Women and girls are closer than ever to equal voices and choices, but the world is still failing far too many – especially those who are marginalized or caught in crises.
Three decades of action ignited by the landmark International Conference on Population and Development and the Fourth World Conference on Women have made motherhood safer, provided greater choices for women about their fertility and sparked almost all countries to pass laws against domestic violence.
Yet despite the progress, there is a long road ahead.
A pushback against gender equality and efforts to roll back sexual and reproductive health and rights contradict long-standing global agreements. Gender discrimination sustains unjust laws and norms, obstructing women and girls from claiming their sexual and reproductive health and rights and living free from violence.
Gender equality is inextricably linked with sexual and reproductive health and rights. And the equality of all women and girls drives development and advances social change. As women and girls thrive, so do their families, communities – and the world as a whole.
We must ensure protections from rights violations and counter harmful practices so all women and girls can exercise their bodily autonomy, including the ability to choose if and when to have children, to give birth safely and to live free from all forms of violence.
Women and girls must be at the centre of solutions to our global challenges. To this end, the theme for International Women’s Day this year is: For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.
To learn more and to see how you can help unlock the potential of women and girls everywhere, click here.
