International Women’s Day 2025: Accelerate Action for Gender Equality

Shreenkhala Bhattarai
3 min readMar 7, 2025

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Every year, March 8 marks International Women’s Day (IWD) — a global celebration of women’s achievements strength and resilience. But more than that, it’s a reminder that there’s still so much work to be done. This year’s theme, “Accelerate Action,” is a powerful call to step up to close the gender gap, dismantle systemic barriers, and create a world where every woman and girl can thrive.

Equality is not something that can wait. Change must happen now.

We can’t afford to wait. Women and girls around the world are still fighting for equal pay, safe workplaces, education, leadership opportunities, and freedom from violence. Progress is happening, but not fast enough. At the current pace, true gender equality could take more than a century. That’s far too long.

It’s time to act now — for ourselves, for the next generation, and for a better future.

Despite progress, gender inequality continues to affect millions of women and girls worldwide. Women still face wage gaps, underrepresentation in leadership, limited access to education, and widespread gender-based violence. At the current rate of change, the World Economic Forum estimates it could take over 130 years to close the global gender gap. That is simply too long.

We must move faster. We must push harder. We must take action now.

Key Areas Where We Need Urgent Action

  1. Closing the Economic Gender Gap

Women continue to earn less than men, face barriers to career growth, and lack access to financial resources. To accelerate action, we need to:

  • Ensure equal pay for equal work
  • Increase women’s participation in leadership roles
  • Provide funding and support for women entrepreneurs

2. Breaking Barriers in Education and Technology

In many parts of the world, girls are still denied education. Women are also underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. To accelerate action, we must:

  • Invest in girls’ education and skills training
  • Promote women’s participation in STEM careers
  • Close the digital divide by increasing women’s access to technology

3. Eliminating Gender-Based Violence

Violence against women remains one of the most pressing human rights issues. To accelerate action, we must:

  • Strengthen laws and policies to protect women
  • Increase support services for survivors
  • Challenge cultural norms that perpetuate violence

4. Increasing Women’s Representation in Leadership

Women’s voices are still missing in decision-making spaces — from politics to corporate boardrooms. To accelerate action, we need:

  • More women in leadership roles
  • Inclusive policies that support working mothers and caregivers
  • Stronger mentorship and sponsorship programs for women

5. Ensuring Equal Healthcare Access

Women’s health is often underfunded and overlooked. To accelerate action, we must:

  • Improve access to reproductive healthcare
  • Address disparities in maternal health
  • Prioritize mental health support for women and girls

What You Can Do Right Now ?

Speak Up:Use your voice to challenge inequality wherever you see it.

Support Women-Owned Businesses:Economic empowerment fuels change.

Educate and mentor:Help younger generations access opportunities.

Advocate for Equal Pay — Push for workplace policies that promote fairness.

Raise Awareness — Share stories, support movements, and demand change.

This International Women’s Day, let’s do more than just talk about gender equality. Let’s take bold, decisive action to speed up progress. Together, we can accelerate change and create a world where all women and girls have the opportunities they deserve.

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Shreenkhala Bhattarai
Shreenkhala Bhattarai

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