On March 8, 2024, millions of people across the globe marked International Women’s Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the achievements of women and calling for continued progress towards gender equality. From New York to New Delhi, a range of events, rallies, and cultural celebrations took place, drawing attention to the challenges women face worldwide, while also celebrating their accomplishments in various sectors, including politics, business, the arts, and science.
The 2024 theme for International Women’s Day was “Empower Her Future,” focusing on creating opportunities for women to lead in all spheres of life. This year’s event also highlighted the importance of equal access to education, healthcare, and economic resources, as well as the need to eliminate violence against women.
In a powerful address at the United Nations headquarters in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for urgent action to tackle gender inequality. He highlighted the continued global disparities that affect women’s rights, including unequal pay, lack of access to education, and violence. “Gender equality is not just a women’s issue; it is a human rights issue,” Guterres said. “Achieving gender equality will require a comprehensive effort from governments, businesses, and individuals.”
Throughout the day, world leaders, activists, and ordinary citizens engaged in discussions, panel debates, and social media campaigns aimed at raising awareness about the challenges that women face and the steps needed to address these issues. In many countries, rallies were organized to demand gender equality in the workplace, where women often earn significantly less than their male counterparts for the same work. The wage gap remains one of the most persistent challenges to achieving true gender equality worldwide.
At the same time, countries were also lauded for their achievements in promoting women’s leadership. For example, in the United States, women now hold over 25% of seats in Congress, and in Europe, women occupy key leadership roles in both government and the private sector. Despite these advancements, women remain underrepresented in top positions, and many countries continue to struggle with gender-based violence, discrimination, and limited access to economic resources.
The private sector also observed the day by launching initiatives aimed at improving women’s representation and ensuring better work-life balance. Several large companies announced new policies to address gender discrimination in the workplace, including equal pay audits and efforts to promote women to leadership roles.
Around the world, efforts to promote gender equality continue to gain momentum. Nevertheless, activists emphasize that much work remains to be done to create a truly equal world. As UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous stated, “While progress has been made, we must continue to push for change until all women and girls have the opportunity to live free from violence, discrimination, and inequality.”
