To reflect on International Women’s Day, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the iconic Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, once said…
”“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.”
And she’s right. Throughout history, women have been the backbone of every society—shaping it, nurturing it, and sustaining it. From the home to the workplace, and from science and technology to business and entertainment, women have left an indelible mark on the world. Yet, the journey has had its challenges.
The Struggle is Real, But So Is the Strength
I remember my own moment of awakening to gender inequality. At just 16, I walked into an audition to host my school’s Annual Prize Day event. Full of enthusiasm and experience, I thought I had it in the bag. But the role was handed over to a male counterpart who hadn’t even auditioned. This was my first taste of thinking equal opportunities are not guaranteed, a feeling that countless women and girls experience all over the world, often from a very young age under many different circumstances.
Across the globe, women still face marginalization and discrimination—many without the basic rights to own property, vote, or even open a bank account.. From the impact of global crises like conflict, climate change, and poverty to the growing backlash against reproductive rights, women bear the brunt of these challenges. Yet, despite the odds, women continue to rise.
Breaking Through the Glass Ceilings this International Women’s Day
As I reflect on International Women’s Day, research is showing there’s a shift happening. Women are pursuing higher education at an unprecedented rate, with nearly 40% of women with a college degree compared to 32% of men. By 2030, women are projected to be a force to reckon with—economically, socially, and politically. The question is: How do we accelerate and sustain this progress?
The Path to Progress
For starters, the international community must prioritise equality for women and girls. Gender equality isn’t just a moral obligation—it’s the foundation for peaceful and prosperous societies. Governments must actively address discrimination, invest in programs that benefit women, and ensure that policies reflect their needs. The private sector also has a role to play by driving investment in women’s potential.
Another key to progress is increasing the representation of women in leadership positions. It’s simple: women in power can create policies that reflect the realities women face. For instance, I’m proud of the work being done at the United Nations to ensure gender parity in senior management for the first time in history. But this should be the norm, not the exception.
The Time for Equality is Now
Currently, it will take roughly five generations from now to reach gender parity at the pace we’re going—an unacceptable timeline for half of humanity. It’s clear that we need to accelerate action. This is the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day: Accelerate Action (IWD: IWD 2025 campaign theme is ‘Accelerate Action’). We need to take swift, decisive steps to break down the systemic barriers and biases that women face every day.
The good news? Many organisations and movements around the world are already implementing strategies to drive change. These efforts focus on empowering women economically, supporting their leadership in all sectors, ensuring access to education, and promoting women’s health and safety.
Some key initiatives include:
- Women’s Economic Empowerment: Supporting women to enter and thrive in the workforce.
- Education and Training: Providing girls and women with the skills they need to succeed.
- Leadership in STEM: Encouraging women and girls to step into roles in science, technology, and leadership positions.
- Health and Safety: Offering women access to quality health care and safety from violence.
- Sustainability: Involving women in decision-making around environmental and agricultural issues.
The Road to Gender Equality
However, true equality cannot happen in a vacuum – nor can efforts only be made on International Women’s Day. It requires financial investment, political will, and most importantly, collective action. Women’s rights are not a luxury that can wait while we solve other global crises. Investing in women directly benefits everyone. It fuels economic growth, advances social change, and creates a more inclusive and engaged future for all.
Discrimination against women in fields like science, politics, and education is rooted in centuries of patriarchy. Women account for only 3% of Nobel Prize winners in scientific categories since 1901. Female scientists and journalists, often targeted with sexist hate and abuse online, are sometimes silenced—but they will not be silenced for long.
Women and girls across the world are demanding their rights. They are using their voices—no longer willing to accept a world where their potential is stifled by systemic biases and discriminatory laws. These voices are powerful. They are loud. And they are only growing stronger.
A Vision for the Future
I envision a world where women and girls have equal access to opportunities, where gender parity is a given, not a goal. So, let’s take action. Let’s invest in women. Let’s amplify their voices. And let’s make gender equality a reality—not in the distant future, but today.
As we honour the strength of women, let us remember that when we lift women up, we lift everyone up, and not just on International Women’s Day. The future is bright when women are empowered, and it’s a future we all deserve.
