International Women's Day Celebrated on 8 March 2025.
Important Days
International Women's Day (IWD) 2025 was globally observed on March 8, marking 50 years of the UN’s official recognition of IWD. The day celebrates women's achievements across social, economic, cultural, and political spheres, advocating for gender equality.
- The official theme for IWD 2025 was "For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment," aligning with the UN's 69th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) session, which focused on "Accelerating Gender Equality: Empowering Women and Girls Beyond Beijing+30." The campaign theme, "Accelerate Action," urged swift and decisive steps toward gender equality.
- The UN first celebrated IWD in 1975, which was declared International Women's Year, and in 1977, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) officially recognized March 8 as Women’s Rights and International Peace Day, calling on member states to observe it annually.
- On March 6, 2025, the UN launched two major reports for IWD 2025: "Women's Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing", revealing that 25% of governments globally reported a decline in women's rights in 2024, and "GIRL GOALS: What has changed for girls?", assessing adolescent girls' rights over the past 30 years.
Main Point :- (i) In India, several initiatives were launched to mark IWD 2025: the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) introduced a Cyber Security Handbook for Mahila Suraksha, aiming to enhance women's digital safety; the Ministry of Law & Justice (MoLBJ) released "The Life and Contributions of the Women Members of the Constituent Assembly", honoring 15 women leaders who played a key role in drafting the Indian Constitution.
(ii) The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), based in Kochi, Kerala, honored two women entrepreneurs, Akhilamol M A and Sangeetha Sunil, for their significant contributions to the fisheries sector and women's empowerment in coastal communities.
(iii) According to the Women-led Startups in India Report 2025, released by Tracon Technologies Limited, women co-led tech startups in India secured only USD 1 billion in funding in 2024, reflecting a 25% year-on-year decline. This highlights the ongoing challenges in women’s representation and investment in the startup ecosystem.
About the United Nations (UN)
Secretary-General (SG) : AntĂłnio Guterres
Headquarters: New York
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