international women's day speech in urdu

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Secretary General's Message on International Women…

8 March 2024

Secretary General's Message on International Women's Day 2024 (with Urdu captions)

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Geo News pays tribute to Pakistani women on International Women's Day

The ode 'uth meri jaan mere saath chalna hai tujhe' encourages women to walk shoulder to shoulder with men..

March 07, 2021

On the occasion of International Women's Day,  Geo News has paid a tribute to the struggles and achievements of Pakistani women who, despite facing numerous challenges, emerged as successful individuals in their respective fields and made the country proud.

Not only that but these women have also become a source of inspiration for millions of other women in Pakistan and abroad. 

The video message not only pays tribute to renowned female figures like Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, Benazir Bhutto, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Malala Yousafzai, and ACCA topper Zara Naeem, but it also equally acknowledges the struggles of common Pakistani women from all fields of life.

Whether it's a factory worker who has to step outside of her home every day to make ends meet or women who participate in political rallies to demand their rights, the message includes everyone.

The message is accompanied by the famous poetry "Aurat," written by Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi, who accurately portrayed the struggles of women around 80 years ago. 

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Azmi not only highlighted the problems that women face in society, but he also encouraged women — as men's companions — to walk shoulder to shoulder with them.

Uth meri jaan mere saath hi chalna hai tujhe.

Arise, my love, you have to walk with me.

Goshe goshe mein sulagti hai chita tere liye.

A pyre burns for you in every corner.

Farz ka bhes badalti hai qazaa tere liye.

Death disguises itself as duty for you.

Qahar hai teri har narm adaa tere liye.

Your gentle style is punishment for you.

Zehar hi zehar hai duniya ki hawa tere liye.

The world has only poison for you.

Rut badal daal agar phoolna phalna hai tujhe

Change the world if you want to blossom.

Qadr ab tak teri tareekh ne jaani hi nahi.

History still hasn't learned about your worth.

Tujh mein shole bhi hain bas ashkfishaani hi nahi

You also have a burning fire in you, not just tears.

Tu haqeeqat bhi hai dilchasp kahaani hi nahi.

You are also a reality, nor merely an interesting anecdote.

Teri hastii bhi hai ek cheez jawani hi nahi.

You also have a personality, you're not just about your youth.

Apni tareekh ka unwan badalna hai tujhe.

You have to change the title of your history.

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Aurat March 2024 — where to go and what are the manifestos

Every year the Aurat March is held on March 8 — International Women’s Day. This year is no different, as people across Pakistan gear up to demand rights for women and other marginalised communities.

We’ve compiled a list of where the Aurat March will be held in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore and what their respective manifestos are.

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Karachi is holding an Aurat Ehtajaji Mela Aur March [women’s protest festival and march] at Frere Hall which kicks off at 2:30pm. They haven’t announced a theme this year.

The Karachi division of the Aurat March listed six demands in their manifesto.

1 - They are calling for the rights of home-based workers, and demanded that the “Sindh government implement the Sindh Home Based Workers Act 2018 immediately and set up social security, health and EOBI benefits for the home-based workers”.

2 - They also demand an end to forced conversions, sexual grooming, and underage marriages. The organisation called for an end to “the heinous gendered violence that girls and women of religious minority communities have to go through, thanks to state-backed forced conversion rings”.

3 - The organisation’s third demand pertains to the “restoration of democracy”.

4 - They demand the establishment of safe houses and hostels by the government “for women (cis and trans), trans men, khawaja siras and non-binary people — so they can escape the patriarchal violence they are often subjected to at home — and safe hostels for students and salaried professionals”.

5 - They demand a stop to the “hate campaign against the khawaja sira community”. They called for the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 to be upheld “in its original form”. Aurat March Karachi also asked the “government to take action against the escalating hate campaign online, and the extreme violence…used to intimidate and murder members of this marginalised community”.

6 - The last demand calls for an “end to Baloch genocide and enforced disappearances” as well as an end to “the censorship, surveillance, abductions and murders of all activists, journalists and political workers countrywide”.

The demands, which are also available in Urdu, can be read in detail on Aurat March Karachi’s Instagram page .

The Aurat March in Lahore will be held at Lahore Press Club and will begin at 2pm. This year’s theme is Siyasat, Muzahamat aur Azadi [politics, resistance, and freedom].

The organisers also requested that people attending the march wear black and red symbolising that “hope and grief can coexist”.

“We wear red to signal our unwavering conviction and fortitude. We wear black to mourn the sheer cruelty towards Palestinians being starved and killed, to witness the pain of Baloch and Pashtun families being forcibly disappeared, tortured and targeted, and to acknowledge the violence those at the margins face regularly. There is hope in making space for all griefs,” they announced.

Their charter demands “concrete and systemic changes in the political, electoral and governance systems of Pakistan through politics of resistance to achieve feminist liberation”.

1 - They called for the state to ensure transparency in announcing the final results of the 2024 General Election to restore trust in the electoral process. “Nothing short of a public-led truth and reconciliation process is acceptable”.

2 - They demanded the enforcement of the minimum requirement of 5 per cent [of] women’s nomination on general seats for all political parties — until this requirement is raised to 30pc or above — and introduce quotas for transgender persons. “Increase representation of marginalised communities at every level of governance through equitable systems that guarantee autonomy, dignity and inclusivity for all genders, classes, abilities, castes and faiths”.

3 - The organisers asked for the strengthening of campaign finance laws to ensure transparency, reasonable spending caps and true democracy within political parties to make electoral politics class representative.

4 - They demanded equitable resource distribution and representation for all federative units, as well as Gilgit-Baltistan. “Local government institutions should be prioritised and strengthened for grassroots political empowerment”.

5 - Aurat March Lahore called for the rejection of all proposed bills violating the dignity and privacy of the transgender and khwaja sira community, and allocate resources to eliminate institutional misgendering and discrimination across all systems and institutions.

6 - They asked for the “decriminalisation of defamation, sedition and anti-dissent laws, including section 144, which infringe on the right to assembly and speech”.

7 - The seventh demand was to restore student unions on campuses that ensure meaningful representation, particularly of women and gender minorities, to exercise their right to organise.

8 - They called for an end to all enforced disappearances, return of all forcibly disappeared persons to their families, and accountability through independent and transparent investigations that provide justice to those illegally disappeared. “We endorse the demands of the Baloch March Against Genocide and other movements representing families of the disappeared”.

9 - The organisers asked that the state “defund surveillance systems that perpetuate a paternalistic vision of women’s safety, such as the “safe city” projects. Instead, funding be redirected to support those impacted by patriarchal violence”.

10 - They asked for an end to IMF-mandated, austerity-based policies and to restore funding to essential public services and welfare institutions.

11 - The organisers demanded universal protection and regularisation of work which guarantees living wage and decent work conditions in formal and informal sectors. They also called for the recognition and value of unpaid labour, including care work, as an integral part of the economy.

12 - Lastly, they asked for the provision of climate adaptation support through proactive disaster resilience measures to vulnerable communities and rehabilitate those affected and internally displaced by climate catastrophes. “[The] Government must translate its rhetoric at international forums into meaningful support for disproportionately impacted communities, particularly those engaged in farming and fishing”.

The demands are also available in Urdu.

Aurat March Islamabad will be held at the capital’s press club at 2pm and their theme is resistance and hope.

This year, they are demanding:

1- End to forced disappearances — “The state must recognise and fulfil all demands raised by Mahrang Baloch and other Baloch women who marched towards Islamabad and immediately release all innocent prisoners detained illegally”.

2 - Promoting hope and world peace — “We demand that the government of Pakistan play an active role in ending the genocidal war in Gaza and advocating for the liberation of Palestine on all international and diplomatic forums”.

3 - End of gender-based patriarchal violence — “We demand the end of the culture of impunity in patriarchal crimes. The judiciary must dispense justice in the shortest possible time (six months) in such cases”.

4 - Action against cyber harassment — “We demand effective legislation to combat cybercrime targeting women, minorities, and children with round-the-clock services for prompt response to complaints”.

5 - End to period poverty — “We demand that period products be accessible to all women, including trans individuals regardless of their socio-economic and geographical location”.

6 - Economic justice — “Aurat March demands that the state recognises and incorporates the economic contribution of women’s reproductive labour into the country’s Gross Domestic Product”.

7 - Improved access to universal education and healthcare — “We demand universal education and health services for all women, persons with disabilities, transgender community and those from rural and low-income strata of society”.

8 - Political rights of women — “The Election Commission of Pakistan must act against political parties failing to allocate 5pc of general election tickets to female candidates in 2024”.

9 - Rights of religious minorities — “We demand the state to ensure the protection of rights for religious minorities, granting them equal opportunities in employment, education and healthcare for a dignified life”.

The detailed list of demands is available in English and Urdu on their Instagram page .

Header image by Samya Arif for Aurat March Karachi.

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Some Thoughts on This International Women’s Day

Posted on March 8, 2023

Misogyny (noun): hatred of, aversion to, or prejudice against women.The closest word I could find in urdu for it was “زن بیزاری”.

This International Women’s Day I invite you to start paying attention to this prejudice in your everyday life and how you feel about women, irrespective of their role as mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, leaders, teachers etc.

Often Women’s Day is used to pay tribute to women in the roles above. Women deserve love, respect and acceptance as a woman and a human, regardless of their role in your or someone else’s life.

Misogyny (and internalised misogyny), is so invisible and deep-rooted now that it’s easy to label any quality of a woman negative, whereas it’s a positive for a man. If she is emotional, she is not dependable. If she is assertive, she is being selfish. If she is successful, she used some short cut.

You’re influenced by misogyny if you jump to conclusions about a woman (even yourself), label her or use a sample of one as true for all women.

“ Aurtein to hoti he aisi hain ”, “ aurat he aurat ke dushman hai ”, “ Kam aqal aurat ” etc. It’s time to revisit these phrases and who they target. My mother would often repeat an urdu phrase for double trouble which goes “ naystee mein barkhudari ”, meaning “a daughter born when you’re already in poverty”. When I discussed the meaning with her in my adult years, she said it had always been repeated by elders. Imagine generations of women passing on a phrase, which is not only untrue but also extremely hurtful to their own gender.

I have identified internalized misogyny in a lot of my own actions and words and continue to be on a journey to improve myself.

I invite you to join me.

If you like, do share an example of misogyny you identified only in retrospect. Happy International Women’s Day!

Sharing below some videos from my YouTube channel and “Sadaf and Tamania Show” that relate to Women’s Day:

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aaj ik aur baras biit gayā us ke baġhair

jis ke hote hue hote the zamāne mere

Sher on Women's Day

A woman is half the world. She is also a paragon of beauty as well as a symbol humility. She also stands out as a figure of strength and forbearance. In fact, the richness of her being cannot be ever exhausted in words. Some examples are here for you to appreciate the various facets of woman.

• Short story 9
• Mazahiya Shayari 1
• Shayari Image 2

ḳhud pe ye zulm gavārā nahīñ hogā ham se

ham to sho.aloñ se na guzreñge na siitā samjheñ

KHud pe ye zulm gawara nahin hoga hum se

hum to shoalon se na guzrenge na sita samjhen

aurat apnā aap bachā.e tab bhī mujrim hotī hai

aurat apnā aap gañvā.e tab bhī mujrim hotī hai

aurat apna aap bachae tab bhi mujrim hoti hai

aurat apna aap ganwae tab bhi mujrim hoti hai

tire māthe pe ye āñchal bahut hī ḳhuub hai lekin

tū is āñchal se ik parcham banā letī to achchhā thā

EXPLANATION

यह शे’र इसरार-उल-हक़ मजाज़ के मशहूर अशआर में से एक है। माथे पे आँचल होने के कई मायने हैं। उदाहरण के लिए शर्म व लाज का होना, मूल्यों का रख रखाव होना आदि और भारतीय समाज में इन चीज़ों को नारी का शृंगार समझा जाता है। मगर जब नारी के इस शृंगार को पुरुष सत्तात्मक समाज में नारी की कमज़ोरी समझा जाता है तो नारी का व्यक्तित्व संकट में पड़ जाता है। इसी तथ्य को शायर ने अपने शे’र का विषय बनाया है। शायर नारी को सम्बोधित करते हुए कहते हैं कि यद्यपि तुम्हारे माथे पर शर्म व हया का आँचल ख़ूब लगता है मगर उसे अपनी कमज़ोरी मत बना। वक़्त का तक़ाज़ा है कि आप अपने इस आँचल से क्रांति का झंडा बनाएं और इस ध्वज को अपने अधिकारों के लिए उठाएं।

Shafaq Sopori

tere mathe pe ye aanchal bahut hi KHub hai lekin

tu is aanchal se ek parcham bana leti to achchha tha

• Famous shayari
• Motivational
• Explanation

nikal ke ḳhuld se un ko milī ḳhilāfat-e-arz

nikāle jaane kī tohmat hamāre sar aa.ī

nikal ke KHuld se un ko mili KHilafat-e-arz

nikale jaane ki tohmat hamare sar aai

ek ke ghar kī ḳhidmat kī aur ek ke dil se mohabbat kī

donoñ farz nibhā kar us ne saarī umr ibādat kī

ek ke ghar ki KHidmat ki aur ek ke dil se mohabbat ki

donon farz nibha kar us ne sari umr ibaadat ki

aurat ho tum to tum pe munāsib hai chup raho

ye bol ḳhāndān kī izzat pe harf hai

aurat ho tum to tum pe munasib hai chup raho

ye bol KHandan ki izzat pe harf hai

tum bhī āḳhir ho mard kyā jaano

ek aurat kā dard kyā jaano

tum bhi aaKHir ho mard kya jaano

ek aurat ka dard kya jaano

aurat ke ḳhudā do haiñ haqīqī o majāzī

par us ke liye koī bhī achchhā nahīñ hotā

aurat ke KHuda do hain haqiqi o majazi

par us ke liye koi bhi achchha nahin hota

ḳhudā ne gaḌ.h to diyā ālam-e-vajūd magar

sajāvaToñ kī binā auratoñ kī zaat huī

KHuda ne gaDh to diya aalam-e-wajud magar

sajawaTon ki bina auraton ki zat hui

tamām paikar-e-badsūrtī hai mard kī zaat

mujhe yaqīñ hai ḳhudā mard ho nahīñ saktā

tamam paikar-e-badsurti hai mard ki zat

mujhe yaqin hai KHuda mard ho nahin sakta

kaun badan se aage dekhe aurat ko

sab kī āñkheñ girvī haiñ is nagrī meñ

sab ki aankhen girwi hain is nagri mein

vajūd-e-zan se hai tasvīr-e-kā.enāt meñ rañg

isī ke saaz se hai zindagī kā soz-e-darūñ

wajud-e-zan se hai taswir-e-kaenat mein rang

isi ke saz se hai zindagi ka soz-e-darun

batā.ūñ kyā tujhe ai ham-nashīñ kis se mohabbat hai

maiñ jis duniyā meñ rahtā huuñ vo is duniyā kī aurat hai

bataun kya tujhe ai ham-nashin kis se mohabbat hai

main jis duniya mein rahta hun wo is duniya ki aurat hai

dekh kar shā.ir ne us ko nukta-e-hikmat kahā

aur be-soche zamāne ne use ''aurat'' kahā

dekh kar shair ne us ko nukta-e-hikmat kaha

aur be-soche zamane ne use aurat kaha

tū aag meñ ai aurat zinda bhī jalī barsoñ

sāñche meñ har ik ġham ke chup-chāp Dhalī barsoñ

tu aag mein ai aurat zinda bhi jali barson

sanche mein har ek gham ke chup-chap Dhali barson

ek aurat se vafā karne kā ye tohfa milā

jaane kitnī auratoñ kī bad-duā.eñ saath haiñ

ek aurat se wafa karne ka ye tohfa mila

jaane kitni auraton ki bad-duaen sath hain

abhī raushan huā jaatā hai rasta

vo dekho ek aurat aa rahī hai

abhi raushan hua jata hai rasta

wo dekho ek aurat aa rahi hai

show-case meñ rakkhā huā aurat kā jo but hai

gūñgā hī sahī phir bhī dil-āvez bahut hai

show-case mein rakkha hua aurat ka jo but hai

gunga hi sahi phir bhi dil-awez bahut hai

beTiyāñ baap kī āñkhoñ meñ chhupe ḳhvāb ko pahchāntī haiñ

aur koī dūsrā is ḳhvāb ko paḌh le to burā māntī haiñ

beTiyan bap ki aankhon mein chhupe KHwab ko pahchanti hain

aur koi dusra is KHwab ko paDh le to bura manti hain

jis ko tum kahte ho ḳhush-baḳht sadā hai mazlūm

jiinā har daur meñ aurat kā ḳhatā hai logo

jis ko tum kahte ho KHush-baKHt sada hai mazlum

jina har daur mein aurat ka KHata hai logo

talāq de to rahe ho itāb-o-qahr ke saath

mirā shabāb bhī lauTā do merī mahr ke saath

talaq de to rahe ho itab-o-qahr ke sath

mera shabab bhi lauTa do meri mahr ke sath

maanā jīvan meñ aurat ik baar mohabbat kartī hai

lekin mujh ko ye to batā de kyā tū aurat zaat nahīñ

mana jiwan mein aurat ek bar mohabbat karti hai

lekin mujh ko ye to bata de kya tu aurat zat nahin

aurat huuñ magar sūrat-e-kohsār khaḌī huuñ

ik sach ke tahaffuz ke liye sab se laḌī huuñ

aurat hun magar surat-e-kohsar khaDi hun

ek sach ke tahaffuz ke liye sab se laDi hun

hai kāmyābī-e-mardāñ meñ haath aurat kā

magar tū ek hī aurat pe inhisār na kar

hai kaamyabi-e-mardan mein hath aurat ka

magar tu ek hi aurat pe inhisar na kar

qissa-e-ādam meñ ek aur hī vahdat paidā kar lī hai

maiñ ne apne andar apnī aurat paidā kar lī hai

qissa-e-adam mein ek aur hi wahdat paida kar li hai

main ne apne andar apni aurat paida kar li hai

shahr kā tabdīl honā shaad rahnā aur udaas

raunaqeñ jitnī yahāñ haiñ auratoñ ke dam se haiñ

shahr ka tabdil hona shad rahna aur udas

raunaqen jitni yahan hain auraton ke dam se hain

yahāñ kī auratoñ ko ilm kī parvā nahīñ be-shak

magar ye shauharoñ se apne be-parvā nahīñ hotīñ

yahan ki auraton ko ilm ki parwa nahin be-shak

magar ye shauharon se apne be-parwa nahin hotin

aurteñ kaam pe niklī thiiñ badan ghar rakh kar

jism ḳhālī jo nazar aa.e to mard aa baiThe

aurten kaam pe nikli thin badan ghar rakh kar

jism KHali jo nazar aae to mard aa baiThe

aurat ko samajhtā thā jo mardoñ kā khilaunā

us shaḳhs ko dāmād bhī vaisā hī milā hai

aurat ko samajhta tha jo mardon ka khilauna

us shaKHs ko damad bhi waisa hi mila hai

ye auratoñ meñ tavā.if to DhūñD letī haiñ

tavā.ifoñ meñ inheñ aurteñ nahīñ miltīñ

ye auraton mein tawaif to DhunD leti hain

tawaifon mein inhen aurten nahin miltin

aurat ne janam diyā mardoñ ko mardoñ ne use bāzār diyā

jab jī chāhā maslā kuchlā jab jī chāhā dhutkār diyā

aurat ne janam diya mardon ko mardon ne use bazar diya

jab ji chaha masla kuchla jab ji chaha dhutkar diya

raushnī bhī nahīñ havā bhī nahīñ

maañ kā nemul-badal ḳhudā bhī nahīñ

raushni bhi nahin hawa bhi nahin

man ka nemul-badal KHuda bhi nahin

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International women’s day: urdu poetry & its ‘beloved’ women, in urdu poetry, she appears in all her resplendent glory, her manifold beauty, her many guises..

While it can be argued that the ‘beloved’ is a bit of a conundrum in Urdu poetry, for it can refer to not just the lay or the divine lover but equally to a man, woman or child, there is no such ambiguity about the woman. She appears in all her resplendent glory, her manifold beauty, her many guises: temptress, seductress, tease, beguiler, goddess, teacher, mother, daughter, and yes occasionally, companion and fellow traveller. Sometimes, the ‘she’ in a seemingly romantic ghazal, especially of the Old Masters, might appear to be about a woman, whereas couched in the vocabulary of the ghazal (the ghazal itself being an amatory ode meaning ‘talking to women’), it could be about tasawwuf , or mysticism, where the ‘beloved’ is God.

On International Women’s Day , let us concentrate on the ‘progressive’ representation of women in Urdu poetry, one that is unequivocally about women.

But here, let us extend the argument to the decades preceding the arrival of the writers associated with the powerful literary grouping known as the Progressive Writers’ Association that burst upon the literary scene in the mid-1930s.

Let us see if there was a ‘progressive’ view of women in the pre-modern age and how that led up to what we see as a modern view of the modern woman in the 21st century.

Women as Prized 'Possessions'

Forming a bridge between the traditionalists and the modern poets, Altaf Husain Hali, for all his hortatory zeal, was exhorting fellow men to see women as prized possessions, as repositories of ‘grace’:

Tum ghar ki ho shehzadiyan mulkon ki ho abadiyan

Veeraan dilon ki shaadiyaan

Eimaan salamat tumse hai

Ai maaon, behnon, betiyon, duniya ki zeenat tumse hai

(O you princesses of our homes

You bring happiness to desolate hearts

Our faith is intact because of you

O mothers, sisters daughters you are the grace of the world)

This Women’s Day, I Wish Gender Justice Isn’t Just a Utopian Ideal

Allama Iqbal, too, presented a somewhat similarly flattering though ‘flat’ representation of women;

Wajud-e-zan se hai tasvir-e-kaenat mein rang

Isi ke saaz se hai zindagi ka soz-e-darun

(The existence of women fills the world with colours

It is the instrument that creates the innermost songs)

The Big 'Isms' of the Day

Coming now to the progressive wave that rippled through the Urdu world from the 1930s onwards, when the poet made common cause with all the big ‘isms’ of his day, that is, anti-colonialism, anti-fascism, anti-imperialism, nationalism and yes, feminism. The most often quoted sher from this period is, of course, this by Majaz:

Tire maathe pe ye anchal bahut hi ḳhuub hai lekin

Tu is anchal se ik parcham bana leti to achchha tha

(This veil on your forehead is very pretty indeed

It’d be better still if you turned it into a pennant)

And this long poem entitled ‘Aurat’ by Kaifi Azmi, exhorts the woman, too, to rise up and throw away the shackles of modesty and tradition, to discard false notions of shame and elegance that have kept her a willing captive, and to walk beside the man as a comrade-in-arms, as a friend and fellow-traveller:

Utth meri jaan mere saath hi chalna hai tujhe

(Arise, my love, you have to walk beside me)

In much the same vein, Ali Sardar Jafri is discarding the age-old notions of romance symbolised by Laila-Majnu, Shirin-Farhad and scores of others from history and mythology when he holds up the example set by himself and his partner:

Har aashiq hai Sardar yahaan, har mashooqa Sultana hai

(Every lover here is a Sardar, every beloved a Sultana)

A Sher By Sahir Ludhianvi

Then there is Sahir Ludhianvi, raised by a divorced mother, acutely aware of the inequities faced by women. He was one of the most vocal advocates of women’s equality who wrote a great deal on women, the suffering they have faced at the hands of men, as in this sher :

Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko mardon ne usey bazar diya

Jab ji chaha masla kuchla jab ji chaha dhutkar diya

(Women gave birth to men while men gave her the bazaar

They crushed and trampled her or rebuked her at their will)

'Wife Must Always Obey Husband': How Indians View Gender Roles Within Families

Habib Jalib extends a hand of solidarity towards all women who have silently faced injustices and inequities for centuries:

Tu aag mein ai aurat zinda bhi jali barson

Sanche mein har ik ġham ke chup-chap dhali barson

(For centuries you were burnt alive in a fire, O Woman

Silently, you poured yourself in the mould of sorrows)

But how do women see themselves? Here is Zehra Nigah putting a women’s role in a man’s life in the simplest words:

Ek ke ghar ki ḳhidmat ki aur ek ke dil se mohabbat ki

Donon farz nibha kar us ne saari umr ibadat ki

(She served the household of one and loved the other’s heart

Having served both her duties she devoted her entire life to prayer)

'Nickname' & 'Hum Gunahgaar Auratein'

And here’s Parveen Shakir admitting the benign patriarchy that women have been party to in a luminous nazm entitled ‘Nickname’:

Tum mujh ko Gudiya kahte ho

Thiik hi kahte ho!

(You call me Doll

And rightly so!)

Kishwar Naheed’s poem, Hum Gunahgaar Auratein , became an anthem of protest during the worst excesses of General Zia's dictatorship and, in the decades since, it has become an enduring symbol of resistance:

Ye hum gunahgar aurten hain

Jo ahl-e-jubba ki tamkanat se na roab kha.en

Na jaan bechen

Na sar jhukaen

Na haath joḌen

(It is we, sinful women

Who refuse to be intimidated by the authority of men in robes

Who don’t sell our lives

Who don’t bow our heads

Nor fold our hands)

Some Gems From Feminist Urdu Poetry This Women’s Day

Finally, it takes a rare man, a truly ‘woke’ man, to empathise so fully with women as to bring out his inner woman, as Farhat Ehsas does here:

Qissa-e-aadam mein ek aur hi wahdat paida kar li hai

Main ne apne andar apni aurat paida kar li hai

(I have created a new singularity in the story of Adam

I have given birth to my own woman inside myself)

(Dr Rakhshanda Jalil is a writer, translator and literary historian. She writes on literature, culture and society. She runs Hindustani Awaaz, an organisation devoted to the popularisation of Urdu literature. She tweets at @RakhshandaJalil . This is an opinion piece and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)

(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)

Read Latest News and Breaking News at The Quint, browse for more from opinion

Topics:    womens day      international womens day      hindustani awaaz  .

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Speech on International Women’s day for Students

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International Women’s Day is no longer a new topic today. It is celebrated across the world in order to recognize and appreciate the contributions and achievements of the women in various fields. There can be an opportunity when you may have to deliver speech on International Women’s Day. We present to you different samples on International Women’s Day Speech in order to prepare you for your occasion. The language of the speech is kept utmost simple and easy to understand yet highly impressive and motivational.

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Long and Short Speech on International Women’s Day in English

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Speech On International Women’s Day

Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen!

As today is 8 th March, I heartily welcome all of you to the International Women’s Day ceremony of our ‘ABC NGO’. Today is a very special day for all of us as our NGO is dedicated towards empowering the deprived women across the country and we have decided to honour the NGO members with awards for their hard-work and dedication towards the NGO. But before we begin, I would like to say a few words on this occasion.

A woman is a most powerful and beautiful creation of the God. Behind our existence, there’s a woman. But somewhere in our societies, women are still underestimated and believe to be weaker than men. Although, a man exists only because he had been given birth by a woman and making a life is not an easy task and women are blessed with this graceful power of creating life.

There are many examples of women achieving heights in every professional area and all we need is the recognition and acknowledgment among people. This is a high time where we should recognize the power of women and help them to prove the world that they can do anything they want to.

Today, this special get-together is organized by our company on the auspicious occasion of International Women’s Day and this opportunity; I would like to say a few words. This day is celebrated every year in our company with utmost zeal and enthusiasm as our company praises the involvement of women in every part of the organization.

This day is especially dedicated to all the women and for the recognition of their amazing deeds. Women like Mother Teresa, Rani Lakshmi Bai etc are such great examples of the power and greatness that a woman carries. Womanhood involves love, affection, caring, power etc that comes under different personalities in life as mother, sister, wife etc.

Even in our lives, every woman plays an important role and the ultimate of them is of a mother. Her sacrifices are countless that she does for us just to see her child happy and for which we can never pay back as it is priceless. Everything a woman does for us in our lives sacrificing her comfort is always priceless and should be appreciated.

I would like to appreciate our company that encourages women to take part in their organization to make their own livelihood and stand on their own.

Respected Chief Guest, Guests of Honour, Directors of the ‘ABC for women’, Party organisers and the visitors!

First of all, I would like to welcome you all to the 7th annual Award Distribution Ceremony. Like every year, we have organised the event on the International Women’s Day as our Organisation is a Non-Profit Organisation that works for the development of deprived women in various parts of the country. Started just 7 years ago, it gives me immense pleasure to share that today we have 15 branches across India and the fame of our NGO has spread across the world. Since International Women’s Day is celebrated globally to honour the achievements of women in the field of Social, politics and economy; therefore this celebration is organized to give recognition to these personalities. We have several people working voluntarily for the NGO in order to contribute to the welfare of women and to the society subsequently.

Celebrated on 8 th March, every year, the significance of International Women’s Day is increasing year after year and has become a custom today. It appears as a celebration of respect, appreciation, love and care towards women. It is glad to know that Women’s Day is also celebrated in colleges and schools nowadays which instil respect and care for women in the minds of young brains since their childhood itself. It also forms an essential part of the curriculum in some schools in order to spread the knowledge and awareness of women empowerment, their position in the society and their achievements.

I have been given this opportunity to host the program and I am extremely glad since this is an opportunity for me to thank all those women who have played an important role in my life. I probably never wish verbally these ladies on the ‘International Women’s Day’, but deep inside my heart I always thank them for being in my life and shaping it the way it is today.

My mother, my sister and my wife are the three important women in my life, who have not only made me a better person and supported me through thick and thin, but also inspired me to join this NGO and do something fruitful for the society. On professional front, I met Mrs. A and Mrs D at this organisation and after witnessing their hard work and knowing about the hardships they have been through in the past, they have become the greatest inspirations for me. In fact, all the women colleagues and staffs here, irrespective of your position and posts, you all are wonderful creations of God because you not only manage the office well but also ensure that every need of your house is met perfectly. That’s the reason, our NGO always emphasize upon giving due honour to the women in their life. They need respect, care, support and motivation from us.

Today’s woman is no longer a dependent soul; she is Independent and self-reliant in every respect and is capable of doing everything. Let’s recognise the importance of their existence and motivate them for the future achievements.

Good Morning Friends!

We have gathered here to celebrate the International Women’s Day at our office; I am extremely glad that I have been given this opportunity to host the program and deliver a speech today. First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the CEO, Board of Directors and the Management of this organisation which gives so much of importance to women empowerment at work and in the society and thus our company celebrates this event every year with utmost zeal and enthusiasm. It’s really an honour to be a part of this organisation.

International Women’s Day is celebrated across the world to pay honour to the great women of the society. Empowering women is very necessary for bringing gender equality. Those societies flourish well where women are given equal respect and are not taken for granted. Most of the conventional people still feel that women should be confined to household chores and should not step out for work, etc as that’s not their area of work; which shouldn’t be practiced in today’s society. Women today have got equal potential provided they are been trusted and valued. Today’s women realize their strengths and abilities and step out in order to contribute to the society and the world consequently.

Being a woman myself, it really feels nice to have a special day for women too when they can be appreciated and honoured. But I feel that woman should be respected not just because they are women, but also because they are individuals with their own identity. They contribute equally to the betterment of the society. If I can be little biased then I would say, if there is no woman on the earth then mankind would cease to exist because it’s a woman who brings life to this earth. Every woman is special whether she is working at home or office or doing both. She plays an important role in the upbringing of children and managing their home efficiently.

Well, like I said previously, our organisation gives utmost importance to gender equality and I am pleased to announce that the company is now associated with three different Non-Government Organisations that work for the women and children betterment. I have been given the responsibility to complete all the formalities and would be managing the relevant day to day activities. While I am very glad and feel honoured, I am also determined that together we’ll be able to help all those women who are deprived, needy or require support to stand shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts in the society.

We have lots of plans on the agenda and we will begin with making visits to the remote areas where education is still a dream for young girls. Not only do we plan to introduce education system in those localities in association with the NGOs, but we will also fund 50% of the total education cost. I am sure, this journey is going to be a learning experience for me but I would also need your good wishes and motivation.

Good morning everyone!

Welcome ladies to this special get together of ours on occasion of Women’s day. Though I believe that everyday should be dedicated to the celebration womanhood but we all know we would sound so unfair to men for this.. Just kidding.

International women’s day is the day that is specially dedicated to the women’s for praising them for the tremendous efforts that they put in for everyone. Presence of a woman has such a strong impact in everyone’s life. This world would have not been possible without this species. Woman is not only the one who is married or somebody who is beyond a certain age. Each feminine that is born has the inherited woman traits in herself. The special feelings of care, affection, endless and overwhelming love and many more. Women are the perfect entities to be celebrated.

We women should cherish the blessing of being a woman. I know at times in life we feel that we are only ones who have to make sacrifices or who have to let go their feelings and dreams for others linked to us, but, it is just the result of the power that god has given us. God created the feminine creature as a symbol of utmost affection that not only leads the perfect life for herself but also lays down the strongest base for others dreams as well.

That is why I said, this single 24 hour day is way too short for appreciating or recognizing the deeds that woman do. This day is specified as the day that celebrates the social, economic, cultural, political and personal achievements of a woman. Each one of us is so confident to know our weaknesses and work with the best of the efforts to overcome them. It seems so great to see when the reward and recognition posts go on declaring the ‘Top 100 women entrepreneurs’, ‘Top 20 women CEOs’, ‘Women leading the NGOs’, etc. Women are reaching great heights of recognition and working style. This day is dedicated to the parity discussion as well.

We should continue putting in all our efforts. There is no stance in which we women are less in comparison to men. It is just our mindset, changing our mindset and our actions is the first thing we should focus on. Our actions and thoughts will make us lead the great height of our dreams and further let the world believe us and our deeds. Women’s day for me, is just a hault that makes me realise the efforts we have put in throughout the 365 days for ourselves and all other people linked to us.

Each women should understand their importance and should have the courage to built in their efforts for their own progress. Happy women’s day to every beautiful women present here, on behalf of the entire organization I would like to thank you all for being a part of it and making it fulfill its vision of success.

Women power is incredible and cannot be expressed through few words.

Hello everybody, good morning to all beautiful personalities present here. You all must be knowing that this early morning we are gathered here to share our gratitude towards our women employees on this occasion of International Women’s day.

On behalf of the entire management and everybody present here, I would like to extend my thanks to all the ladies present here. You people are incredible in your own way. I am pretty sure that I will be short of words to express my gratitude for the womanhood. Entire feminine category present in this nation has lead this world to an extraordinary extent. This single day is way too concise to appreciate the things you people do on both personal and professional end of your lives. There is no limit to the work or efforts that a woman can put forward for her own progress as well as the progress of the people linked to her.

In the past decades women have been able to showcase themselves in such a perfect manner that mindset of people has widen to recognize the deeds done by women overall for themselves and the society. It is celebrated to enhance the worldwide awareness about women, their rights, their contributions, importance of education for them, their career opportunities and much more. Scope of celebration of women day cannot be defined as the deeds done by women as it can never ever be summed up. Talk about a relation and you will have endless efforts that the woman put in for it. Workfront or homefront everyplace has a special non replaceable role that the women plays.

Women have continuously strived through put in a strong image for themselves through the past decades. And, I will suggest you all to keep doing your best. You should stand strong and fight for your rights, you have all rights to further educate yourselves and enhance your skills, learn safety techniques and much more. Woman have been just like water, easy to fit on every role that they are offered for. Personal or professional, big or small, entrepreneurs or employees; each and every role has witnessed the perfect blend of women combination. We are overwhelmed to have you all in our organization, each of yours presence has enhanced the company’s progress.

Glad that we get this honour of recognizing and celebrating our efforts on this occasion of women day. Sorry, male employees but just see how special these women are that a special dedicated day is announced for them. We all should owe this responsibility to appreciate and respect every women present in our lives. They are the best blend of teachings and affections.

Happy women’s day to all you courageous and incredible women. Your presence is inexpressible in few words and so are your deeds. Each one of you has the perfect special role that you are playing in many lives. Without women the world and our lives are incomplete.

Thank you everyone for being a part of this occasion. Thank you all.

Good Morning everyone, Thanks for your get together here and giving your precious time, on this special occasion I am going to deliver a speech on International Women’s Day.

International Women’s Day is celebrated with full enthusiasm all over the world. It has been observed since early 1990s but now it is celebrated every year on 8 th March. The agenda behind celebrating this day is to empower the women who has gone through number of hurdles all through her life be it their social, political, religious, and cultural rights simultaneously it also calls for “Gender Equality”.

No any single government or any association is responsible for the creation of this day instead it is made possible with the collective efforts of all those who cares about the human rights. This day reminds us of all the contributions and achievements of the women in the society. It is celebrated to show the respect, care and place we owe to them.

Thus International Women’s Day is all about unity, integrity, celebration, and reflection of struggles which is proven well over a century and continues to strengthen with the passage of time. We take many pledges but forget the actions that are being required to fulfill those pledges. In lieu of this International Women’s Day is being celebrated globally. We all are not born equal but by the grace of almighty we all are born with the same rights “Human Rights”. And thus have the right to be treated equally, right to seek equal education and other benefits from which the females have been deprived of since long.

Many past records can evidently prove that women’s have been doing great in many fields leaving behind the gentleman’s of the country. Cheers to the “Feminism” you yourself is the creator of your own identity.

Visit IL website for more study resource.

FAQs on Speech on International Women’s Day

How do you start a women's day speech.

To begin a Women's Day speech, you can start with a powerful quote, a relevant anecdote, or by acknowledging the significance of the day and the importance of celebrating and honoring women's achievements and contributions.

What is the short paragraph for International Women's Day?

International Women's Day is a global celebration of women's social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. It's a day to recognize and appreciate the incredible impact women have made throughout history and to promote gender equality for a better future.

What is the best speech for Women's Day?

The best Women's Day speech is one that is heartfelt, inspirational, and addresses the theme or purpose of the event. It should celebrate women's accomplishments, highlight ongoing challenges, and encourage action for gender equality. Personal stories and quotes from influential women can make a speech impactful.

How to start a speech?

To start a speech effectively, you can begin with a strong hook, such as a quote, a question, a surprising fact, or a personal story. The opening should capture the audience's attention and set the tone for the rest of your speech.

What is Women's Day short introduction?

Women's Day, celebrated on March 8th globally, is a day dedicated to honoring and appreciating the achievements and contributions of women in various fields. It also serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for gender equality and women's empowerment.

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Secretary-General's message - 2024

On International Women’s Day, we celebrate women and girls around the world, and we applaud all they have achieved in the fight for equality.

Women and girls have made great gains – demolishing barriers, dismantling stereotypes and driving progress towards a more just and equal world.

Yet they face immense obstacles.  Billions of women and girls face marginalization, injustice and discrimination, while the persistent epidemic of violence against women disgraces humanity. 

Our world still reflects millennia of male-dominated power relations.

And progress is under attack, with a fierce backlash against women’s rights.

At our current rate, legal equality is some three hundred years away. 

We must move much faster.

On International Women’s Day, we stand with women and girls fighting for their rights, and we commit to accelerating progress. 

This year’s theme – invest in women – reminds us that ending the patriarchy requires money on the table.

We must support women’s organisations on the front line.

And we must invest in programmes to end violence against women, and to drive women’s inclusion and leadership in economies, digital technologies, peacebuilding and climate action.

This all depends on unlocking finance for sustainable development so that countries have funds available to invest in women and girls.  

We also need to increase the number of women leaders in business, finance, central banks and finance ministries. This can help drive investments in policies and programmes that respond to women and girls’ needs.

Women’s rights are a proven path to fair, peaceful, prosperous societies. It is good for us all.

Together, let’s take urgent action to make it a reality.

António Guterres

We must support women’s organisations on the front line. And we must invest in programmes to end violence against women, and to drive women’s inclusion and leadership in economies, digital technologies, peacebuilding and climate action." António Guterres

Video message

Message of the President of the General Assembly

Your Excellency, Mr. Antonio Manuel Revilla Lagdameo, Chair of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women,

Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,

Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General,

Ms. Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to join you in observing this year’s International Women’s Day.

Allow me to express my sincere appreciation to UN Women for organizing this commemorative event. We meet today, united in our determination to accelerate the pace towards the creation, sooner rather than later, of a gender-equal world.

A world that sees men and women, girls, and boys, enjoying equal access to and benefits of education, at all levels.

A world in which it is an everyday occurrence for women to lead nations and institutions, corporate and public.

A world where gender-based violence is an issue of the past.

As we speak, it is disheartening that women and girls worldwide continue to face all forms of discrimination and abuse; and globally, one in three women have been subjected to violence, generally at the hands of an intimate partner.

I am deeply alarmed by reports of sexual abuse targeting women and girls in Palestine, Ukraine, Haiti and elsewhere, including the Reports of the UN’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, which indicated that there is credible evidence of rape and sexualized torture committed against women and girls by Hamas during and following the October 7 attacks.

We simply must do much more to stop these atrocities, and, when proven on an evidentiary basis, to punish the perpetrators.

Unhappily, we continue to fall short on many indicators in the context of gender equality.

Gender discrimination and inequality hamper progress across the entirety of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

At the current rate of addressing global poverty, more than 340 million women and girls will still live in extreme poverty by 2030. This is both unimpressive and indeed unacceptable, to say the least.

Frankly speaking, it is not rocket science that when the contributions of women, who make up more than half of the world’s population are restricted, there is concurrent global reduction in growth and socio-economic development.

The message is inescapably clear: our collective well-being is intractably and intrinsically tied to our ability to unlock our fullest potential by empowering women and girls.

This is precisely why the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, which is, “Invest in women: accelerate progress”, is so appropriate.

It is a clarion call to action to invest in and to support women and girls and, in so doing, accelerate our collective progress.

This requires rethinking policy and doubling down on programming that benefits those most vulnerable.

It also means addressing the lingering – yet critical – issue of financing for development, which is askew and in short supply.

It is therefore imperative that we:

Invest in women-led businesses, closing the gender pay gap, and provide access to credit and financial services;

Support girls’ and women’s education and skills development in the context of lifelong learning;

Ensure access to reproductive healthcare, address gender-based violence, and promote mental health;

Cultivate a path to enable women to assume leadership roles;

Support women’s involvement in politics, and decision-making processes;

Challenge harmful gender stereotypes, promote gender-sensitive policies, and foster inclusive social norms;

Harness technology to advance gender equality, such as e-learning platforms and mobile health services; and

Build alliances between governments, civil society, businesses, and communities to achieve gender equality goals.

As President of the General Assembly – and a committed champion of gender equality, I have prioritized this issue during my tenure and intend to use this Day and the forthcoming session of the Commission on the Status of Women as platforms to highlight critical challenges facing women and girls and to encourage meaningful discussions that will propel us towards achieving gender equality.

Rest assured my commitment to this issue is substantive and extends beyond mere rhetoric to include tangible “change-making” actions.

At the beginning of my Presidency, I appointed Ambassador Keisha McGuire as Special Advisor on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.

I also reconstituted the Advisory Board on Gender Equality, which aims to mainstream gender perspectives into the work of the General Assembly.

Further, in demonstrating our commitment to creating a safer and more inclusive work environment for all, we launched a training initiative for Permanent Missions in New York and Geneva in partnership with UN-Women and the President of the Human Rights Council aimed at preventing sexual harassment at the workplace.

Yesterday, a special edition of the PGA’s Gayap Dialogue was held in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Iceland, adopting the Barbershop concept to engage male Permanent Representatives as agents of change in ongoing global efforts to advance gender equality. It was a most successful exercise.

Let me conclude by reassuring you that I will continue to use my role and influence, as President of the General Assembly, to advocate for the full enjoyment of the rights of women and girls.

Gender equality is not merely an ideal we should pursue at our leisure – it is an urgent moral imperative, that should have already been manifested.

With these sentiments in mind, let us seize every opportunity to accelerate progress by investing in our women and girls – so that we can usher in a truly equitable and just world, with women and men joining their respective strengths and powers for enhanced family and community success and indeed, for more expansive and transformative sustainable development.

Happy International Women’s Day!

I thank you.

Dennis Francis

"Let us seize every opportunity to accelerate progress by investing in our women and girls – so that we can usher in a truly equitable and just world, with women and men joining their respective strengths and powers for enhanced family and community success and indeed, for more expansive and transformative sustainable development." Dennis Francis

UN Women Executive Director's message 2024

I will begin on this  International Women’s Day  with a moment of reflection for all the women and girls killed in wars and conflicts that are not of their making.

Wars and conflicts are eroding the achievements of decades of investments in gender equality and women’s empowerment. From the Middle East, to Haiti, to Sudan, Myanmar, the Sahel, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in the world, women pay the biggest price of conflicts.

Conflict is inherently violent, but for women and girls ever more so, including in sexual and gender-based ways. This is intolerable. No woman or girl anywhere, ever, should experience sexual violence or any form of violence. UN Women, alongside everyone here, condemns it unequivocally.

The need for peace has never been more urgent. We salute women everywhere who strive to bring peace every day, who are human rights activists, who are human rights defenders, who lead and fight for change.

This year’s International Women’s Day sees a world hobbled by confrontation, fragmentation, fear, and, most of all, inequality.

Persistent poverty gaps continue to exist worldwide, and women bear an increasingly heavy burden. One in every ten women in the world lives in extreme poverty. Poverty has a female face.

Men own 105 trillion dollars [USD] more wealth than women. They dominate the corridors of power.

And the pushback against gender equality is well resourced and powerful, fuelled by anti-gender movements, de-democratization, restricted civic space, a breakdown of trust between people and state, and regressive policies and legislation.

We all feel this pushback acutely. Our values and principles have never been as challenged as they are today.

I thank all of you for lending your energies to this struggle, to the cause of women’s rights and gender equality, and I thank you all for joining us in pushing forward against the pushback.

This year’s International Women’s Day calls us all to invest in women and girls and to accelerate progress.

It is only by investing in women and girls that we will meet the challenges we face, be they economic-, conflict- or climate-related.

Investing in women and girls is indisputably the best pathway to the achievement of the  Sustainable Development Goals , to peace and security.

When more women are economically empowered, economies grow.

Where women are equally represented in government, governance thrives.

Where women are free to live their lives without the perpetual threat of violence, families flourish, and businesses benefit.

Where women have a bigger say in peace processes, peace is found sooner and is more durable.

But in spite of these clear facts, we continue to stubbornly invest in weapons more than we invest in women and girls.

We continue to say gender equality can be postponed for “later”, as we watch the world fall further off track, and even “later” is postponed.

In the coming months and year, we have a collective opportunity to recommit ourselves to gender equality. The  Summit of the Future  presents an opportunity to centrally place gender equality across discussions on development, financing, technology, and peace and security. The  thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action  next year has the potential to be a watershed moment for increased and accelerated action to make truth of the promises made 29 years ago. I welcome the Secretary-General’s announcement of the Gender Equality Acceleration Plan. Please count on UN Women as your partners in this.

The International Women’s Day this year has a call. And this call is clear and compelling. For every woman and girl, we ask that we finally make the best investment we can: financing gender equality and unlocking its dividends for all. More than 100 million women and girls could be lifted out of poverty if governments prioritized education, healthcare, fair and equal wages, and expanded social benefits. We know that when women raise their voices it is for equality, for their rights and for the rights of others, for peace and justice for all. They fight to leave a better world behind them for all the people and for our shared planet.

On International Women’s Day we elevate their voice. We elevate their cause, and our cause. We commit to affording it the resources it deserves and demands.

Allow me before I end to echo the call of the Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly, the Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women: We need a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza now. More than 9000 women have been killed in Gaza, and this must stop. We cannot return to a path to peace without justice for all survivors of this conflict—and I say all survivors of this conflict—and without an end to the indiscriminate violence in Gaza.

I began my remarks today with a moment of reflection. I end my remarks with a call for all of us to be the light that brings hope and that accelerates progress towards an equal, sustainable, and peaceful future. For all people. For every woman and for every girl, everywhere. I know that together, it is within our reach

Sima Bahous

Persistent poverty gaps continue to exist worldwide, and women bear an increasingly heavy burden. One in every ten women in the world lives in extreme poverty. Poverty has a female face." Sima Bahous Executive Director, UN Women

UNESCO Director-General's message 2024

Gender equality is a simple idea. It is the conviction that women deserve the same rights, opportunities and knowledge as men. It is the belief that women have just as much to contribute to society – and to addressing societal issues. It is the commitment to breaking down barriers that have held women back for far too long.

Yet, for all its simplicity, gender equality is proving remarkably difficult to achieve. Today, no country in the world can claim to be gender equal. At our current pace, it will take almost 300 years for all countries to be able to do so. In the meantime, according to UNESCO data, artificial intelligence will claim more jobs from women than men by the end of this decade. The climate crisis will push an estimated 160 million women into poverty by 2050.

To break down the barriers facing women, UNESCO has made gender equality a global priority for its action. We acknowledge the invaluable contributions made by women scientists, artists, journalists, educators and athletes. We work to ensure all women and girls are given the opportunities they deserve. And, every year on 8 March, we mark International Women’s Day to raise awareness of these issues.

The theme of this year’s day is investing in women to accelerate progress. This means developing, financing and implementing transformative solutions to advance gender equality and sustainability in the face of cascading global concerns and crises. UNESCO does this, hand in hand with its partners, in all the areas of its mandate.

First, to better understand the negative impacts of gender discrimination on economies and societies, UNESCO has developed a Gender-Based Resilience Framework, “Empowering women for the good of society”. It underlines the importance of closing the gender gaps in labour, innovation and sport – but also in leadership and decision-making, in line with our new podcast being launched today: Leadership for Equality.

In the field of education, we empower women by teaching them the skills they need for greater economic and social autonomy – for example, through our flagship programme “Her education, our future”. This year, we are telling the story of four girls whose lives have been changed by this initiative in a documentary released on 7 March.

We are also committed to ensuring that women and girls can thrive in scientific fields – especially given that women only account for one third of all researchers, according to the UNESCO Science Report. In 2022, to break down barriers in STEM fields, we supported 5,550 women and girls through mentorships, role models and career development programmes. And, since 1998, through the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme, we have recognized more than 4,200 talented women scientists in over 140 countries around the world.

In the creative industries, too, UNESCO is working to create professional opportunities for women. For example, with the Walt Disney Company, we are partnering with Women in Animation and its 2024 “Stories x Women” programme to give up to a dozen women animators especially from Africa – a chance to pitch projects at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France.

Finally, UNESCO shines the spotlight on the difficult conditions facing women journalists – 73% of whom face online violence, according to our research – and is working with governments, judges, digital platforms and the media to create safer working conditions and fight online harassment.

Achieving women’s empowerment remains one of humankind’s greatest challenges and, at the same time, an immense opportunity to realize humankind’s full potential. This year on International Women’s Day, UNESCO calls for immediate action to bring about this paradigm shift – now.

Audrey Azoulay

The theme of this year’s day is investing in women to accelerate progress. This means developing, financing and implementing transformative solutions to advance gender equality and sustainability in the face of cascading global concerns and crises. UNESCO does this, hand in hand with its partners, in all the areas of its mandate" Audrey Azoulay Director-General, UNESCO

UNFPA Executive Director's message 2024

Invest in women and girls: Inspire inclusion, promote prosperity

A peaceful and prosperous future depends on the empowerment of women and girls. Thirty years ago, at the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, 179 countries agreed that this was the right thing to do and the necessary path forward for sustainable global development. 

Since then, dedicated investments in the health and rights of women and girls have improved – and saved – millions of lives. Today, one third fewer women are dying from preventable complications of pregnancy and childbirth than in 2000. The number of girls giving birth while still teenagers has also dropped by a third over the same period. And the number of women using modern contraceptives has doubled since 1990.

Yet while broad trends show major steps forward in the pursuit of gender equality, they do not reflect the lived experiences of millions who continue to be left behind – largely due to persisting gender inequity, often in combination with other forms of discrimination. Women and girls with disabilities, of ethnic and racial minorities or identifying as LGBTQI+ are still prevented from realizing their sexual and reproductive health and rights. For those caught up in conflicts and climate disasters, family planning and gender-based violence response services typically crumble just when they are most critical.

Achieving a brighter future for everyone, whoever and wherever they are, demands swift, sustained and cross-cutting support for and investment in women and girls – everywhere.

The good news is we know what works and that it’s a great investment.

According to the  analysis of UNFPA and academic partners , $222 billion in new investment would secure an end to preventable maternal deaths, eliminate unmet need for family planning, and safeguard women and girls everywhere from gender-based violence and harmful practices by 2030. This would transform the lives of millions. 

Girls who are not married off as children have a greater chance of finishing school and securing employment, translating into  trillions of dollars  in economic benefits for society. Increasing women’s participation in the workplace raises their lifetime earning potential, and could boost per capita GDP by  nearly 20 per cent  on average. Businesses that subsidize the sexual and reproductive health of their workforce can  increase productivity  by up to 15 per cent and reduce talent attrition by as much as 22 per cent. When we invest in women and girls, everyone gains.

Yet, despite these clear benefits, investments are still nowhere near enough: In 2017, less than  1 per cent of global aid  for gender equality and women’s empowerment went to women’s organizations. In 2022,  less than 1 per cent  of global overseas aid went towards stopping gender-based violence. Only  1 per cent  of global health-care research is invested in female-specific conditions beyond oncology. Women and girls deserve better. 

We owe a great debt of gratitude to the women around the world who have led the march towards gender equality in their families, homes, workplaces and communities. Women like  Safia* , a survivor of female genital mutilation who lost one daughter to the practice and refused to subject her second daughter to it, and 15-year-old  Ngoma* , who is raising awareness about sexual and gender-based violence and rallying her community to defend the rights of their girls.

We owe women and girls real investments, such as supporting secondary  education , championing their leadership in  new tech ,  backing their own innovations  against violence, and  opening up more platforms  to hear their voices and help them  save lives .

Only by investing in the societal, economic and political inclusion of women and girls will we strengthen our social fabric and create something truly beautiful: A future that works for all.

Dr Natalia Kanem

We owe women and girls real investments, such as supporting secondary education, championing their leadership in new tech, backing their own innovations against violence, and opening up more platforms to hear their voices and help them save lives." Dr Natalia Kanem Executive Director, UNFPA

UNDP Administrator's message

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, Invest in women: Accelerate progress is a timely reminder that sufficient, well-aligned public and private finance will ultimately determine whether people get food on their plates, jobs or access to education. While global wealth stands at nearly $500 trillion, there is a stark deficit in global finance that intentionally flows towards advancing gender equality -- one of the most powerful means to allow people to escape poverty. Yet an additional $360 billion per year is needed to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment across key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Indeed, it is estimated that over two-thirds of global wealth is held by developed countries. The real issue is where money is spent and by whom, and who benefits or not. Driving shifts in four key areas will be vital to reset the financial landscape and ensure that women can enjoy their rights.

First, it is vital to support countries throughout the entire cycle of public finance. Only by having the adequate fiscal space can poverty be eradicated. We need a just global tax regime and truly progressive tax systems that lower the tax burden of low-income communities who are usually poor women. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is providing specialized support to ministries of finance globally -- from re-thinking the way resources are mobilized through taxation to how budget programmes are conceived, implemented, and monitored. And UNDP’s EQUANOMICS initiative supports ministries of finance and tax authorities in 26 countries to make fiscal policies work for gender equality. It includes a Global Learning Lab, which aims to help economists and policymakers to re-think the future of work while equipping them with knowledge to steer the structural shifts we now need.

Second, the world should commit to restructuring the debt of developing countries urgently as part of wider reform of the international financial architecture, which is crucial to allow millions of women and men to escape poverty. We need a debt architecture fit for gender equality too. With dozens of developing countries impacted by the debt crisis, households are the ones absorbing the shock from cuts to social spending and public services, and women’s unpaid labour becomes an invisible subsidy.

Third, we need efficient, accountable, and transparent ministries of finance, central banks, and tax authorities. And we must address the fact that many initiatives that advance institutional reforms for gender equality are fragmented, limiting their impact. Indeed, if public financial institutions are not ready and equipped for change, they may not be able to undertake nor maintain such reforms. Comprehensive reforms require more than ad hoc training or segmented investments in parity. There is a need to work with the ecosystem of public institutions. Therefore, efforts like UNDP’s Gender Equality Seal for Public institutions are recognising ministries of finance, tax authorities and other institutions that are committed to gender equality while preparing them to advance gender-responsive fiscal reforms.

Finally, as our world faces its highest levels of violent conflicts since 1945, the lack of financial resources continues to be the most serious and persistent obstacle to implementing the global women, peace and security commitments over the past 15 years. Indeed, in contexts of crises and shocks, women are nearly eight times more likely to be poor compared to men. For this reason, UNDP is working as part of the UN family in countries across the globe -- from Afghanistan where UNDP has supported 75,000 women-owned businesses since 2021, leading to the creation of some 900,000 jobs; to working alongside women in Côte d’Ivoire as they rebuild their lives and earn an income following violence.

With key partners like UN Women, UNDP will continue to #InvestInWomen, breaking down barriers and bias and ensuring that women can lead. Women, their communities – and indeed our global community – cannot afford to wait.

Achim Steiner

With key partners like UN Women, UNDP will continue to #InvestInWomen, breaking down barriers and bias and ensuring that women can lead. Women, their communities – and indeed our global community – cannot afford to wait. Achim Steiner Administrator, UNDP

International Women’s Day 2022: “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”

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The theme for International Women’s Day, 8 March, 2022 (IWD 2022) is, “ Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow ”, recognizing the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all.

Advancing gender equality in the context of the climate crisis and disaster risk reduction is one of the greatest global challenges of the 21st century. The issues of climate change and sustainability have had and will continue to have, severe and lasting impacts on our environment, economic and social development. Those who are amongst the most vulnerable and marginalized experience the deepest impacts. Women are increasingly being recognized as more vulnerable to climate change impacts than men, as they constitute the majority of the world’s poor and are more dependent on the natural resources which climate change threatens the most.

At the same time, women and girls are effective and powerful leaders and change-makers for climate adaptation and mitigation. They are involved in sustainability initiatives around the world, and their participation and leadership results in more effective climate action. Continuing to examine the opportunities, as well as the constraints, to empower women and girls to have a voice and be equal players in decision-making related to climate change and sustainability is essential for sustainable development and greater gender equality. Without gender equality today, a sustainable future, and an equal future, remains beyond our reach.

The United Nations Observance of International Women’s Day under the theme, “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, will be marked by a high-level virtual (TBC) event on Tuesday, 8 March 2022, 10–11.30 a.m. EST. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the General Assembly, the Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, the Executive Director of UN Women as well as gender equality and climate change activists and celebrities will participate. The event will be followed by a high-level panel discussion and musical performances.

The theme for International Women’s Day is aligned with the priority theme for the upcoming 66th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66): “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes”.

International Women's Day 2022 Brand Kit

For this year's International Women's Day, UN Women has partnered with the visual artist Burcu Köleli   to develop imagery illustrating the 2022 theme “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”.

Non-commercial use of the International Women's Day 2022 banners is permitted on web and social in the context of International Women’s Day provided that UN Women and the artist are credited as follows:

Source: Burcu Köleli   for UN Women (2022). 

For any other uses, please contact: [email protected]

You can access the International Women's Day 2022 brand kit and available assets through the following link.

• 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
• Climate change
• Environmental protection

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