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History of Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic, or political.
Since those early years, International Women’s Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike. The growing international women’s movement, which has been strengthened by four global United Nations women’s conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point to build support for women’s rights and participation in the political and economic arenas.
We invite you to learn about the history of women’s rights and the UN’s contribution to the cause.
Current situation and concerns
Achieving gender equality and women’s well-being in all aspects of life is more crucial than ever if we want to create prosperous economies and a healthy planet. However, we are facing a key challenge: the alarming $360 billion annual deficit in gender equality measures by 2030. One example is that now just 5% of government aid is focused on tackling violence against women and girls, and less than 0.2% is directed to its prevention.
In a world facing multiple crises that put immense pressure on communities, achieving gender equality is more vital than ever. Ensuring women’s and girls’ rights across all aspects of life is the only way to secure prosperous and just economies and a healthy planet for future generations.
One of the key challenges in achieving gender equality by 2030 is an alarming lack of financing with a staggering USD 360 billion annual deficit in spending on gender-equality measures.
The time for change is now! Here are five key areas that need our joint action to ensure women are not left behind:
Investing in women: A human rights issue
Time is running out. Gender equality remains the greatest human rights challenge. Investing in women is a human rights imperative and cornerstone for building inclusive societies. Progress for women benefits us all.
Ending poverty
The COVID pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, climate disasters, and economic turmoil have pushed an extra 75 million people into severe poverty, since 2020. This could lead to more than 342 million women and girls living below the poverty line by 2030, making immediate action crucial.
Implementing gender-responsive financing
Due to conflicts and rising fuel and food prices, recent estimates suggest that 75 percent of countries will curb public spending by 2025. Austerity negatively impacts women and crowds out public spending on essential public services and social protection.
Shifting to a green economy and care society
The current economic system exacerbates poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation, disproportionately affecting women and marginalized groups. Advocates for alternative economic models propose shifting towards a green economy and care society that amplifies women’s voices.
Supporting feminist change-makers
Feminist organizations are leading efforts to tackle women’s poverty and inequality. However, they are running on empty, receiving a meager 0.13 percent of total official development assistance.
Sources
https://www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day/background