Each year around the world, International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Thousands of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.
Organisations, governments, charities and women's groups around the world choose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues.
"Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures" is the 2012 theme of the internationalwomensday.com website and this has been widely used by hundreds of organisations including schools, universities, governments, women’s groups and the private sector. Each year the United Nations declares an overall International Women's Day theme. Their 2012 theme is “Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty”. Many organisations develop their own themes that are more relevant to their local contexts. For example, the European Parliament's 2012 theme is "Equal pay for work of equal value".
United Nation International Women's Day themes:
2012: Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty
2011: Equal access to education, training and science and technology
2010: Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all
2009: Women and men united to end violence against women and girls
2008: Investing in Women and Girls
2007: Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls
2006: Women in decision-making
2005: Gender Equality Beyond 2005: Building a More Secure Future
2004: Women and HIV/AIDS
2003: Gender Equality and the Millennium Development Goals
2002: Afghan Women Today: Realities and Opportunities
2001: Women and Peace: Women Managing Conflicts
2000: Women Uniting for Peace
1999: World Free of Violence against Women
1998: Women and Human Rights
1997: Women at the Peace Table
1996: Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future
1975: First IWD celebrated by the United Nations
2011: Equal access to education, training and science and technology
2010: Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all
2009: Women and men united to end violence against women and girls
2008: Investing in Women and Girls
2007: Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls
2006: Women in decision-making
2005: Gender Equality Beyond 2005: Building a More Secure Future
2004: Women and HIV/AIDS
2003: Gender Equality and the Millennium Development Goals
2002: Afghan Women Today: Realities and Opportunities
2001: Women and Peace: Women Managing Conflicts
2000: Women Uniting for Peace
1999: World Free of Violence against Women
1998: Women and Human Rights
1997: Women at the Peace Table
1996: Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future
1975: First IWD celebrated by the United Nations
