8 March: International Women’s Day

An opportunity to celebrate women’s accomplishments and their role in peace efforts and development are just a few reasons why many people all over the world organized events to commemorate International Women’s Day.

The central theme of this year’s International Women’s Day celebrations was: “Gender Equality Beyond 2005: Building a More Secure Future”. Placing an end to discrimination through equal access to opportunities, resources and services for women is key in building a more secure and sustainable future. Debates around this theme during this day also stressed the need to reduce poverty, protect human rights and invest in sustainable development in order to empower women. According to a UN Secretary General’s High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change, a more secure world must be based on equal rights for women.

Celebrations at UN headquarters included a Panel Discussion on the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day with the following panellists: Ms. Rachel Mayanja, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, DESA; Ms. Nafis Sadik, Member, High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change; Mr. Sálvano Briceño, Director, Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction; Ms. Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, Executive Director, UN-Habitat; Mr. Enrique Berruga, Permanent Representative of Mexico and Ms. Jessica Neuwirth, President, Equality Now.

Parallel to this activity, a meeting to review and appraise the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995), and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly (2000) also took place from 28 February and 11 March.

At FAO, a seminar illustrating how entrepreneurship via microfinance institutions can improve the lives of both men and women was held.

For more information on the activities carried out on this day please visit the website of the International Women’s Day 2005.

For more information on gender equality and women’s empowerment please visit the website of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

Visit FAO’s website on Gender and Food Security.

Visit IFAD’s site dedicated to its gender initiatives.

Visit WFP’s special section on Women in its website.