A call to action for a future where every woman and girl is celebrated, uplifted, and empowered!
Women should be celebrated every day. However, dedicating one specific day to recognize and honor their contributions across various fields certainly makes them feel special. International Women's Day (IWD) serves this purpose. IWD is a global celebration of women's social, economic, cultural, and political achievements and a call to action for advancing gender equality. The United Nations officially declared March 8th as International Women's Day in 1975. March 8 serves as a reminder that there is still progress to be made before women achieve true equality and a call to inspire collective action to eliminate gender biases and discrimination. Let’s explore this year's overarching theme for International Women's Day given by the United Nations.
The theme for this year's International Women's Day is For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment. It calls for action to ensure equal rights, power, and opportunities for all, creating a feminist future where no one is excluded. At the heart of this vision is the empowerment of the next generation—especially young women and adolescent girls—who are seen as catalysts for lasting change.
This year’s International Women’s Day emphasizes the need for action in three crucial areas:
Advance women’s and girls’ rights: It is essential to continually advocate for the protection and expansion of women’s and girls’ rights, actively combating all forms of violence, discrimination, and exploitation. This includes creating a global environment where women’s autonomy is respected, their safety is ensured, and their voices are heard in all spheres of life, from personal to political.
Promote gender equality: Addressing the deep-rooted systemic barriers that perpetuate gender inequality is crucial. This involves ensuring that marginalized women, including young girls, have a platform to speak and be heard. By breaking down these barriers, we can build a more inclusive society where every woman and girl can thrive without fear of discrimination or exclusion.
Foster empowerment: Empowering women and girls requires shifting traditional power dynamics to create equitable access to education, employment, and leadership roles. This means providing young women with opportunities to innovate, lead, and influence decisions at local, national, and global levels.
(Credit: UN Women)
The year 2025 is a crucial milestone in the global movement for gender equality and women’s empowerment, as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This declaration remains the most progressive and widely supported framework for advancing women’s and girls’ rights globally. Agreed by 189 governments in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women, the Platform focuses on 12 key areas of action, known as “critical areas of concern.” These include issues such as employment and the economy, political participation, peace, the environment, and the fight to end violence against women, among others. The UN’s campaign for International Women's Day 2025 highlights the significance of this day, making it more important than ever, as it marks the 30th anniversary of the UN's plan to build a better world for women and girls.
