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.
Women are increasingly being recognize 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.
International Women’s Day
(March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.
IWD has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people. Today, IWD belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. IWD is not country, group or organization specific.
History of International Women’s Day
At the same time, women and girls are effective and powerful leaders and change-makers for climate adaptation and mitigation. They are involve 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.
This International Women’s Day, let’s claim “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”.
The theme of International Women’s Day
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.
The theme for International Women’s Day is aligned with the priority theme for the upcoming 66th Commission on the Status of Women : “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”.
Activity of International Women’s Day
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 follow by a high-level panel discussion and musical performances.
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 provide that UN Women and the artist are credit as follows.
Significance of International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrate annually on March 8th and is one of the most important days of the year to:
- Honor women’s accomplishments
- Increase awareness of women’s equality
- Push for gender equity as early as possible
IWD is widely celebrate in Italy, the holiday is observe by men giving to women. This originated with communist politician who chose the mimosa in 1946 as the symbol of IWD because the predominant symbols of the day, and were too scarce and expensive to be used effectively in Italy.
In the United States, actress and human rights activist worked with the Mayor of Los Angeles and the Governor of California to lobby members of the US Congress to propose official recognition of the holiday. In February 1994, by suggestion, the H. J. Res. 316 was introduce by Representative , along with 79 cosponsors, in an attempt to officially recognize March 8 of that year as International Women’s Day. The bill was subsequently referral to, and remained in, the House Committee on Post Office and Civil Service. No vote of either house of Congress was achieve on this piece of legislation. In the has challenged misogyny since 2018.