International Women's Day is Embracing Equity and we are so here for it

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 organisation specific.

Each year, the United Nations announces a new theme to raise awareness about the many inequalities women and girls face. This year's theme for International Women's Day is "Balancing the Scales". 

Embracing Equity

Equity is a fundamental concept in disability rights and women's rights. Sometimes, people might use the words equity and equality interchangeably, but they mean very different things.

Treating people with equality means treating them all the same. So if you give something to or make an allowance for someone, to treat everyone with equality, everyone else should have that same thing or allowance made available to them. 

Equity, on the other hand, acknowledges that everyone doesn't start at the same place or have the same privileges or access needs, and that some people's needs are different from others. Treating people with equity means working out what changes, adaptions or inclusions can be made to enable fair and equitable access for everyone. This might mean giving more to some than others, or not even giving to some people at all in order to "balance the scales" and make society fair, inclusive and accessible for all. 

"Equality is giving everyone a shoe. Equity is giving everyone a shoe that fits." - Susan K. Gardner

 

Give to Gain

The theme for the UN International Women’s Day, 8 March 2025 (IWD 2025), is “Give to Gain”. The theme highlights the urgent need to ensure fair, inclusive and accessible justice for every woman and girl. 

This year is the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW-70), “ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, polices and practices and addressing structural barriers."

The United Nations Observances of IWD recognise the vital role of media, corporate leaders, governments, community leaders, civil society, and youth in taking action for your communities to provide equal rights, equality, and empowerment. 

For more information, visit unwomen.org