Today, on International Women's Day, we come together to celebrate the remarkable resilience, contributions and achievements of women and girls around the world.
This year's theme, "For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment," is a call to action for a future where every woman and girl has the opportunity to thrive with dignity, free from barriers and discrimination.
Nearly 30 years ago, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action urged the global community to guarantee equal rights and opportunities for women and girls everywhere.
Despite progress, that vision remains unfulfilled. Discriminatory laws persist, violence continues, and women’s voices are still too often marginalised.
The thirst for equality is just as unrelenting today as it was 30 years ago.
Our Commonwealth is a family of nations bound by shared values and a steadfast commitment to equality and justice.
We know that empowering all women and girls is not just the right thing to do; it is the smart thing to do.
When women are educated, economies grow. When they participate in decision-making, governance improves. When they are free from violence and discrimination, societies thrive.
Yet, millions of women and girls continue to face systemic barriers. Intersecting inequalities, discrimination, and violence continue to hold them back.
This is why we take an intersectional approach, ensuring that our policies and programmes address the unique challenges faced by women of all backgrounds.
We are working closely with member governments and disabled persons organisations to finalise a Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan to ensure every person with disability can enjoy equal rights and opportunities.
As Secretary-General, I have made the elimination of violence against women and girls a top priority. Our Commonwealth Says NO MORE campaign and Economic Costs of Violence Against Women initiative support concrete steps towards awareness, prevention and response to gender-based violence.
From reforming discriminatory laws to implementing gender-responsive budgeting, we are working to build a future where all women and girls can feel empowered and live free from fear of violence.
As the first woman to hold the office of Commonwealth Secretary-General, I stand in solidarity with the trailblazing women in law, politics, business, and diplomacy, who have paved the way for progress.
And I am proud that, together, we have moved women’s voices, contributions and issues from the footnotes to the front pages.
But our journey is far from over. In fact, it is only starting. We must redouble our efforts to ensure that every girl born today enjoys the same rights, opportunities, and representation as any boy.
So, on this International Women's Day, I call on all member countries, partners and people of the Commonwealth to join us to turn our commitment into reality.
Let us work hand in hand to ensure that no one is left behind.
Because if not us, who? And if not now, when?
Media contact
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Snober Abbasi Senior Communications Officer, Media and Public Affairs, Commonwealth Secretariat
- +44 20 7747 6168 | E-mail
