providing equal opportunities, and build trusting relationships with each other despite gender or background to facilitate optimal performance and support. Her advocacy for more women architects in the field is further reflected through her future aspirations, which might also be one of her most ambitious projects till date – authoring a book on Southeast Asian female architects. 

"Empowerment through mentoring and community support is crucial. However, the lack of female mentorship in male-dominated leadership positions poses challenges. It is the experiences and the environment which shapes a person, their motivations and ultimately their futures. Let’s dispense with the gender focused practices and focus on being inclusive of all who have potential to lead and change others for the better,” said Dr Veronica.

Drawing from her experience, Dr Veronica has actively engaged in various initiatives to bridge the gap between education, practice, and research in architecture. One of them being the MY Bamboo flagship project whereby its pilot initiative saw a team of six academics and 100 students, along with external experts and industry partners, build five unique structures for the purpose of observation, relaxation, and storage at USJ2 Community Garden within five-weeks. This project has subsequently been replicated and scaled to bamboo structures built in the Dusun @ Kompleks 3C and P3KU. The project intends to incorporate the promotion of mental health and is considering structures that benefit specific groups such as children and the elderly communities in the future.

Empowerment With the Power of Words

Hema Letchamanan believes in literacy as the cornerstone for women’s empowerment, encompassing language, digital, and financial realms. Mastery of these literacies not only facilitates professional advancement but also serves as a lifeline for women, ensuring their ability to navigate the complexities of modern life and provide for their families.

This is Hema’s inspiration as the project leader of Projek BacaBaca, an initiative that pairs volunteers referred to as ‘reading coaches’ with primary school students from underserved communities who are affected by learning poverty and the COVID-19 learning gap, in order to improve their reading. To date, the project has collectively reached over 300 children who are at risk of falling into learning poverty. 

Acknowledging the barriers of limited internet access and home environments, Hema then initiated Projek BacaBaca Komuniti to engage local communities as allies. Through this initiative, stay-at-home mothers are empowered with the necessary skills to teach reading to children in their communities, while also receiving training in digital literacy, communication, and language skills. To date, five women from the community have received training sessions led by a team of teacher-training and early literacy experts from Taylor’s. 

“It is imperative to prioritise comprehensive education initiatives, ensuring accessibility and affordability, to equip women with the essential skills needed to thrive in society today. Additionally, initiatives such as mentorship programs and robust care infrastructure play pivotal roles in fostering women's progression in their respective roles, providing invaluable support and guidance along their journey towards success. By collectively emphasising these pillars of empowerment, we can pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable society where every woman can realise her full potential”, said Hema.

As we celebrate International Women's Day 2024, let us recognise the inherent worth and dignity of every woman and their ability to affect change on the world, one community at a time. By championing inclusion and diversity, we are primed for a world where all people are valued, respected, and empowered to achieve their full potential.

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2024 World Women's Curling Championship: All results, scores, schedule and standings - complete list

All the results and fixtures from the 2024 World Women's Curling Championship from Sydney, Nova Scotia in Canada. 

The play-offs are underway at the 2024 World Women’s Curling Championship .

The tournament is being held in Sydney on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada from 16-24 March 2024 with Switzerland the four-time reigning champions after triumphs in 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Action started with a round-robin event where all 13 nations played each other once.

The top six teams advanced to the play-off places, with the top two proceeding directly to the semi-finals. Hosts Canada - skipped by Rachel Homan - topped the group.

Silvana Tirinzoni's holders won their last two games to take second. They, Italy and Republic of Korea finished with 10-2 records, but victories over both nations meant the Swiss won the tiebreaker.

In the qualification games to decide the other semi-finalists, third-placed Italy got the better of Denmark with Republic of Korea defeating PyeongChang 2018 Olympic gold medallists Sweden.

Here are all the results, fixtures and standings from the competition. All times are local (UTC-03:00).

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2024 world women’s curling championships: play-offs, saturday 23 march.

Session 1: Qualification games, 11:00 AST

• Sheet B: Italy 7-4 Denmark
• Sheet D: Sweden 3-6 Republic of Korea

Session 2: Semi-finals, 17:00 AST

• Sheet B: Canada v Republic of Korea
• Sheet D: Switzerland v Italy

Sunday 24 March

Session 1: Bronze medal game, 11:00 AST

• Loser of Sheet B v Loser of Sheet D

Session 2: Final, 17:00 AST

• Winner of Sheet B v Loser of Sheet D

BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 06: Rachel Homan of Team Canada competes against Team Australia during the Curling Mixed Doubles Round Robin on Day 2 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at National Aquatics Centre on February 06, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

2024 World Women’s Curling Championships: Day 1 results and fixtures

Saturday 16 march - round robin.

Session 1: 14:00 AST (UTC-3)

• Sheet A: United States 8-4 Türkiye
• Sheet B: Sweden 6-7 Canada
• Sheet C: New Zealand 6-8 Japan
• Sheet D: Republic of Korea 4-7 Switzerland

Session 2: 19:00 AST (UTC-3)

• Sheet A: Italy 8-4 Estonia
• Sheet B: United States 3-10 Switzerland
• Sheet C: Scotland 6-4 Norway
• Sheet D: Denmark 4-7 Canada

2024 World Women’s Curling Championships: Day 2 results and fixtures

Sunday 17 march - round robin.

Session 3: 09:00 AST

• Sheet A: Norway 8-7 Sweden
• Sheet B: Estonia 6-9 Republic of Korea
• Sheet C: Türkiye 4-10 Denmark
• Sheet D: Scotland 6-8 New Zealand

Session 4: 14:00 AST

• Sheet A: Republic of Korea 12-4 New Zealand
• Sheet B: Japan 4-6 Türkiye
• Sheet C: Canada 10-6 United States
• Sheet D: Sweden 4-6 Italy

Session 5: 19:00 AST

• Sheet A: Denmark 6-5 Japan
• Sheet B: Italy 8-2 Scotland
• Sheet C: Switzerland 9-3 Estonia
• Sheet D: Norway 5-7 United States

2024 World Women’s Curling Championships: Day 3 results and fixtures

Monday 17 march - round robin.

Session 6: 09:00 AST

• Sheet A: Türkiye 7-8 Switzerland
• Sheet B: New Zealand 2-8 Sweden
• Sheet C: Denmark 9-2 Scotland

Session 7: 14:00 AST

• Sheet A: New Zealand 7-10 Estonia
• Sheet B: Canada 9-4 Norway
• Sheet C: United States 3-10 Italy
• Sheet D: Japan 4-9 Republic of Korea

Session 8: 19:00 AST

• Sheet A: Scotland 1-8 Sweden
• Sheet B: Switzerland 10-3 Japan
• Sheet C: Norway 11-5 Türkiye
• Sheet D: Estonia 9-10 Denmark

BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 19: Anna Hasselborg of Team Sweden competes against Team Switzerland during the Women's Bronze Medal Game on Day 14 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at National Aquatics Centre on February 19, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

2024 World Women’s Curling Championships: Day 4 results and fixtures

Tuesday 19 march - round robin.

Session 9: 09:00 AST

• Sheet B: Sweden 9-6 Türkiye
• Sheet C: Republic of Korea 9-3 Scotland
• Sheet D: Italy 7-8 Canada

Session 10: 14:00 AST

• Sheet A: Estonia 4-10 Japan
• Sheet B: Denmark 7-4 United States
• Sheet C: Italy 11-3 New Zealand
• Sheet D: Switzerland 6-3 Norway

Session 11: 19:00 AST

• Sheet A: Canada 8-5 Switzerland
• Sheet B: Scotland 12-8 Estonia
• Sheet C: Sweden 6-5 Denmark
• Sheet D: Türkiye 3-10 Republic of Korea

2024 World Women’s Curling Championships: Day 5 results and fixtures

Wednesday 20 march - round robin.

Session 12: 09:00 AST

• Sheet A: Norway 11-4 New Zealand
• Sheet B: Republic of Korea 9-10 Italy
• Sheet C: Japan 2-7 Canada
• Sheet D: United States 5-10 Sweden

Session 13: 14:00 AST

• Sheet A: Denmark 6-8 Italy
• Sheet B: Norway 5-8 Japan
• Sheet C: Estonia 6-8 Türkiye
• Sheet D: Switzerland 5-6 Scotland

Session 14: 19:00 AST

• Sheet A: Sweden 5-7 Republic of Korea
• Sheet B: Türkiye 5-9 Canada
• Sheet C: Scotland 6-8 United States
• Sheet D: New Zealand 1-7 Denmark

2024 World Women’s Curling Championships: Day 6 results and fixtures

Thursday 21 march - round robin.

Session 15: 09:00 AST

• Sheet A: Japan 7-9 United States
• Sheet B: Switzerland 10-2 New Zealand
• Sheet C: Italy 10-2 Norway
• Sheet D: Canada 9-4 Estonia

Session 16: 14:00 AST

• Sheet A: Türkiye 5-6 Scotland
• Sheet B: Estonia 5-8 Sweden
• Sheet C: Denmark 1-9 Switzerland
• Sheet D: Republic of Korea 7-4 Norway

Session 17: 19:00 AST

• Sheet A: New Zealand 2-9 Canada
• Sheet B: United States 3-9 Republic of Korea
• Sheet C: Japan 3-5 Sweden
• Sheet D: Italy 7-6 Türkiye

2024 World Women’s Curling Championships: Day 7 results and fixtures

Friday 22 march - round robin.

Session 18: 09:00 AST

• Sheet A: Switzerland 6-2 Italy
• Sheet B: Norway 9-3 Denmark
• Sheet C: United States 12-4 Estonia
• Sheet D: Scotland 7-2 Japan

Session 19: 14:00 AST

• Sheet A: Republic of Korea 9-5 Denmark
• Sheet B: Canada 8-2 Scotland
• Sheet C: Türkiye 9-6 New Zealand
• Sheet D: Sweden 2-4 Switzerland

Session 20: 19:00 AST

• Sheet A: Estonia 8-6 Norway
• Sheet B: Japan 8-10 Italy
• Sheet C: Canada 5-6 Republic of Korea
• Sheet D: New Zealand 3-9 United States

BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 16: Tabitha Peterson of Team United States competes against Team Japan during the Women's Round Robin Session on Day 12 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at National Aquatics Centre on February 16, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

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