International Women's Day - March 8

➡️ International Women's Day - March 8

Women's Day honours the achievements and contributions of women throughout history and across nations. It also serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for gender equality and women's rights. This United Nations observation allows us to reflect on the progress made and to focus on accelerating action on the urgent issues women still face.

The theme for 2025 is 'For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment'

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This year marked the 50th anniversary of the first international celebration. It was also the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action - the most widely endorsed blueprint for women's rights worldwide.

In anticipation of the day, the United Nations released a new report with shocking findings on the state of women's rights around the world. It revealed that achieving full gender equality is still centuries away.

Image on SDG goal 5, gender equality. The graphic shows 4 different pictures of women from different cultures. On the right hand side it says 'End all forms of discrimination and eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls everywhere'.

In a moving speech, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned 'that the world cannot stand by as progress is reversed'. Crises such as COVID-19, inflation, soaring food and energy prices, and the undermining of democratic institutions are reversing the gains of women's progress over the last few decades.

Women still have only 64% of the legal rights of men.
More women and girls are forcibly displaced than ever before - 114 million.
More than one billion women of reproductive age live in countries with restrictions on abortion.
A woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes by a family member or intimate partner.
In the past decade, there has been a 50% increase in the number of women and girls directly exposed to conflict.
No country has reached the UN's goal for gender equality set for 2030. Worryingly, between 2019 and 2022, almost 40% of countries saw no progress or a decline in gender equality. The situation for women has deteriorated in 18 countries, including Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Africa, and the U.S.A.

A woman holds up a banner bearing the slogan “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality and Women’s Rights”. Thousands snaked through midtown Manhattan on 8 March 2015 in a collective show of solidarity for the global women’s movement.

History of International Women's Day

The first National Women's Day was observed in the United States on February 28, 1909, and stemmed from early labour movements which were gaining popularity in North America and Europe. The idea for an international day was proposed at the International Socialist Woman's Conference in Copenhagen a year later to help cement global efforts towards women's rights and suffrage.

The United Nations marked the day for the first time in 1975 in a move which bolstered momentum for positive change and recognition of women's rights around the world. Each year is now given a dedicated theme such as 'Inspire Inclusion,' 'Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow,' and 'Women in Leadership'.

Not only does the day serve to celebrate the achievements of women and raise awareness, but it has also been used as a day for political action and activism. Demonstrators have gathered in their thousands to protest gender-based violence, better pay and work conditions, reproductive rights, and the recognition of women's rights as human rights.

Thousands of demonstrators line the streets of Washington in front of the Whitehouse protesting in support of women's rights.

The annual event has been instrumental in shaping gender equality policies by raising awareness and fostering dialogue on women's rights issues. It helped catalyse international agreements such as the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted in 1995, which set strategic objectives for women's empowerment. It has also influenced the development of policies addressing gender-based violence, pay equity, and maternity rights.

Celebrate IWD with Better World Info

As a key platform for gender equality and women's rights, we provide comprehensive information on women's issues, organisations, essential tools and resources, and networking opportunities. We help women, policymakers, NGOs, institutions, and universities make informed decisions, affect positive change, build connections, and find like-minded initiatives - a one-stop knowledge, sharing, and action network dedicated to the gender equality movement.

A pie sits on a pink table with one slice seperate on a plate next to a coffee. There is a board with the words 'Equal rights for others doesn't mean fewer rights for you - it's not pie'

International Women's Day is all about raising awareness about important issues affecting women today. Find comprehensive guides on - Women's political participation, girls' education, violence against women, sexual and reproductive rights, FGM, forced marriage, sexual harassment, women as victims of war, the wage gap, employment inequality, pension issues, gender roles and societal mindsets, unpaid labour and care work, female poverty, feminism, and much more.

As well as staying informed and sharing our excellent resource, you can contribute to the gradual shift in societal attitudes by joining demonstrations, voting for progressive candidates in elections, spreading the word on social media, and giving respect and appreciation to the women in our lives, not just on this important day, but every day.

"Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time" - Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Author: Rachael Mellor, 14.03.25 licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

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