International Women’s Day
This International Women’s Day, 8 March 2024, join the United Nations in celebrating under the theme Invest in women: Accelerate progress.
The world is facing many crises, ranging from geopolitical conflicts to soaring poverty levels and the escalating impacts of climate change. These challenges can only be addressed by solutions that empower women. By investing in women, we can spark change and speed the transition towards a healthier, safer, and more equal world for all.
An additional $360 billion is needed per year to achieve gender equality.
Closing gender gaps in employment could boost GDP per capita by 20 per cent.
Closing gaps in care and expanding services with decent jobs could spark almost 300 million jobs by 2035.
If current trends continue, more than 342 million women and girls could be living extreme poverty by 2030. To ensure women’s needs and priorities are considered, governments must prioritize gender-responsive financing and increase public spending on essential services and social protection.
Policymakers must also value, recognize, and account for the vital contribution women make to economies worldwide through paid and unpaid care work. Women spend around three times more time on unpaid care work than men and if these activities were assigned a monetary value they would account for more than 40 per cent of GDP.
Investing in women and championing gender equality turbocharges a future where everyone in society can thrive, creating a world of boundless opportunity and empowerment for all.
Anne Hathaway's call to action on #IWD2024
Accelerating economic empowerment
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Why investing in women is a human rights issue
Five things to accelerate women’s economic empowerment
Unpacking the care society: Caring for people and the planet
New report shows how feminism can be a powerful tool to fight climate change
Invest in women, accelerate progress
Economic justice — Get the facts
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FAQs: Economic empowerment
Everything you need to know about pushing for pay equity
Facts and figures: Economic empowerment
What is gender-responsive budgeting?
Gender bonds: A promising solution to accelerate SDG5
Gender bonds: A toolkit for the design and issuance of gender bonds in Africa
Global voices of empowerment
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Kenya and Zimbabwe invest in preventing violence against women and girls
EntreprenHER programme empowers women entrepreneurs in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa
Haitian women and girls empowered by UN Women amid humanitarian crisis
Investing in women’s safety and economic empowerment in Rwanda
Women farmers in Malawi tackle climate change and gender inequalities through greenhouse programme
Grants and training programmes empower women entrepreneurs in Cambodia and Viet Nam
Women learn new skills and push back against ethnic and gender prejudice in Thailand
Women rise from poverty and gain economic independence through Oasis Centres in Jordan
Ukrainian entrepreneur uses flower business to bridge gender gaps during wartime
South African women’s group trains police to respond to gender-based violence
Ukrainian refugees launch businesses and build a new community in Moldova
News and media
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On International Women’s Day, UN Women calls on investing in women as the best solution to face growing crises
1 in every 10 women in the world lives in extreme poverty