March 8th is International Women’s Day (IWD) a special day dedicated to women and their role in our lives. It’s a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women as well as a call to action for accelerating gender equality. IWD has been in effect for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1922 supported by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. Today IWD belongs to all groups collectively everywhere—appreciating the power of women and their role in developing culture and advancing the rights of all.
Women’s Day’s objective is to express love and gratitude for women’s contribution to our lives and society. It honors the power and struggles of women who have broken barriers and cleared the way for other women to achieve success in their lives. To continue to progress, collective action and shared responsibility for driving a gender-balanced world is essential.
This year’s IWD theme is “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change.” The theme focuses on innovative ways we can advance gender equality and empower women, especially in social protection systems, access to public services, and sustainable infrastructure. Though the theme is large scale, we recognize the greatest impact is the individual women with whom we share our everyday lives. We are grateful to the women who have prepared a path for us in the past, stand by us in the present, and inspire us for the future.
