PURPOSES: International Women’s Day observed on 8 March is a time to reflect on progress made on Women’s rights, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. The world has made unprecedented advances, but no country has achieved gender equality.
FORUM: “For all Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” International Women’s Day 2025. This year’s theme calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind. Central to this vision is empowering the next generation—youth, particularly young women and adolescent girls—as catalysts for lasting change. Under the banner of UN Women’s global campaign to mark the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, “For ALL Women and Girls”, this year’s International Women’s Day is a rallying cry to take action in three key areas: Advance women’s and girls’ rights, Fight relentlessly for women’s - Promote gender equality, Address systemic barriers - dismantle patriarchy, transform entrenched inequities, and elevate the voices of marginalized women and girls, including young people, to ensure inclusivity and empowerment. Foster empowerment: Redefine power structures by ensuring inclusive access to education, employment, leadership, and decision-making spaces. Prioritize opportunities for young women and girls to lead and innovate. Despite significant progress for women’s rights since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995, the world is experiencing new and overlapping crises and the erosion of rights. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #8March, #InternationalWomensDay, #IWD2025, #Investinwomen, #accelerateprogress, #womensrights.
EVENTS: This March 8th, Join us in celebrating International Women’s Day 2025 under the theme “For all Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”. Register to participate!
On March 6th, starting at 00.00 a.m. (midnight) ET; Launch of the ’ Women's Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing’’ report; Ahead of the International Women’s Day on March 8, the report reveals urgent trends shaping the global state of women’s and girls’ rights, based on the submissions by 159 countries to the UN Secretary-General. The 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action comes at a time of mounting global crises, from economic instability and the climate emergency to democratic erosion and backlash against gender equality. In a unique survey, UN Member States took stock of their progress on gender equality, with a significant portion reporting that backlash on gender equality is hampering their implementation of critical policies including those addressing gender-based violence. To set-up an embargoed interview or received an embargoed copy of the report and media materials, please email: [ Click to reveal ]
On March 6th, starting at 7 p.m. ET; Launch of the “Girl Goals: What has changed for girls? Adolescent girls’ rights over 30 years” joint report by UNICEF, UN Women and Plan International. Despite significant achievements, millions of adolescent girls across the world today are still out of school, ill-equipped for the future, facing gaps in life-saving health services, and at risk of harmful practices such as child marriage, female genital mutilation, violence and abuse. The report reviews how adolescent girls’ lives have changed in the last 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. To set-up an embargoed interview or received an embargoed copy of the report and media materials, please email: [ Click to reveal ]
At the United Nations General Assembly Hall in UNHQ; On March 7th, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am, will be held the commemoration of the 50th International Women’s Day hosted by the UN Women. The event will be moderated by Sade Baderinwa, Anchor, ABC Eyewitness News. A defining moment of the event will be a special Broadway cast performance from the Tony Award-winning SUFFs the Musical on the suffragists’ battle for the right to vote. Please reach out to [ Click to reveal ] if you are interested in an interview with the UN Women experts; Participants in the official commemoration event or Other activists for women’s rights; For media accreditation to attend events at UN premises, ensure you have prior authorization; details are available on our media page. For more information on why Beijing+30 matters, check out our explainer and other editorial content. To join the online conversation, check out our social media package. Registration is mandatory if you wish to attend in person (register HERE before Friday, 28 February 2025) or you can Watch the livestream!
At the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 10 to 21 March 2025. The sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place. In 2025, the global community will mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995). The Representatives of Member States, United Nations entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world are invited to contribute to the session. The main focus of the CSW69/Beijing+30 session will be on the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly. The review will include an assessment of current challenges that affect the implementation of the Platform for Action and the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and its contribution towards the full realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. States are called upon to undertake comprehensive national-level reviews of the progress made and challenges encountered. The regional commissions of the United Nations are invited to undertake regional reviews and convene regional intergovernmental meetings. These will feed into the sixty-ninth session of the Commission. The outcome documents of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women are the Political declaration on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women (DRAFT) and the Multi-year programme of work of the Commission on the Status of Women (DRAFT). The Commission's two-weeks session includes the following activities (CSW69 Side events & Session outcomes). Explore Proposed Organization of Work!
Monday, 10 March
9.30am – Celebratory opening
10am–1pm – Opening of the session
Election of officers (Item 1)
Adoption of the provisional agenda and other organizational matters (Item 2)
Ministerial segment (Item 3) – Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and to the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”
Opening statements
Introduction of reports
Adoption of draft political declaration
General discussion (Item 3)
Note: The deadline for registration on the list of speakers for the general discussion is 1 pm on 10 March 2025.
3–6pm – Ministerial segment (Item 3)
Tuesday, 11 March
10am–1pm – Ministerial segment (Item 3)
Round table 1: National mechanisms for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls: recommitting to, resourcing and accelerating the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, also with a view to contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
3–6pm – General discussion (Item 3) (continued)
Wednesday, 12 March
10am–1pm – Ministerial segment (Item 3)
Round table 2: National mechanisms for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls: recommitting to, resourcing and accelerating the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, also with a view to contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
3–6pm – General discussion (Item 3) (continued)
Thursday, 13 March
10am–1pm – Ministerial segment (Item 3)
3–6pm – General discussion (Item 3) (continued)
Friday, 14 March
10am–1pm – General discussion (Item 3) (continued)
1pm – Deadline for submission of draft proposals under agenda item 3 to the Secretariat
3–6pm – Ministerial segment (Item 3)
Note: The Bureau recommends that the ministerial segment conclude on Friday, 14 March 2025, at 6pm.
Second week
Monday, 17 March
10am–1pm – General discussion (Item 3) (continued)
3–4.30pm – Interactive dialogue – Inclusive development, shared prosperity and decent work
4.30–6pm – Interactive dialogue – Poverty eradication, social protection and social services
Tuesday, 18 March
10–11.30am – Interactive dialogue – Freedom from violence, stigma and stereotypes
11.30am–1pm – Interactive dialogue – Participation, accountability and gender-responsive institutions
3–6pm – Interactive dialogue – Accelerating the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action: the role of the Commission on the Status of Women
Wednesday, 19 March
10~10.15am – Communications concerning the status of women (Item 4) – Consideration of the report of the Working Group on Communications on the Status of Women (closed meeting)
~10.15am–1pm – General discussion (Item 3) (continuation and conclusion)
3–4.30pm – Interactive dialogue – Environmental conservation, protection and rehabilitation
4.30–6pm – Interactive dialogue – Peaceful and inclusive societies
Thursday, 20 March
No formal meetings to take place
Negotiations on the multi-year programme of work (if needed)
Friday, 21 March
10am–1pm –
Introduction of draft proposals (Item 3)
Action on draft proposals (Item 3)
Follow-up to Economic and Social Council resolutions and decisions (Item 5)
Provisional agenda for the seventieth session of the Commission (Item 6)
Adoption of the report of the Commission on its sixty-ninth session (Item 7)
Closure of the sixty-ninth session
Opening of the seventieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women
Election of the Bureau of the seventieth session
Parallel events organized by NGOs are coordinated by the NGO Committee on the Status of Women (NGO CSW/NY), which is a group of New York–based women’s NGOs in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council. For more information on the NGO CSW69 Forum and on NGO parallel events. The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. A functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), it was established by Council resolution 11(II) of 21 June 1946. The CSW is instrumental in promoting women's rights, documenting the reality of women's lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. Register to participate to the CSW69 Sessions!
STATEMENTS: Read the Secretary-General of the United Nations Statement on International Women’s Day 2025; March 8th. and the UNFPA Executive-Director Statement on International Women’s Day 2025; March 8th.
PODCASTS: Insecurity, crises and democratic decay have created a perfect storm of backlash against women’s rights. Nearly three quarters of the world’s population are living under autocratic rule that have curtailed rights and freedoms, and over 600 million women and girls lived in conflict-affected countries in 2022. For more information on why Beijing+30 matters, check out our explainer and other editorial content. Listen to the audio-podcasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS:This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – a bold international agreement on women’s rights adopted by governments in 1995 that remains unmatched in ambition. In reviewing its progress, 24% of countries say that the backlash on gender equality has undermined the implementation of commitments that could unlock equality, rights and protection for all women and girls. Join the 2025 Campaign “For all Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” by sharing visuals, Posters, messaging and more from the IWD social media package.
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
HOW TO GET INVOLVED!
PARTNERSHIPS
The International Women's Day is celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women's rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
The observance of the Day has occurred for well over a century with the first gathering held in 1911.
Everyone, everywhere can play a part in helping forge gender equality. From a wide range of IWD campaigns, events, rallies, lobbying and performances - to festivals, parties, fun runs and celebrations - all IWD activity is valid. That's what makes IWD inclusive.
Celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
Educate and awareness raise for women's equality
Call for positive change advancing women
Lobby for accelerated gender parity
Fundraise for female-focused charities
Everyone everywhere can help forge women's equality. Collective action and collaborative support for forging women's equality matters, and all groups should be welcome to advance women's equality by whatever appropriate means they choose.
The International Women’s Day is Co-organized by the United Nations System; The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs; The UN WOMEN; The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO); The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), The Commission on the Status of Women; The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); The International Labour Organization (ILO); The International Telecommunications Union (ITU); The Broadband Commission; The World Bank; The International Finance Corporation, Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative; The UN Global Compact, and the World Federation of Exchanges. With the participation of International Organizations; The Civil Society Organizations; The Non-Governmental Organizations and several Women’s associations and communities.
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