As I sit down to write this post, I can’t help but reflect on the incredible journey women have undertaken throughout history. It’s a journey marked by courage, resilience and an unwavering determination to create a more equitable world. Today, I want to talk about the significance of International Women’s Day 2025, which is a global event that serves as both a celebration of progress and a call to action for continued change.
What is International Women’s Day?
IWD, observed annually on 8 March, is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It’s a day when we come together to recognise the progress made towards gender equality and to call for further action to accelerate women’s rights.
The day has its roots in the early 20th century, with the first gathering held in 1911. Since then, it has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, uniting people across borders, cultures and backgrounds in the pursuit of gender equality.
Why is IWD Important?
You might wonder why we still need a day dedicated to women’s rights in 2025. After all, haven’t we made significant strides in recent decades? While it’s true that we’ve seen remarkable progress, the reality is that gender inequality persists in various forms around the world, even in the UK and US.
International Women’s Day serves several crucial purposes:
- Celebration of Achievements: It’s a day to honour the incredible accomplishments of women throughout history and in contemporary society. From groundbreaking scientific discoveries to influential political leadership, women have shaped our world in countless ways.
- Raising Awareness: The day shines a spotlight on ongoing issues affecting women globally, such as the gender pay gap, lack of representation in leadership roles and gender-based violence.
- Call to Action: It mobilises individuals, organisations and governments to take concrete steps towards achieving gender equality.
- Fostering Solidarity: International Women’s Day brings people of all genders together in support of women’s rights, creating a powerful collective voice for change.
The Ongoing Need for a Dedicated Day to Celebrate and Support Women
Despite the progress we’ve made, stark inequalities remain. Let’s look at some sobering statistics that underscore the continued relevance of this annual event and why everyone should be marking IWD 2025:
- The global gender pay gap stands at about 20%, meaning women earn on average 80% of what men earn for the same work.
- Women are still underrepresented in leadership positions, with only a fraction holding top executive roles in major companies.
- Gender-based violence remains a pervasive issue, with an estimated 736 million women worldwide having experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
- In many parts of the world, women still face significant barriers to education, with 122 million girls out of school globally.
These figures represent real people and demonstrate how their lives are affected by gender inequality. They remind us of the work that still needs to be done and why International Women’s Day remains as relevant as ever, even a quarter of the way into the 21st century.
Global Celebrations and Challenges
The way this event is observed varies greatly around the world, reflecting diverse cultural contexts and the specific challenges women face in different regions.
United Kingdom
In the UK, IWD is marked by a mix of celebratory events and awareness-raising activities. Women have made significant strides in many areas of British society but many challenges persist. The gender pay gap, while narrowing, still stands at 13.1% for full-time workers. Women continue to be underrepresented in certain fields, particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers.
One positive trend is the increasing number of women in leadership positions. However, there’s still work to be done to achieve true parity, especially in corporate boardrooms and political offices.
United States
In the US, events often focus on issues such as equal pay, reproductive rights and women’s representation in politics and business. The country has seen progress in many areas, but recent years have also brought new challenges, particularly in the area of reproductive rights.
The overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 has led to significant restrictions on abortion access in many states, highlighting the ongoing struggle for women’s body autonomy. This development has galvanised many women’s rights activists and made reproductive freedom a central theme of recent IWD events.
Global South
In many countries in the Global South, the day takes on added significance as women fight for basic rights and opportunities. Issues such as access to education, maternal health care and protection from gender-based violence are often at the forefront of celebrations and protests.
For instance, in countries like South Sudan, where the maternal mortality rate is alarmingly high at 1,223 deaths per 100,000 live births, International Women’s Day events often focus on the urgent need for improved maternal health care.
Challenges in Certain Regions
It’s important to note that not all countries embrace IWD. In some regions, women face severe restrictions on their rights and freedoms. For example, in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, women have been barred from education and many forms of employment, representing a significant setback for women’s rights in the country.
This stark contrast in how the event is observed – or suppressed – around the world serve as a powerful reminder of the global nature of the struggle for gender equality and further underline that it is as important as ever for us to continue to push for change.
International Women’s Day 2025: Accelerating Action
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “#AccelerateAction”, reflecting the urgent need to speed up progress towards gender equality. It’s a call to move beyond awareness and into concrete action, pushing for tangible changes in policies, practices and societal norms.
The theme encourages individuals, organisations and governments to take bold steps to address persistent inequalities. This could involve initiatives to close the gender pay gap, increase women’s representation in leadership roles, combat gender-based violence or improve access to education and healthcare for women and girls.
Events in the UK and US
To give you a taste of how International Women’s Day 2025 is being marked, here’s a short list of events taking place in the UK and US:
United Kingdom
- Women of the World (WOW) Festival, London: A three-day event featuring talks, workshops and performances celebrating women and girls.
- International Women’s Day March, Manchester: A peaceful march through the city centre, followed by speeches and performances.
- Women in Tech Conference, Edinburgh: A day-long conference focusing on increasing women’s representation in the technology sector.
- Feminist Book Fair, Bristol: An event showcasing works by women authors and discussing feminist literature.
United States
- Women’s Leadership Summit, New York City: A conference bringing together women leaders from various industries to share insights and strategies.
- International Women’s Day 5K Run, Chicago: A charity run raising funds for organisations supporting women’s rights.
- Women in STEM Symposium, San Francisco: An event highlighting the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
- Reproductive Rights Rally, Washington D.C.: A gathering to advocate for women’s reproductive freedom and healthcare access.
How You Can Get Involved
In addition to the various events you can attend on and around IWD, you can also take action in your own life and community. Here are some ways you can participate:
- Educate Yourself: Learn about the issues affecting women in your community and around the world. Read books by women authors, watch documentaries about women’s rights and engage with diverse perspectives.
- Speak Up: Use your voice to challenge gender stereotypes and discrimination when you encounter them in your daily life.
- Support Women-Owned Businesses: Make a conscious effort to patronise businesses owned by women in your community.
- Mentor or Sponsor: If you’re in a position to do so, mentor young women in your field or sponsor women for leadership opportunities.
- Donate: Consider donating to organisations that work to advance women’s rights and opportunities.
- Advocate for Policy Changes: Engage with your local and national representatives to push for policies that promote gender equality.
Reflecting on Progress and Looking Ahead
As we mark IWD 2025, it’s important to reflect on how far we’ve come while also acknowledging the road ahead. The progress we’ve made is a testament to the power of collective action and the resilience of women around the world.
From the suffragettes who fought for the right to vote to the modern-day activists pushing for equal pay and reproductive rights, each generation of women has built upon the achievements of those who came before. We stand on the shoulders of giants and it’s our responsibility to continue their work.
However, as the statistics and global disparities we’ve discussed show, there’s still much to be done. The theme of “Accelerating Action” is a timely reminder that we can’t afford to be complacent. Every small step towards equality, every conversation that challenges stereotypes, every policy that promotes women’s rights – it all adds up to create meaningful change.
As we look to the future, let’s envision a world where gender equality is not just an aspiration but a reality. A world where every girl has access to education, where women are equally represented in boardrooms and parliaments, where gender-based violence is a thing of the past and where everyone, regardless of gender, has equal opportunity to reach their full potential.
This vision may seem ambitious but history has shown us that change is possible when we work together with determination and purpose. IWD reminds us of this potential for change and calls on each of us to play our part in creating a more equitable world.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, let’s not just commemorate the day – let’s commit to making every day a step towards gender equality. Whether through small acts of everyday activism or large-scale initiatives, we all have the power to contribute to this vital cause.
We should all be mindful that the fight for gender equality isn’t just a women’s issue – it’s a human rights issue that affects us all. When women thrive, societies prosper. By working together we can create a world that’s fairer, more inclusive and better for everyone.
Let’s make International Women’s Day 2025 not just a celebration but an effective catalyst for accelerated action towards a more equitable future.