International Women’s Day 2021 Theme – ‘Women in Leadership – Achieving an Equal Future in a Covid-19 World’

UN Women announces the theme for International Women’s Day, 8 March 2021 (IWD 2021) as: “Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World.”

The theme celebrates the tremendous efforts of women and girls around the world to shape a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is also in line with the priority theme of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the full and effective participation and decision-making of women in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women. all women and girls “, and the flagship generation equality campaign, which calls for women’s right to decision – making in all areas of life, equal pay, equal distribution of unpaid care and domestic work, an end to all forms of violence against women and girls and health care services that cater to their needs.

Women are at the forefront of the COVID-19 crisis as health workers, caregivers, innovators, community organizers and as one of the most exemplary and effective national leaders in combating the pandemic. The crisis highlighted the centrality of their contributions and the excessive burden borne by women.

Women leaders and women’s organizations have demonstrated their skills, knowledge and networks to lead effectively in the COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Today, there is more acceptance than ever before that women are bringing different experiences, perspectives and skills to the table, and making irreplaceable contributions to decisions, policies and laws that work better for all.

The majority of countries that were more successful in halting the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic and responding to health and broader socio-economic consequences are led by women. For example, heads of government in Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, New Zealand and Slovakia have been widely recognized for the speed, decisiveness and effectiveness of their national response to COVID-19, as well as the compassionate communication of public health-based factual information. .

Yet women are heads of state and government in only 20 countries worldwide.[1]

In addition to persistent existing social and systemic barriers to women’s participation and leadership, new barriers have also emerged with the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the world, women face increasing domestic violence, unpaid care, unemployment and poverty. Despite the fact that women make up a majority of frontline workers, there is a disproportionate and inadequate representation of women in national and global COVID-19 policy spaces.

To uphold women’s rights and fully exploit the potential of women’s leadership in the preparation and response of pandemics, the perspectives of women and girls in all their diversity must be integrated into the formulation and implementation of policies and programs at all levels and in all phases. of the pandemic. response and recovery.

Additional information regarding the United Nations’ compliance with IWD 2021 will be made available on the UN Woman’s website closer to the date. The hashtags for social media will be # IWD2021 and #InternationalWomensDay.

Notes

[1] From 8 November 2020. This data is compiled by UN Women based on information from the UN’s permanent missions; only elected heads of state are considered

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