Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow
The significance of International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8th every year to recognise the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Organisations across the world celebrate International Women’s Day by holding events such as exhibitions, workshops, talks and seminars on themes related to these achievements.
The day recognises the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and raises awareness about women’s equality and the importance of lobbying Governments for accelerated gender equality.
This years’ theme is Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow. The days’ focus is to help advance gender equality in the context of the climate crisis and disaster risk reduction. Women are increasingly being recognised as more vulnerable to climate change impacts than men as they make up the majority of the world’s poor and are more dependent on natural resources.
The history of International Women’s Day
The first International Women’s Day was observed in 1911. The United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day in the International Women’s Year, 1975. In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly invited member states to mark March 8th as the UN Day for women’s rights and world peace.